"George R. R. Martin Doesn’t Need to Finish Writing ..." Topic

…the Game of Thrones Books.

"In the beginning, George R. R. Martin created A Game of Thrones—words printed on paper and bound into books sold in shops around the world, to be read by a moderate-but-mighty number of fantasy fans. That was 1996. Fourteen years and four books later, HBO said "Let there be a TV series!" And nothing was ever the same.

Since Game of Thrones began, Martin has published just one new book: A Dance with Dragons, the fifth in the Song of Ice and Fire series. (OK, he technically released A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, but that was a prequel and—actually, let's just not speak of it.) Martin thinks he could finish the next one, The Winds of Winter, this year. Maybe. Who knows? Last year, during Season 6 of the TV series, the show fully bypassed the published blueprint of Westeros, the world of Martin's fantasy epic. Fans freaked out—how could he let this happen? George, stop going out and having fun, these fans demanded, get in your house and finish the series. The internet's favorite joke since around 2012 has been to yell at Martin whenever he's found to be doing something other than furiously typing. The animating theory of the joke is that it's his duty—his imperative—to finish the story he began.

Guess what? It's not. Twitter, you, me, everyone, needs to get over it. The Song of Ice and Fire is not the Westerosi enchiridion any more. Martin's story, the world he built, lives on TV. And now that HBO is cooking up spinoff shows based on the original, it's official: The TV universe has eclipsed the books and become the Game of Thrones canon.

And that is fine. It really is. Not in a "the world is burning down around me and I pretend this is fine" kind of way. It's OK because the world of Westeros is not a concrete thing— it's still being built. Hell, it's being realized beyond Martin's imagination, faster than he's able to write sentences. You know who that's good for? You, the fan of that world. More for you!

There's no reason Game of Thrones can't be like The Godfather or The Shining or Blade Runner or even Jaws. None of these offerings ruined the source material. None of them ruined the stories that came before…"
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Amicalement
Armand

The only problem with Game of Thrones is that both the books and the TV show are boring as Hell.

The only problem with Game of Thrones is that both the books and the TV show are boring as Hell.

Which is why I guess that they are international bestsellers as well as an international TV and marketing phenomenon. People everywhere just love to be bored.

People also loves gossip magazines and they are an international phenomenom. I found them equally boring.

So, what was your argument again?

Beating up GRRM's slow pace at this point is a beating without purpose. I gave up on the books after a few, and the show during the first season, but it is clear that the show has become more important than the books. It doesn't matter what happens to the books at this point, the tail is now in charge of the dog.

FWIW, one of the funniest criticisms I read about GoT was the way GRRM created long titles for everyone even though language has consistently moved in the opposite direction. Keeper of the stables = groom; keeper of accounts = accountant; etc. When I watched the show, it was funny to see how often this happened. You can also play the game of coming up with a three-word title for various jobs.

The early books were great. I loved his sick sense of humor.
I like the pov chapters thing, too.

The show is good as well, ofcourse they go all out on the cgi and costumes and lack of costumes…

I consider the GRRM books fan fiction at this point.

Fortunarely for us all the great mass of Emmy voters and book critics (not to mention general public) can appreciate the difference between Martin's detailed world building, all too human characters and challenging moral/intelectual issues – all wrapped in a great action packed story – and the average Gossip magazine. Not apparently a universal skill.

About book v. film/TV versions I'll give the last word to Raymond Chandler, when asked what he thought of what Hollywood had done to his books, he replied:

They haven't done anything to my books – their still on the self.

That said I strongly suspect the books will outlast the TV version by decades. Look for a feature film reboot in 10 years or so. Did you know there was a James Bond TV show before the movies?

TomT

How many folks who consider themselves Bond fans today have even read Ian Fleming?

Good point!.

Amicalement
Armand

Well I have.

How many have read a Christmas Carol. War and Peace. Gone with the Wind. Pride and Prejudice (with and without Zombies). Lord of the Rings. The Maltese Falcon. Etc.

Still very good books (and still on the shelf) and very important though less read than known about through TV/Movies.

TomT

Couldn't get through Gone with the Wind. Enjoyed reading all of the others but still appreciate the various film treatments.