What's the over/under on George RR Martin not dying before finishing ASoIaF?

[stoolcannon]

Dude is ooooooold, not in great physical condition and taking roughly 2,743 years to finish the next book in the series. I'm guessing he's going to croak before he finishes and leave his fans hanging.

I remember meeting Robert Jordan at a book signing back in 2005 not long after he'd been diagnosed with [insert obscure, fatal disease here] and thinking he wasn't going to make the trip. I was of course sad but at least for him he had always been clear about his thousands of pages of notes and hours upon hours of audio notes etc he had been stockpiling so I figured someone would finish. Now we've got Brandon Sanderson writing the last 3 books and so far they are fantastic.

I'm thinking Mr. Martin is not so meticulous with his note taking judging by his blog entries of the million things he's doing that are not in any way related to the series his fans are so ravenous for.

I hope he makes the trip in general because hey, he seems like a pretty good dude. Selfishly though I'm going to be pretty angry at that old SOB if he croaks before he finishes. This is exactly how I felt about Stephen King when he went off and got himself run over before finishing the Dark Tower. He pulled through though fortunately.

I think it's time we take charge and start locking these authors up in bubbles inside of cells and putting them on a strict regimen of diet and exercise to ensure they survive to finish their opuses.

[kernal42]

Considering how long this last book has been in the making, I'm not so sure any of us will still be alive by the time it gets published!

-Kernal

[stoolcannon]

Considering how long this last book has been in the making, I'm not so sure any of us will still be alive by the time it gets published!

-Kernal

Exactly. I have been telling my wife for years I'm going to die when I hit 75 so I've only got 39 years left for him to finish. The old bastard.

[stoolcannon]

There has to be a few more GRRM fans out there on a nerdio game forum. Come one people!

[gurgar78]

There has to be a few more GRRM fans out there on a nerdio game forum. Come one people!

Your post touches places inside me that hurt to visit. Bad places. Places I want to avoid.

[voodoogroves]

As much as I want to see Tamzin Merchant ... er ... I mean ... the HBO version ... yeah ... that's it ... I'd much rather stupid books got finished.

I made the mistake of introducing my wife to them, so now it's my fault there's an unfinished series she can't read. Stupid GRRM.

[MeToo]

Shhh! I'm trying to forget I ever read those tantalizing first books. The tale is "growing in the telling" but I don't know if that's him purposefully drawing it out for more money/fame/enjoyment or a true lack of desire to focus on this one project over all his other interests. Followers have learned not to grow too attached to the idea of a prompt sequel... or reading about their favorite characters.

I tell myself he's just caught up in working with the HBO series and holding out for dramatic value. I think he suffers from perfectionism which can drastically slow things down but maybe that production will help spur him along. I can't fault someone for being as prolific as he's been and maintained such high quality creativity through the first three books (I don't consider the fourth complete yet). Time will tell if it is all worth it. I'd rather be pleasantly surprised by a new volume than spend years doggedly checking his site for updates.

The interwoven plot lines and histories are too well crafted for him to not at least have notes on where this is all going but it's hard to imagine that a successor could assume the series and successfully emulate his writing style.

I'm sure there are many more fans of this great series that play DDO. I've seen characters around with Lannister names and such. A lot of them are hesitant to even dare to wish because of this:

it's my fault there's an unfinished series she can't read.

[wisdomstorment]

Forget about GRRM croakiing, I'm slowly resigning myself to the fact that I just might kick the proverbial bucket before it's ever completed.

[Happosaai]

He's starting to remind me of Stephen King while he still had the Dark Tower series unfinished. Thankfully King finally finished... and I *really* hope GRRM follows that example.

[PCNONSENSE]

Good Post! This is exactly why I dont start a series untill its complete. The whole Robert Jordan/Wheel of Time deal did me in...I remember discovering this series on part three in Junior High. Jeesh - thats about ALL I remember about Junior High its been so long ago It seems everytiome a new book is released I have to re-reasd the entire series so Im not lost!

