So if the Show catches up with the Books

[Rooseman]

If you guys wish for this topic to continue; I would not discuss or comment on Martin's age or health. It will be locked and deleted. Just a F.Y.I

I honestly did not know that, sorry.

[Northbound]

I honestly did not know that, sorry.

It's ok. Martin has friends, who vist this forum and some family as well. Not exactly comments, they would wish to see.

[Rooseman]

I understand and I've removed that part from my posting. (Unfortunately it's been quoted)

[Andros Sotherton]

If you guys wish for this topic to continue; I would not discuss or comment on Martin's age or health. It will be locked and deleted. Just a F.Y.I

Same here, had no idea! My mistake.

I understand and I've removed that part from my posting. (Unfortunately it's been quoted)

I got that covered, no worries.

[Commander Jon Snow]

I'm watching it for sure. And it's not a matter of if but a matter of when. Book 6 material will start in season 6 IMO so the show will finish before aDoS is released

[R'hllor the Fabulous]

As someone who started reading the books after watching the first season of GoT I have to say, yes I would.

The reason is simple, I'd rather say;

"This is so much better than the show!"

than;

"The book is so much better than this!"

:P

[Kronz]

Well, I would keep watching. HBO has staggered shows in the past though. Sopranos and Curb both have taken an extra year off between seasons. I am not sure this would be feasible with GOT. I know even losing a week between episodes bugs me, can't imagine two years.

[Not a kneeler]

I'm sure that one of the major factors in making the HBO show just 8 seasons is that the chlldren are aging. I don't blame D&D for making this decision. Also, by this time they problably want their lives back.

I've grown fond of the show after going through a purist book phase. I will watch it as it comes out and continue to pay the fee for HBO. I will also read the books as they come out since they are so much more detailed and rich in subject matter. Since I don't read the books for only the plot, it won't matter to me if I know, or think I know the ending. Ideally, the last book comes out a week before the last season begins and that miracle iis what I will pray for. If only George stops letting other things distract him.

[The Prince of Ice]

I think it would suck if this was to happen. But i can also see GRRM switching up the final book and taking his time if its inevitable that he wont finish by the time the show catches him. I also believe that if the show continues to go well they might add a prequel season out of respect for GRRM to finish his final book.

Hopefully they do add a prequel season to give him more time. Roberts Rebellion most likely or the Blackfyre Rebellion would be good as well.

[Winter Wind]

Assuming an 8 season show, the last two books would need to get published within the next 3 1/2 years if the show were to avoid any lengthy pause. I think it's highly likely that TWOW is out before its GOT season (I wouldn't be surprised to see it published at the conclusion of season 4 next year to take advantage of fan fervor). ADOS may be a different story with regards to timing, but Martin may sprint for the finish line when the end is in sight. Even if delayed, I think ADOS will be sufficiently fleshed-out that the series can make a pre-adaption of the major plot points in the book. I guess we'll see. Obviously, I'm being speculative with the following suggested schedule.

2011 GOT S1 - A Game of Thrones (1996)

2012 GOT S2 - A Clash of Kings (1999)

2013 GOT S3 - A Storm of Swords (2000)

2014 GOT S4- A Storm of Swords (2000)

2015 GOT S5 - A Feast for Crows (2005) - A Dance with Dragons (2011)

2016 GOT S6 - A Feast for Crows (2005) - A Dance with Dragons (2011)

2017 GOT S7 - The Winds of Winter (2014?)

2018 GOT S8 - A Dream of Spring (2016?)

[bloody_mummer]

Who says the show will end.....Deadwood anyone????

[Ser Pounce FTW]

2017 GOT S7 - The Winds of Winter (2014?)

2018 GOT S8 - A Dream of Spring (2016?)

Your book release date for book 8 is very optimistic.

Who says the show will end.....Deadwood anyone????

GoT can't go on indefinitely. Too expensive mostly. The story does seem like it could be extended otherwise.

