George R R Martin

[Belnakor]

Starting to think I can live with this now.

Hes taken to long now. I'm not reading the series again as a catch up

The quality of the books has dropped.

FWIW i'm pretty comfortable with him not finishing them as i think he actually is incapable of doing them in the manner he would like.

His behaviour is positively charming compared to the other fantasy writer with a beard (Rothfuss) who doesn't have enough runs on the board to act like such a flog.

 

[FredLeDeux]

the last estimate i saw they reckon at his current pace he wouldn't finish book 7 until the end of 2027. The guy is a fat slob who smokes and is currently nearly 70. If people think he going to be writing full steam ahead in his late 70s are kidding themselves.
If there was a market i would be putting money on him not finishing them.
If i was picking an author to finish them up for him, i'd go with Joe Abercombie.

I've always thought that the series would be much more enjoyable, a lot (about 90%) shorter, and finished about 20 years ago if Ned Stark had just picked up the phone and put in a call to Mister Logen Ninefingers.
No more troublesome humans, and he'd sort out those damn dragons, too.
And those pissant Sand Snakes would wonder (but only for 3 or 4 seconds) what hit them if the Bloody Nine took Ferro Maljinn along when he went to "negotiate" with them.

 

[NUFC Tiger]

Isn't he on record of saying that if he dies, he wants his notes for the books destroyed so they remain unfinished?

I know Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series was finished by Brandon Sanderson after Jordan passed away. I wonder if something like that could happen for GoT (assuming GRRM allowed it). Worst case scenario, there is probably lots of fan fiction and amateur writings of fans making their own endings.

 

[Belnakor]

Isn't he on record of saying that if he dies, he wants his notes for the books destroyed so they remain unfinished?

i think he said that just to wind people up.

Most likely he has some deal where if he dies, someone else will finish the books but his family gets the rest of the dough.

 

[Marlowe]

The show cursed the books. If I were him, witnessing this lesser work just absolutely outshine my own, while simultaneously giving away every secret I'd hidden about it, I'd probably lose all passion for it too. It'd be like if he answered some detailed fan mail honestly, and gave away all the end plot points; he would've been worse off and not made as much money but the outcome would almost be the same.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

Haven't read any of the books but intend to a decade from now when the show is long finished and the specifics have faded in my memory. The TV series was too great to want spoilers.

The show cursed the books. If I were him, witnessing this lesser work just absolutely outshine my own, while simultaneously giving away every secret I'd hidden about it, I'd probably lose all passion for it too. It'd be like if he answered some detailed fan mail honestly, and gave away all the end plot points; he would've been worse off and not made as much money but the outcome would almost be the same.

Knowing the TV show is going to reveal the ending and whatnot would have to chip away at his motivation.

 

[MMAPride Scott]

been reading Fire and blood on and off reads like a text books so only reading bits at a time. Its interesting but also confusing when so many have the same names lol

 

[Crimson Azure]

Just finished ADWD. Now I have to get in the queue with you poor souls.

Felt sorry for you reading through this thread. As hope faded with each passing year.

‘And now my wait begins’ - the winds watch.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

Haven't read any of the books but intend to a decade from now when the show is long finished and the specifics have faded in my memory.

Have revised this to will read it when the book series is finished. Which sounds like never.

 

[FredLeDeux]

Have revised this to will read it when the book series is finished. Which sounds like never.

Last time I will ever read an incomplete series.

 

[Richard Pryor]

Isn't he on record of saying that if he dies, he wants his notes for the books destroyed so they remain unfinished?

I know Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series was finished by Brandon Sanderson after Jordan passed away. I wonder if something like that could happen for GoT (assuming GRRM allowed it). Worst case scenario, there is probably lots of fan fiction and amateur writings of fans making their own endings.

FWIW I think Robert Jordan said the same thing regarding destroying his notes at points while he was alive.

 

[FlowersByIrene]

So he's said he has now released himself of any pressure to finish Winds quickly, thanks George... thanks.

 

[Andre]

FWIW I think Robert Jordan said the same thing regarding destroying his notes at points while he was alive.

Jordan joked if he died he wanted his hard drive formatted three times, his PC and the ashes scattered. When he became sick he gave the serious answer and worked to ensure someone else would be able to finish it if he died before the series finished.

From GRRM's 'not blogs', as well as the well known '5 year gap, no wait now there's not' between ASOS and AFFC you can see he's much more figuring out and writing the immediate next parts, rather than filling in the outline already done, then Jordan was. I wouldn't expect much if he dies before the end.

Honestly I don't expect him to last the whole way. I'm just hoping we at least get Winds prior to him having the inevitable massive coronary.

