Does anyone know what happened to Roy Dotrice on R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire Audio Books??? Nothing against John Lee but seriously who could replace the hundreds of Dotrice's incredible characterizations??? I could not have been more dissapointed when I started listening to the fourth volume and all those wonderful voices were gone. Was it money, time, other commitments, what?!?!? So sad... Thank the gods the written word can't be altered

Peace

The first of Martin's audiobooks I picked up was Feast for Crows, so John Lee doesn't bother me as much (and I love the fact he played the nemesis on Aeon Flux), but I'll agree that Roy Dotrice does an amazing job. Didn't realize he acted as well until I saw his name in the credits for Hellboy II.

Martin has answered this question. If you look on westeros.org, you can probably find the answer. I've never read the audiobooks so I didn't pay too much attention to it when I was reading the answer. I believe it was the case that Dotrice was not available when the publisher wanted the book recorded. You'd think that during the long span it took to write AFfC that someone could have tried to line things up with Dotrice's schedule, but more likely all the publishers were really pushing GRRM to finish as soon as possible and as soon as he said he was done they tried to pop it out in text and audio form as quickly as they could.

I'm personally not that fond of Dotrice. I think he almost made caricatures out of alot of the voices and I can't stand how he pronounces some of the names.

I started the series on audiobook, and I thought Dotrice did a fantastic job. I recommend that all of my friends get into the books, and that they do it via audiobook, because the voices he does just add so much to the story.

I was so sad to learn he wasn't the narrator on the first book. I tried to give the new guy a chance, but the fact that he pronounced the names differently, and that he read almost everything as though it were the most dramatic thing ever, I eventually switched over and read the actual book.

When A Dance with Dragons comes out, I'll probably get the actual book as soon as possible, but I could see listening to the audiobook at a later date, if Roy Dotrice makes a return.

According to Martin's blog, and the HBO info release, Roy will be playing Grand Maester Pycelle in the series!