I was unimpressed with George RR Martin, too. I seem to be a bit out of sync with the popular fantasy of the day.

I think my overall problem may be the same with both of them: they're a little too impressed with their own cleverness and just how dang iconoclastic they are.

Alternatively, maybe they're insecure. I've always wondered about those grossly bloated volumes that seem the special forte of a certain kind of (usually male) fantasy author.