ASOIAF is massive. But yet, very CONDENSED?

[Thuckey]

I can't help but feel that when reading the ASOIAF series, there is just so much stuff to cover that much of it is actually condensed. Usually at the first half of a chapter, the setup. Before the action and usually twist at the end (GRRM seems to use this formula quite a bit actually) He goes on to describe what the subject character's life has been like usually filling in a huge gap of time from when they were last seen. Sometimes months are simply described, quite vividly I may add, in a sort of "journal" like format. I don't see this is any other fantasy series, usually there is more than enough going on at the moment to fill the pages enough..

 

But with ASOIAF, it honestly is like 7 solid series woven together in the same world creating one massively genius and thought out plot that flows together eventually. It simply would not work if you followed each character as the action was unfolding in a relative and consistent time frame. It would take dozens of volumes to cover! But yet, at the same time, while much of the writing is in a condensed "journal styled" format , the books are still very large and full of so many different plots, characters etc.

 

Does anybody know what I mean? Condensed sort of start to many chapters, yet detailed enough to give you a good idea of what say, Arya was up to for the few months before a critical scene is about to unfold. I've never read anything quite like this, it's difficult to believe that all of these concepts and plotlines came from the mind of one man.

 

Not sure what the point of thread is other than to praise and admire the style, but if you guys have something to add to the discussion it would be welcomed!

[Michael Mertyns]

As much as we see of flashbacks in POVs to catch us up in the gaps, the practice led to the delay for AFfC and ADwD. If GRRM had included the time skip he was originally going to put in it would have left some characters with ridiculous amounts of flashback to catch us up (not to mention some characters didn't make sense with the time skip, like Stannis just sitting at the Wall for a few years).

Personally, this style has a lot to do with why I don't like the show as much. It allows GRRM to show the process of events, including the use of set up in flashbacks for events taking place in the present.

The guy's not perfect, but it works pretty well

[bent branch]

I agree with you. The story is actually written rather tightly. While there has been a vocal minority that thinks the novels are filled will all sorts of stuff that can be cut, GRRM actually has a somewhat spare writing style. It is just that the story is so large, imo.

[Michael Mertyns]

19 minutes ago, bent branch said:

I agree with you. The story is actually written rather tightly. While there has been a vocal minority that thinks the novels are filled will all sorts of stuff that can be cut, GRRM actually has a somewhat spare writing style. It is just that the story is so large, imo.

There are plenty of things that could be cut. GRRM isn't afraid to waste a paragraph here and there depicting some minor act in between events that really isn't that important (not that we don't use many of them as fodder for theories here). Many of these moments help show character, and many others flesh out the world.

Of course, you would still be left with a series of pretty long books, just not quite as long and not quite as interesting

[bent branch]

Well, you do need to put some description into a book or it's going to be very boring. If you want to see someone who writes a lot more description try looking at some Hardy.

But examples of how little description GRRM uses can be found in two current threads. In the thread asking if GRRM should have made the Targaryens black, there have been those that argued only the Velaryons and Celtigars have the Valyrian look. However, the Tarths, Hightowers and two other families in Westeros have the Valyrian look. But because GRRM is light on description this can be easily over looked.

The second example is a thread where there is discussion of the ages of the sons of Quellon Greyjoy (Balon, Euron, Victarion, and Aeron). Because of scant descriptions some people argue that Aeron maybe the same age as Asha. Because GRRM gives few descriptions it is impossible to prove that Aeron is late twenties at least. However, from the stories Theon tells of Aeron, Aeron must be at least 5 years older than Asha (who is in her early twenties). Another misconception that exists with some people because of light descriptions is that Stannis is older than Robert.

I think many of the debates on the forum arise simply because GRRM expects the reader to correctly interpret oblique information as they read, while some readers think that if GRRM doesn't state something directly than any interpretation is acceptable. If GRRM gave that many descriptions than people wouldn't be able to make the silly argument that Aeron and Asha are the same age.

[Thuckey]

Honestly I understand how he has dedicated 20 + years to this ONE series alone -  as an already fantastic writer, this is the result.

 

It's as if 10 really good fantasy writers got together and put all of their awesome stories together into the same world and made everything flow. The closests thing I have found is Erickson's Malazan series but even that does not even come close.