While he is an executive producer on Game of Thrones and author of the best-selling books, George RR Martin has said that he has no say when it comes to who will survive on the HBO show.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter about on-screen deaths, Martin said: "I don't have to approve that. I sold the rights to HBO."
He continued: "I consult on this, so I give my opinions, but I don't have any right to veto or approval."
"Writing books, I literally have a cast of thousands," Martin explained. "I can describe an attack on The Wall and I can kill 12 named characters."
Warning: Spoiler Alert!
He added: "We don't have that many named characters in the Night's Watch on the TV show - we can't afford to cast that many. So they'll kill Pyp and Grenn and get an emotional response because the viewer knows who they are.
"These are the kind of adjustments you have to make in moving from one medium to another."
Game of Thrones returns to HBO on Sunday April 12 and to Sky Atlantic on Monday April 13.
Read our Season Five preview here.
