Literary space has long been a subject of interest both as a valued skill to authors and as an interesting field of research for those in search of literary analysis. Especially in plot-driven literature, space can play an important role, sometimes acting almost as a secondary character and other times adding important symbolic detail to the story. Fantasy literature is famously known for the practice of world-building, a technique in which the author spends great time and energy on developing the story's spatial setting. By making up an imaginary world often characterized by magical elements, the author can make the story more believable and immersive. J.R.R. Tolkien is often regarded as the champion of fantasy world-building, as most contemporary fantasy writers credit him as being the inspiration not only behind their work but specifically regarding detailed world-building. This paper aims to analyze the groundwork Tolkien set in fantasy world-building, while simultaneously comparing it to another, more contemporary, hugely successful fantasy work: G.R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire saga.