Stephen King usually deals some pretty harsh blows to his characters as well, and his sympathetic successful characters tend to get where they are by working ha

Stephen King usually deals some pretty harsh blows to his characters as well, and his sympathetic successful characters tend to get where they are by working hard. GRRM's stuff (most prominently 'Song of Ice and Fire') is just plain bleak. Hard work isn't rewarded, because nothing is. I mean, it's good, and a valuable life lesson, but it's sure not motivational.