Martin Teases TWOW in EW....

[sj4iy]

"Sucked Ass" really? WOW! thats harsh! I certainly think you have a right to your opinion and there are things to bitch about. Alot of the main characters were left out and we ended up doing alot of traveling with the minor ones. considering the time between books, thats not cool. There was a very long wait to find out what characters like Tyrion and Dany were up to.

i enjoyed for the places the story brought us that up until then were just names on a map or places characters mentioned where something happened. I also think when this saga is finally complete alot of people will want to re-read AFFC. it will be a major source of info for a lot of the major plot point conclusions. For that point alone, i would not want any of it cut at all.

I wonder, would you still want it cut if AFFC and DWD were combined and AFFC was the 1st half of both books? would that of made a difference?

AFFC is the only one that I have no inclination at all to re-read. I may look up a passage or two, but overall, I just hated it. ADWD was better, although weaker than any of the first three books. But AFFC may as well have been called "The Westeros Travel Guide". It was so...so....so boring.

[The Great Cornholio!]

The problem is that George is on record in many interviews talking and, pretty much, bragging about the "truckloads of money" he is now making. Which is great, good for him, that is the American dream to come from nothing and make it big. The problem I have with it is that he doesn't seem to truly care about finishing his work, finishing his masterpiece. If he did he would be turning down all of these trips and promotional events that he is doing and he would sit down and lock himself in his writing room and get this series finished. Instead he is off in Europe bad mouthing fans who are fed up with his crap.

He clearly could write at a pace to put out 1000+ page books every 2-3 years from 1996-2000 when the first three of this series were released. And I'll even give him for the wait for AFFC, as he had the idea of the 5 year gap and realized that wasn't going to work, so he had to start over. But now it is ridiculous. Two books since the year 2000 and we are supposed to sit here and be okay with it? No, I'm sorry but I have given my hard earned money, along with millions of other people in order to make this guy rich beyond belief. The least he could do is show us a little gratitude and respect and maybe work a little bit harder.

And you guys can talk about "Well he needs a life too" blah, blah blah. I go to work from 9-5 every day, just like everyone else. I get 3 weeks of vacation a year and I can't afford to travel the world on a whim, let alone have the majority of my trips paid for. I'll never dream of making the money George has made on the backs of me and all of his long term readers, and new readers for that matter. Like I said before, screw him and his ego.

And it's sad that I feel this way, as I truly do love this series and this world that he created. I've just slowly learned who George RR Martin truly is and I don't like it.

I think theres a middle ground. I don't expect for him to live his life for a book series. He's in his 60's, I think he's entitled to travel and enjoy his celebrity. His "distractions" are derived from his fans wanting to see him, and having interest in his interviews, so we're somewhat to blame. Regardless, I think the overwhelming majority of people are waiting for him to finish his Magnus Opus and he has a responsibility to provide us with that crack rock.

Hi, have been a lurker here for some months. Amazed at the knowledge and speculation of people here I didn't feel I had anything to contribute till now but here goes:

http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2009/05/entitlement-issues.html

"George R.R. Martin is not working for you."

"You're complaining about George doing other things than writing the books you want to read as if your buying the first look in the series was a contract with him: that you would pay over your ten dollars, and George for his part would spend every waking hour until the series was done, writing the rest of the books for you.

No such contract existed. You were paying your ten dollars for the book you were reading, and I assume that you enjoyed it because you want to know what happens next."

Although I agree with Gaiman here, I can easily empathize with people waiting eagerly. I am, although I started reading the books a little more than a year ago and I can only begin to imagine the feelings of readers since the 90's. However, the fact remains: you paid for the books, not future books so you're not GRRM:s employer.

George is that you?

[Bog Devil of Greywater]

AFFC is the only one that I have no inclination at all to re-read. I may look up a passage or two, but overall, I just hated it. ADWD was better, although weaker than any of the first three books. But AFFC may as well have been called "The Westeros Travel Guide". It was so...so....so boring.

I agree with you that Feast on it's own is the weakest book. It is the one book in the series I'd only read once until a friend recently convinced me to read the combined version of Feast and Dance that's chapter order has been determined by fans of the series. Combining both books into a 1700 page tome in Kindle format is a bit daunting, but it's totally and completely worth it.

Reading both books at once completely makes both books FAR more flowing and enjoyable.

You should definitely try that.

[aFeastForDragons]

AFFC is the only one that I have no inclination at all to re-read. I may look up a passage or two, but overall, I just hated it. ADWD was better, although weaker than any of the first three books. But AFFC may as well have been called "The Westeros Travel Guide". It was so...so....so boring.

It was only after I finished reading AFFC and ADWD that I realised how boring they were. From the Mereense knot to the Jon watching the wall melt the whole story just got bogged down.

I don't see the story being finished in two books but then I don't see George finishing it anytime soon. The show will overtake the books and we will get the show's half assed interpretation of the ending ruining the enormity of the book's ending.

[sj4iy]

It was only after I finished reading AFFC and ADWD that I realised how boring they were. From the Mereense knot to the Jon watching the wall melt the whole story just got bogged down.

I don't see the story being finished in two books but then I don't see George finishing it anytime soon. The show will overtake the books and we will get the show's half assed interpretation of the ending ruining the enormity of the book's ending.

