I have really enjoyed your thoughts on Thin Places in ASoIaF, and my questions chiefly relate to that concept.1: What evidence do you see that Harrenhal really is cursed, rather than simply being a uniquely difficult to manage fief that tends to bring it’s holders down, it being both enormous, subservient to a Lord Paramount, and also awarded directly by the monarchy. 2: Do you think that dragon fire may be particularly linked to the creation of Thin Places?

1. To be honest, it’s mostly Doylist logic – the law of conservation of narrative detail. Not only did GRRM take the time to write about a curse and a backstory of all of these houses which died out under horrible circumstances, but he also went out of his way in ASOIAF to show lords of Harrenhal dying horribly – Janos Slynt, Vargo Hoat, the Mountain, etc. etc. And it’s something he’s been very consistent about rather than changing his mind. 

2. Only to the extent that dragonfire is involved in a concentration of violent death. I admit this theory isn’t perfect – what about all of the battlefields from the Dance or the Field or Fire? – but there’s also places like Hardhome or Asshai or Kadath or Carcossa where dragons don’t seem to be involved but weirdness is there.