"Eight books George? EIGHT???" Topic

link

I confess that I am a latecomer to the whole "Thronie" thing. I did not start reading the books in 1837 when the first book in the "trilogy" came out. I started reading them just about when the series started on HBO.
This was rather convenient, as I learned, since the first 4 were out in paperbackm and as soon as I finished the 4th one, the 5th came out in hardback. Easy decision. Then, I started to learn how much time the true Thronies had between books, and I cringed.
good grief, I feel for you guys. Now I am in the same boat! What happened to Jon Snow? ETC!!!???
Do I have to wait 5 more years?
How long until I see Tyrion riding a dragon?
Will Stannis sit the Iron Throne?
Will Arya reunite with her doggie?

8 BOOKS?????

I strongly suspect he will die before finishing this series. He is, by his own admission, not a frequent worker when it comes to writing. He has a special PC running DOS and Wordstar 4 so he doesn't get distracted by the internet.

With the delays that have been going on in past books, and the current release, it is hard to imagine him living long enough to finish the original seven, let alone eight. There were 5 years between book 3 and 4, and six years between 4 and 5. We are currently 3 years and counting on the next one with no release date mentioned anywhere yet.

Yeah, an eighth book would not good news to this reader lol

It's all part of the plan, John. All part of the plan…

link

longest shaggy dog story ever…

but one of the most successful Penny Dreadful writers

I agree with you, James Wright. He made his fortune and now he is enjoying it. I fully expect the last book(s) to be written by another, following the author's concept notes.

Another "James is probably right" here. He just doesn't seem to *want* to sit down and write – he's got his success, and more intent on revelling in it than continuing the work.

I hope his handlers at HBO do not read that article, or he will be getting a visit from Patsy Parisi and Paulie Walnuts.
"Nice word processor you got there, Georgie. Shame if it should fall off the desk. OOOOPS!"

He just spent his energies writing a history of the GoT world. So don't expect another novel for quite a while.

I've seen people speculate that he will just let the show finish the story for him.

Will anyone care after the HBO series finishes off the story?

In its original sense, a shaggy dog story is an extremely long-winded anecdote characterized by extensive narration of typically irrelevant incidents and terminated by an anticlimax or a pointless punchline.

Shaggy dog stories play upon the audience's preconceptions of joke-telling. The audience listens to the story with certain expectations, which are either simply not met or met in some entirely unexpected manner.[1] A lengthy shaggy dog story derives its humour from the fact that the joke-teller held the attention of the listeners for a long time (such jokes can take five minutes or more to tell) for no reason at all, as the end resolution is essentially meaningless.[2]

Sound Familiar?
(though I still like the overall plots)

No to mention he doesn't look like the most healthiest person in the world ether.

8)

So, now that I've read the article, I'm floored— the editor is to blame for there being seven books!?! Martin wanted to make it a trilogy. I could have been finished in just three books, no waiting, no pointless wandering about reading about characters I couldn't give a bucket of dragon dung for, having to suffer through Martin's need to be brutal to every new person he manages to conceive of (after much greasy food descriptions)? YOU MEAN I COULD HAVE FOUND OUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THE -ING WOLVES!?!?!?!? And the editor is to blame for this?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Holy Ned's head on a stick….

First rule of editing: The last thing you ever say to a writer is: "Can you make the story longer?" Because none of us have the ego control to say "no" to that!

Let me throw a name out there. Robert Jordan. There you go.

Who is Robert Jordan???

I don't think I've seen this person before in Game of Thrones?

Yes Parzival.
No whiny Penny.
No pale mare.
No…

By the light of the Seven…eight books is just wrong.

waaslandwarrior

Let me sing it to you!

Robert Jordan was indeed
a swell writer of epic yarns
he started a series that he did call
The Wheel of Time

The Wheel of Time
Did start as three
But grew to four
to five indeed

The Wheel of Time
did grow some more
to six
to seven
to eight no more?

The Wheel of Time
did reach the tenth
and it did grew to eleven yes

But then the dark thing happened friends
and good old Robert Jordan went
to dance with old man death

oh with the series not in tie
the Wheel of Time no end in sight
they brought another chap on board
good Bradon Sanderson

The Wheel of Time
from notes it grew
to twelve and one more too
until it stopped at tend and four
the Wheel of Time did end for all!

I'm not really surprised that there may (may!) be an eighth book, and if the story demands it, I'm totally fine with it.

Here's a very good commentary on the whole "delay" issue: YouTube link

I read the original trilogy back in 2000 AD, a lifetime ago, and he has only published books 4 & 5 since then (which I have unread). Looks like 6-7 years per book at this rate. I'm in 2 minds whether to reread the original trilogy (as it was so long ago) before moving onto 4 & 5, or just start from 4 or just leave it?

> and if the story demands it

The problem is that the story does not even demand all the books that have been written. GRRM is falling victim to loving his writing too much to allow it to come to and end.

@ Huscarle: Rereading the books is totally worth it.

There are a lot of cool details that you're likely to miss on the first read, like tons of subtle (and not so subtle) foreshadowings. With hindsight, you see all these conspiracies unfold, and realise the significance of the prophesies, and so on.

There are all those little observations and offhand remarks that the POV characters don't pay much attention to, but that carry so much more weight when you know what's coming.

So, yes, a reread is very rewarding in my opinion.