Eh, I have no problem with the show ending the story before the books. It definitely won't ruin it for me as I don't care which version we get first...and actually, I'm really looking forward to the show's "half-assed interpretation" of the next two books if it means they cut out a lot of the bloat and just streamline the story.

[Deadwood]

Eh, I have no problem with the show ending the story before the books. It definitely won't ruin it for me as I don't care which version we get first...and actually, I'm really looking forward to the show's "half-assed interpretation" of the next two books if it means they cut out a lot of the bloat and just streamline the story.

I agree. Can't wait for both versions. THe show is the show and the books are the books. Love 'em both.

[BondiSnow]

I really enjoyed AFFC and ADWD. I'm convinced when the story is finally done, we will all look back at these 2 books and realize how important they were. It's all setup for what's coming, and he knows his ending. He had to put his pawns in place and abandon the original planned 5 year gap. I don't care how long he takes and I have a feeling TWOW will rival SoS.

[GERM]

I really enjoyed AFFC and ADWD. I'm convinced when the story is finally done, we will all look back at these 2 books and realize how important they were. It's all setup for what's coming, and he knows his ending. He had to put his pawns in place and abandon the original planned 5 year gap. I don't care how long he takes and I have a feeling TWOW will rival SoS.

I hope you're right, but I don't see how there was anything in those books that couldn't have effectively been handled with a 5 year gap except for maybe the Wall.

[Steelborn]

I hope you're right, but I don't see how there was anything in those books that couldn't have effectively been handled with a 5 year gap except for maybe the Wall.

Cersei chapters as well, we'd need some good amount of flashback chapters to get the whole thing.

[GERM]

Cersei chapters as well, we'd need some good amount of flashback chapters to get the whole thing.

I disagree. I feel that Cersei could have been handled with a chapter of Jamie reminiscing of the botched attempt Cersei made of ruling that tossed the country into disarray.

[Steelborn]

I disagree. I feel that Cersei could have been handled with a chapter of Jamie reminiscing of the botched attempt Cersei made of ruling that tossed the country into disarray.

But he'd explain a lot about how the small council has changed several times, the regency changed, why cersei and margaery was going to face a trial, and more, I think the aftermath is complicated enough.

And Jaime is in the Riverlands, no one knows where.

[GERM]

But he'd explain a lot about how the small council has changed several times, the regency changed, why cersei and margaery was going to face a trial, and more, I think the aftermath is complicated enough.

And Jaime is in the Riverlands, no one knows where.

Ya, but that whole Margery and Cersei scene was overplayed and unnecessary. It really didn't need to be there. A flashback talking about how she handled things like the bumbling idiot she is would have sufficed. GRRM needed filler, and it felt like he shot from his hip on a good chunk of the plot elements in the last two books,

[Red Rollo]

I agree with you that Feast on it's own is the weakest book. It is the one book in the series I'd only read once until a friend recently convinced me to read the combined version of Feast and Dance that's chapter order has been determined by fans of the series. Combining both books into a 1700 page tome in Kindle format is a bit daunting, but it's totally and completely worth it.

Reading both books at once completely makes both books FAR more flowing and enjoyable.

You should definitely try that.

I re-read aFfC and aDwD in combined form too, and it really did improve both books immensely. The journeys of Tyrion and Brienne interposed with each other made both story lines much more compelling for me. The same with the Cercei/Jon/Dany learning-to-lead plots. George's big mistake on this Middle act, and that's how I've come to see those 2 books, as the 2nd act of the overall story, was dividing it geographically rather than chronologically. That and saving the 2 battles for tWoW. I have extremely high hopes for tWoW because of that second decision, however. I foresee a longer aSoS with a big beginning, racing toward the conclusion.

[GERM]

I re-read aFfC and aDwD in combined form too, and it really did improve both books immensely. The journeys of Tyrion and Brienne interposed with each other made both story lines much more compelling for me. The same with the Cercei/Jon/Dany learning-to-lead plots. George's big mistake on this Middle act, and that's how I've come to see those 2 books, as the 2nd act of the overall story, was dividing it geographically rather than chronologically. That and saving the 2 battles for tWoW. I have extremely high hopes for tWoW because of that second decision, however. I foresee a longer aSoS with a big beginning, racing toward the conclusion.

I didn't enjoy them either way. Too much nothing in-between important scenes.

[ApKing06]

I really enjoyed AFFC and ADWD. I'm convinced when the story is finally done, we will all look back at these 2 books and realize how important they were. It's all setup for what's coming, and he knows his ending. He had to put his pawns in place and abandon the original planned 5 year gap. I don't care how long he takes and I have a feeling TWOW will rival SoS.

100% agree with this.

[Red Rollo]

So, GERM, to summarize, your position is that the series started to suck immediately after SoS, and will never recover because George has both lost his ability to write a compelling story and is too distracted by his money waterfall to ever actually finish. Is that right?

Well, obviously, I disagree, but I can't condemn you for your opinion. I can see how one could easily arrive at such a pessimistic view what with the glacial pace of the past 14 years. My position is that he will probably eventually finish. But even if he dies or loses it before he gets the end, I believe tWoW will be someday be regarded as a towering achievement worthy of entering the pantheon of the fantasy genre. And if he doesn't finish the whole thing, we still have the TV show to tell us who or what wins. I'm just happy that we all get at least 1 more great book to sink our teeth into and discuss to death.