 

[Richard Pryor]

So he's said he has now released himself of any pressure to finish Winds quickly, thanks George... thanks.

Reminds me of exam study. The stress of putting it off is so great I feel the need to give myself a break from doing nothing.

The thing that the seemingly self-proclaimed voice of authors Neil Gaiman overlooked with his "George R. R. Martin is not your bitch" (you know he's cooler and hipper than your average author because he swears) article is that it's a two way street and the fans aren't George R. R. Martin's bitch and don't need to humour him with his constant baiting of them with this book. If he just said he was retiring from writing the series then Gaiman would be right, it's his choice to write what he wants, but Martin doesn't want to do that because he'd get considerably less attention for his other projects (which he's reasonably active with). Neil Gaiman's argument is similar to me saying my boss doesn't have the right to tell me I'm slacking off on the job.

 

[MMAPride Scott]

Anyone read Fire and Blood im kinda reading it here and there its ok, took a while to get used to it

 

[Richard Pryor]

Anyone read Fire and Blood im kinda reading it here and there its ok, took a while to get used to it

Yeah have read about a third of it. It's pretty interesting and does a good job of creating a believable history. Feels like a bit of a slog to get through at times though since it seems to be actively trying to be a dry history text book. Liked how the Ironborn come across as kind of morons. Don't think Martin had much to do with writing it, I vaguely recall an interview with the writers where they said George basically just gave them big infodumps they incorporated into the book. He really should just do Winds of Winter that way.

 

[Vader]

Yeah have read about a third of it. It's pretty interesting and does a good job of creating a believable history. Feels like a bit of a slog to get through at times though since it seems to be actively trying to be a dry history text book. Liked how the Ironborn come across as kind of morons. Don't think Martin had much to do with writing it, I vaguely recall an interview with the writers where they said George basically just gave them big infodumps they incorporated into the book. He really should just do Winds of Winter that way.

LOL... so just like seasons 7 & 8 of the TV show!

** Referring to data dumps poorly incorporated, not "dry history".

 

[Stevi_Tigers]

He takes the piss naming characters after the muppets

 

[Crimson Azure]

Can’t believe I’ve almost been waiting 6 months.

 

[Pykie]

Can’t believe I’ve almost been waiting 6 months.

Just resign yourself to them never coming out, like I have, for whats coming up to a decade next year.


Amazing that Dance with Dragons was released in 2011. I read it within 3 days of it coming out, it's been a big wait......

 

[mickelboy182]

I've got such a huge reading backlog that it doesn't really bother me, hopefully he does get them done though. And corrects the awful ending of the show.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

I've got such a huge reading backlog that it doesn't really bother me, hopefully he does get them done though. And corrects the awful ending of the show.

Show's ending was the meat and potatoes of his books ending. Its unpopularity is another reason for him to never finish.

 

[mickelboy182]

Show's ending was the meat and potatoes of his books ending. Its unpopularity is another reason for him to never finish.

Oh I'm sure it those main story beats, but I'd have to imagine the journey getting to those moments is planned to be quite different...

I would say its poor reception would more than likely be a motivating factor for him to save the perception of his magnum opus...

 

[Crimson Azure]

Show's ending was the meat and potatoes of his books ending. Its unpopularity is another reason for him to never finish.

I agree to an extent, but there are some many other ways of getting it there. There is still a heap going on in Dawn. 'Aegon' with the golden company just arrived in Westeros. Stanis, Lady Stoneheart, Mance Rader, Ramsey Bolton, Roose Bolton, Doran Martel (who has a big plan ahead), Little Finger, Victarion (with the dragons horn) and heaps of others. Aegon, Lady Stoneheart and Victarion don't even get a mention in the show so who knows what's planned for them.

So to get to the eventual ending we saw in the show there are so many things that could trigger the behavior we eventually see in Danny. I also think that Jon's book character is different to the shows and will take a different path to the end.

Has anyone else read the chapters released from WOW?

 

[FlowersByIrene]

I agree to an extent, but there are some many other ways of getting it there. There is still a heap going on in Dawn. 'Aegon' with the golden company just arrived in Westeros. Stanis, Lady Stoneheart, Mance Rader, Ramsey Bolton, Roose Bolton, Doran Martel (who has a big plan ahead), Little Finger, Victarion (with the dragons horn) and heaps of others. Aegon, Lady Stoneheart and Victarion don't even get a mention in the show so who knows what's planned for them.

So to get to the eventual ending we saw in the show there are so many things that could trigger the behavior we eventually see in Danny. I also think that Jon's book character is different to the shows and will take a different path to the end.

Has anyone else read the chapters released from WOW?

Have decided to stay pure, although all the released chapters are almost like 1/5th of a normal novel at this stage so maybe I should read them.