I worry a lot about how to carefully introduce the reader to the fantasy world they are unfamiliar with when the main characters are; how to do it without overwhelming the reader. I decided to re-read Game of Thrones to remember how it was done there and...
I am in awe at the sheer audacity to lore dump so much in the first 3 chapters. It's so unapologetic, I can't help but respect it. But I wonder if I would have continued with a book like that without being familiar with the lore beforehand. I honestly don't know if that would have intrigued me, or I would have dropped it, out of frustration. The prose is beautiful, so I think I would have continued it.
p.s. I don't think the reader needs to be spoon-fed the lore; but if you have time, check out the beginning of The Game of Thrones - it's A LOT of lore, history, and names from the get-go