[SerJeremiahLouistark]

It's gonna happen, my question is how are they going to translate a feast for crows. So many new characters and so little Bran and Jon.

[Winter Wind]

Your book release date for book 8 is very optimistic.

And unlikely, in my opinion.

I also wouldn't be surprised to see some hamburger helper in the form of greater development of some characters to provide story-line breathing space.

[Thor Odinson]

I sincerely hope that the show runners are able to do everything they can to stretch things out. I don't see them doing a prequel season, though, because then they'd have to get a whole new cast, all while retaining their old cast under contract so that they would come back the following season. At the very least they should try to convert A Feast For Crows and A Dance With Dragons into three seasons rather than two. That would give Martin 4-5 years to finish the last two books. It would be pretty terrible, though, it the show catches up and outpaces the books. As much as I love the show it might've been best if it hadn't been made until after the 6th book. Given Martin's glacially slow progress with The Winds of Winter (Am I correct in saying that he's not even halfway done with it?), I don't think he's going to make it.

It's gonna happen, my question is how are they going to translate a feast for crows. So many new characters and so little Bran and Jon.

They're going to combine AFFC and ADWD. They're supposed to run concurrently for the post part, so they'll mix in the early parts of both books into a single season, and the latter parts of both books into a second season.

[Winter Wind]

I sincerely hope that the show runners are able to do everything they can to stretch things out.

As I said, hamburger helper. For instance, I can see a storyline developed for Osha and Rickon and a greater fleshing out for Quentyn Martell plot, etc. Who knows, maybe even some judicial use of Westeros flashbacks from Bran's new powers to introduce more of the backstory by actually showing things instead of just talking about them.

[Ser Pounce FTW]

As I said, hamburger helper. For instance, I can see a storyline developed for Osha and Rickon and a greater fleshing out for Quentyn Martell plot, etc. Who knows, maybe even some judicial use of Westeros flashbacks from Bran's new powers to introduce more of the backstory by actually showing things instead of just talking about them.

Well we don't know what book 6 will bring. There may be tons of material that could stretch into an additional season. But I think it is more than likely tht it will take Martin more than 2 - 3 years to finish the last book.

[stanniswillwin]

I just want find out how the bastard series ends I don't care book or tv as long as the show doesn't give the series a stereotypical happy ending

[Ser Pounce FTW]

I just want find out how the bastard series ends I don't care book or tv as long as the show doesn't give the series a stereotypical happy ending

I doubt that since they haven't shied away from the other difficult moments. They've only avoided/changed the sexual scenes with some of the younger actors. Otherwise, they've been pretty brutal.

[Ser Pounce FTW]

Given what we've been discussing, I'm posting these quotes from D & D. It seems they are definitely hoping for 8 - and only 8 - seasons.

And for us what is most enticing about this series is, if we’re lucky enough to get to the end, there will be 80 hours of screen time with a beginning, middle, and a real end. Not something that feels like 80 separate episodes, but instead something where, if you were masochistic enough, you could go into a theater and watch a marathon of the whole thing.

It also seems Martin is far more involved than some think:

We said, “We want to tell the whole story — as much of it as we possibly can in 10 hours a season.” But that also means there are going to be changes, and we’ve definitely had disagreements; every season we have disagreements about certain things.

DEADLINE: Any come to mind specifically?

WEISS: Lots of it. The stuff we’ve talked about most recently applies to the fourth season and beyond, so I wouldn’t want to get into that. But in the abstract, it usually comes down to us feeling like we have to limit the number of new faces we see on the screen and him talking about the “butterfly effect” that runs through the whole story. We understand that but for the good of the show we need to work around that and not give more information than people can handle.

BENIOFF: George understands that we don’t make these kinds of decisions flippantly or lightly, and we always want to give him a chance to kick back at us. Sometimes we’ll say, “You’re right,” and it’s ultimately worth rerouting something we were planning on doing.