By the way, if you haven't read books 4 and 5 yet, you might want to stay away from these AGoT threads, there are spoilers around…

@ Dynaman: whether or not the story demands all the books is unknowable to us readers until we've read the whole story. So far, my impression is that all the story threads are well-intertwined with each other, and relevant to each other, in terms of plot and themes.

Kool Aid!
Get your fresh Kool Aid!

The way that the show is letting stuff that isn't in the books out. I am wondering if George hasn't told the writers the plot line and is basically letting them write the books through the show. There is no way the books will be done before the show wraps up. Maybe one more book silk be done.

I have a feeling the show will wrap up with the major points finished, but your left wondering what happens then or what did that person do later.

Will anyone care after the HBO series finishes off the story?

I certainly won't. The poorly-conceived and executed books 4 and 5 were enough to convince me he was done.

By the way, if you haven't read books 4 and 5 yet, you might want to stay away from these AGoT threads, there are spoilers around…

If you haven't read books 4 and 5 yet…DON'T. They aren't worth your time. Paint some minis and play some games – you'll feel much better.

Two whole books essentially killing time to pad out what was supposed to be a trilogy. *yawn*

I just saw Mr. Martin at CarolinaCon. He is in great health and able to drink many a young fan under the table.

He reports that much of Winds of Winter is already with the editor but gave only a "some" as to how much was left. He read a chapter from the that book and also one from the fake history (covered the Lannisters and rise of Tywin).

After Winds there will be one more book (total 7).

Books 4 and 5 are well worth reading but parts are more focused on character study and individual quests, a bit of Joseph Campbell stuff creeping in, then HBO style in your face sex and pulpy violence. Parts of Feast have already appeared in the mini-serias esp. the Brienne parts.

I'd guess Winds will appear just prior to next season's GoT.

Then no book until near the final season of GoT. I suspect they will go ahead and film the book before its release with
help from Martin and the two will appear together forcing we book readers to read fast to stay ahead of the serias. Let the media frenzy begin…

Next up is the fake history which is done and will be out in October. Plenty of battles and gaming possiblities. Filled with art to help inspire figure painting (much better than the HBO crap).

TomT

This is the only possible answer:
link

-Will

What happened to Jon Snow?

He will live and become the greatest of the Black Watch Commanders.

Do I have to wait 5 more years?

Yes

How long until I see Tyrion riding a dragon?

He will never ride one but will end up taking over his family's holdings oh and more than likely end up married to Sansa.

Will Stannis sit the Iron Throne?

I really doubt that will ever happen, since I think he will end up getting killed.

Will Arya reunite with her doggie?

Doggie no, Wolf yes and then they will be hell to pay. Because her Wolf is no longer alone and is leading a pack of around 100 or so Wolves.

She might be the one who ends up with the Stark's lands.

Now the person to watch is Bann because with his power he will end up controlling one of those Dragons most likely the biggest and baddest.

Oh and then he will marry Dani and become the new King.

I am with TomT. Unlike Jordan, Martin seems to be a ok health. I think he will finish the books, since the Jordan thing has spooked a bit the writers.

Try collecting all the Conan series including the newer ones, it will make your head spin. The Horseclans series is a long one too…

So I guess Oberyn Mattell is not Coldhands.

> whether or not the story demands all the books is unknowable to us readers until we've read the whole story.

Have to disagree, the story has meandered round to FAR more characters then is needed. GRRM probably will manage to shoehorn them all into the final ending but they were certainly not needed. This is what happens when a writer gets sloppy. (I still think it is a great series but the author better start focusing more or he will end up going the route of David Weber or Harry Turledove – though perhaps mentioning those two in particular is a low blow)

He was making a modest income meandering all over the Iron Islands and Dorne, introducing and killing characters to his heart's content. Now, hopefully, the discipline of Big TV, and the money will make him quit screwing around.
He can renogotiate book 7 for millions if he is smart. Then he will get nailed down to bring it to an end.

"None but an ass, Sir, writes but for money."
---Dr Johnson

Besides who says he has to tie up plots?
Do like JK Rowling and kill off Tonks off screen. Sink the Iron Fleet. Have a meteor strike Dorne.

"The Horseclans series is a long one too…"

Speaking of series that ended when the author did…
The Horseclans do have two mitigating factors, however. Each book was short, not like these modern meganovels, and the series spanned centuries and generations.

I'm stunned someone claims GRRM has an editor.

KTravlos

What he said. George is a mere beginner.

From wikipedia re Robert Jordan and TWoT:
"The author died in 2007 while working on what was planned to be the final volume in the series, although he had prepared extensive notes so another author could complete the book according to his wishes. Fellow fantasy author and long-time Wheel of Time fan Brandon Sanderson was brought in to complete the final book, but during the writing process it was decided that the book would be far too large to be published in one volume, and would instead be published as three volumes"

I'm stunned someone claims GRRM has an editor.

LOL for real.

Every book from a major publisher has an editor, in the case of GRRM's books though the conversation on editing probably goes like this

GRRM – Here is the finished book.
Editor – Yahoo! Another paycheck!

It's a problem when an author plans a three-book story arc, then decides to stretch is out for seven (or eight!) books and doesn't change the arc.

"Oh dang, now I guess she'll have to wander around on this other continent for a few more books. THEN I can have her go back to the Dothraki as originally planned. No one will notice this."