Claim: Tyrion Lannister is a fictional character.

Tyrion Lannister -LRB- also referred to as `` the Imp '' or `` the Halfman '' -RRB- is a fictional character in A Song of Ice and Fire , a series of fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin , and its television adaptation Game of Thrones . Based on an idea that came to Martin while writing the 1981 novel Windhaven , Tyrion has been called one of the author 's finest creations and most popular characters by The New York Times . Martin has named the character as his favorite in the series .   Introduced in 1996 's A Game of Thrones , Tyrion is a dwarf and member of House Lannister , one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in the fictional kingdom of Westeros . He subsequently appeared in Martin 's A Clash of Kings -LRB- 1998 -RRB- and A Storm of Swords -LRB- 2000 -RRB- . Tyrion was one of a few prominent characters that were not included in 2005 's A Feast for Crows , but returned in the next novel A Dance with Dragons -LRB- 2011 -RRB- . The character will also appear in the forthcoming volume The Winds of Winter . The popularity of the character led Martin and Bantam Books to publish The Wit & Wisdom of Tyrion Lannister , an illustrated collection of Tyrion quotes from the novels , in 2013 .   In the story , Tyrion uses his status as a Lannister to mitigate the impact of the marginalization and derision he has received all of his life -- even from his own family . Knowing that no one will ever take him seriously , he soothes his inadequacies with wine , wit , and self-indulgence . But as the peaceful rule of King Robert Baratheon begins to come apart , Tyrion sees how ill-equipped his family are to hold everything together . He first saves his own neck from the vengeful Catelyn Stark and her sister Lysa Arryn , then is tasked by his father Tywin to impose order on the capital of King 's Landing -- as well as his nephew Joffrey , the new king -- as civil war is sparked . Tyrion struggles to strengthen and protect the city and family who hate him and refuse to see the peril they are in ; when his father returns , Tyrion becomes vulnerable to the wrath and machinations of the self-serving courtiers who surround Joffrey -- including Tyrion 's own scheming sister Cersei . Tyrion escapes death again but at great cost , and in fleeing Westeros finds himself in even more danger , but without his Lannister resources .   Peter Dinklage has garnered enormous praise for his portrayal of the character . In 2011 , Dinklage received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series and later the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Series , Miniseries , or Television Film for his portrayal of Tyrion in the HBO series . He won the Emmy again in 2015 . Among other accolades , Dinklage has been nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award in 2012 , 2013 , 2014 , and 2016 .