[stoolcannon]

Good Post! This is exactly why I dont start a series untill its complete. The whole Robert Jordan/Wheel of Time deal did me in...I remember discovering this series on part three in Junior High. Jeesh - thats about ALL I remember about Junior High its been so long ago It seems everytiome a new book is released I have to re-reasd the entire series so Im not lost!

I picked up "The Eye of The World" while I was stationed in Germany in early 1993. I've been waiting just a wee bit of time for it to finish.

I started The Dark Tower in 9th grade in 1988 and I don't think he finished that until like 2007 or so. So that was a long one as well.

If GRRM does the same I may have to stalk him.

[BlackPlague]

I hope he finishes it. That series is fantastic.

[Pape_27]

If he kicks the bucket, I seriously hope he has plotted an endgame for the series like Jordan did.

the amounts of time these authors are taking is really starting to tick me off. Im mean, really... been reading the WoT for 20 years now o.O

[~KatsMeow]

I think it's time we take charge and start locking these authors up in bubbles inside of cells and putting them on a strict regimen of diet and exercise to ensure they survive to finish their opuses.

/signed

[kaelis]

*ahem*

"...On Oct 11, 2010 it was confirmed by GRRM’s editor Anne Groell that Martin has finished all but five chapters for A Dance with Dragons, and that the five chapters remaining already exist in partial form. She also teased the hope of the publisher that the manuscript will be finished by Christmas 2010..." Source.

That being said he started writing in 1991, it took him 5 years for the first novel, then 2 for the next 2 and 5 for Feast. Even if this manuscript is in by the end of Christmas - which, knowing Martin, it won't. The book won't be published til mid-late 2011 or even 2012. That's seven or eight years for this one. Considering he has Winter roughly a quater done, I picture that one taking roughly four to five more. With his last book, well, I don't think his perfectionistic attitude will ever let him consider it "properly done", as in his publishing company and editor really need to force him to stick to a deadline for once, else the series will be finished by someone else while he's rolling around cursing in his grave and the fans are mildly disgusted.

[Ssmooth]

I read the 1st 2 and was looking forward to the 3rd. 3 years later? 4? I'm not sure how long it was but it was the same for the 4th. Loved the series, hated the wait.

[stoolcannon]

*ahem*

"...On Oct 11, 2010 it was confirmed by GRRM’s editor Anne Groell that Martin has finished all but five chapters for A Dance with Dragons, and that the five chapters remaining already exist in partial form. She also teased the hope of the publisher that the manuscript will be finished by Christmas 2010..." Source.

That being said he started writing in 1991, it took him 5 years for the first novel, then 2 for the next 2 and 5 for Feast. Even if this manuscript is in by the end of Christmas - which, knowing Martin, it won't. The book won't be published til mid-late 2011 or even 2012. That's seven or eight years for this one. Considering he has Winter roughly a quater done, I picture that one taking roughly four to five more. With his last book, well, I don't think his perfectionistic attitude will ever let him consider it "properly done", as in his publishing company and editor really need to force him to stick to a deadline for once, else the series will be finished by someone else while he's rolling around cursing in his grave and the fans are mildly disgusted.

He also said 4 years ago that he had enough material for 2 books and was splitting Feast in half. He was apparently only referring to his word count and not the actual content of the story.

[kaelis]

He also said 4 years ago that he had enough material for 2 books and was splitting Feast in half. He was apparently only referring to his word count and not the actual content of the story.

From his blog these were 4-6 finished chapters that didn't fit withthe "flow" of Dance, and so have been pushed back.

[valorik]

I'm trying to lock away the part of me that really loves those books... but I keep rereading them...

I think George learned from turbine about releasing things in a timely manner...

[stoolcannon]

From his blog these were 4-6 finished chapters that didn't fit withthe "flow" of Dance, and so have been pushed back.

He only clarified that a loooong time later. I read his blog at least once a week just to see if he's done anything other than sell more miniatures, go to some event for Wild Cards or watch the Jets.