George RR Martian saying he hasn’t got around to finishing Winds of Winter because he’s been busy with side projects is like if George Lucas made The Manderlorian, Book of Bobba Fett, Prequels, Clone War Cartoons, but never got around to finishing Return of the Jedi.
Better example It’s like if he did all that but also made a superhero series with a bunch of other guys set in the 50’s and kept reminding you of its existence
I can only imagine how frustrating and anti climactic it would have been if J. R. R. Tolkien never finished Return Of The King. Luckily that is not the multiverse we live in.
Tolkein’s quite unique though since he actually had the entire trilogy finished when the books were first published. He wanted it to be a single novel but his publisher correctly told him a single volume of fiction that big wouldn’t sell. So it became a trilogy which released a couple of months apart over the course of a year (July ‘54 - October ‘55). Thankfully he had already internally divided the story into six parts; now the published volumes have two parts inside each book.
@@LoudWaffle pretty funny in hindsight that they wouldn’t release it as one, considering the two longest books of ASOIAF so far are comparable in size to LotR, maybe only 30,000-40,000 words less
Assuming we live in a multiverse (we probably don't, or if we do it's probably weird) it might be the multiverse we live in. It's definitely not the UNIverse we live in though.
Over ten years later: I’ve read the books so many times I am now confident that Khal Drogo, Lyanna Stark, Sandor Clegane and Tyrek Lannister are all secretly horses.
@@jac_o7 I can see where you are coming from but as long as the ending is good I would rather have a good ending written by a different writer(that was chosen by Geroge himself) than no ending at all
Honestly I kind of hope it goes the route of wheel of time. I would love to see someone like Abercrombie to get the npd and finish the series. George is an amazing writer but I just don't see him finishing
Read the books back in 2018. I see older, original fans as ancient beings lol and get so fascinated by them. Imagine waiting 20 + years for this story's ending and waiting 20 + years more.
I read the first book before there was a second so I am, indeed, an ancient being. At the time, I felt it to be the best book I'd ever read but I've only just now begun reading it again. Maybe by the time I get through the series this second time there will be another published,... I still believe ;)
Kentaro Miura started Berserk in 1985, sadly he died in 2021 with his series never becoming finished Yet every chapter released was beautiful and amazing
I feel like the slow pace is a mix of a few things. One: I don't think he's fully resolved how to finish the series. The White walkers are an existential threat that most people in Westeros really believes in or cared about. Plus, you can see how bad the reception was to how the show settled them, and understand his apprehension (seriously, it took them one episode to deal with the world-ending threat, but three to deal with the Lanisters?) Realistically, following the logic that GRRM has worked with in the books so far, the Whitewalkers will succeed and everyone will die, which I doubt is what he wants to do, since nobody would like that ending to this series people have been following for as many as 20+ years. Two: he probably slowed or stopped his work while the show was running, so as to not make confusion with two separate canons after the show ran out of books to adapt. Make it easier on the audience by waiting until that's over to get into the book again. Three: I think he's honestly just bored of it. The man has obviously been working hard on things that aren't aSoIF, but I really think he just isn't as excited by the series as he was, and just wants it to be over already, and he's dragging his feet as a result
Yup, you are probably right on all accounts. And also with all the other shows HBO is creating (House of the Dragon and the Jon Snow sequel series) is probably keeping him busy too
i mean tbf the ending is going to be the same. He himself has stated that he would not care what people thought of the show ending and he wont change the ending based on that. I think its very naive, optimistic and just feels like coping when people say the book endings are going to be different.
@@jackbrian7083 Yeah, I always suspected he has his idea for the ending and planned to stay the course regardless, but I do think that the show coming our probably did make him put a pause on finishing it
@@jackbrian7083 I think the only difference here is that what happens in between and how believable the character arcs are is important. The ending of the show was rushed, character arcs reversed and things happened that just had no pay off. I don't care if Bran becomes King if the story of how he gets there makes sense and is actually rewarding to experience.
@@jackbrian7083 George R. R. Martin only worked on the first half of the show. There's no reason to expect that his plan for how to end the books would be the same as how the show ended. And if you're referring to the quote I think you are, that was Martin responding to how the show runners for Game of Thrones admitted to writing the ending with the goal of subverting the fans expectations. They didn't want fans to have guessed what they had planned. Martin was saying that for his writing he doesn't care if people guess what will happen.
You forgot the part where GRRM will call you impatient and entitled for asking if/when Winds of Winter will come out like it's an unreasonable question to have after 10 years of not being even remotely close to finishing it. Otherwise perfectly accurate, 10/10.
Even if Winds comes out, nobody can possibly think he'll be alive and healthy long enough to finish Dream of Spring. He's an obese 73 year old already. He ain't got another 10 years.
I wish I could still believe. The stories he's written are fantastic but ultimately I think he's written himself into a corner. Combined with writing for TV, promoting said TV projects, press tours, his age, and the reaction to the final season, I really don't think we are ever going to see his conclusion to ASOIAF. Maybe we'll get Winds. Maybe. But I highly doubt we will get Dream of Spring. In all honesty, I wouldn't be surprised if he saw the reaction to season 8 and said "oh man, the major story beats that comprise the end of my series is pretty much the same as the show's, and people hated that, so I'm gonna sit on releasing Winds." I want to believe, but George hasn't given me much reason to.
Ill be honest as fasr as plots go he has written himself into the corner , there is a reason why certain cliches exist. On the other hand he could always choose to lay the tv projects off for a year or two and be completely concentrated on finishing the books but he chooses not to. speaks volumes about if he will actually finish it.
Whatever if the end of the books is pretty much the same as the show's, it will never be *exactly* the same nor the way of reaching there because the complexity of the books is pretty big, with the all ten thousand plots that doesn't appears in the show (Dorne-Arianne, Nightfort, Jojen Paste, Winterfell revenge, Faegon, Euron's plans...). I kinda think George is conscious of that, and he is not afraid for readers opinions, the thing is that actually writing those complex plots and trying unifying them all in a logical way it is pretty hard and takes a lot of time.
@@pedroalitovar6624 of course it wont be exactly the same , the pacing will be different , and probably more people will die as more people are alive in the books. But the broad strokes will remain the same. And most people shitting on the ending does have the potential of giving someone anxiety.
A lot of the broader stuff in the later seasons was pretty good, it’s the actual writing that was terrible, and GRRM is leagues above the show runners.
You are giving way too much credit to the social reaction and too little credit to George's intelligence. Hes been working on the series for about 30 years, do you seriously think the reason that is stopping him from finishing is that vomitive quotation you theorized? As if he hasnt been writting the book years before the last season came out. And you mentioned the other projects he is involved but how is that putting himself in a corner exactly?
I feel for the people that have been waiting since the 90's haha - I took out the first three in 2004 from the library. I still remember being excited that I got the whole trilogy in one go. During the second book I realised hang on there is no way it is going to be finished in another book and a half haha - if only I knew...
@@tinfoil1225 it's not too long, if you're somewhat committed to reading. I've read 1-4 in about 6 months during 2007-2008 academic year. And I've been reading mostly in transport on my way to/from school.
I got into ASOIAF through the show in like 2016 and read the books a few months later in 2017. Since then, I’ve finished high school, finished college, have a job, and I’m still waiting for the rest of the series.
I seriously hope that, at minimum, he's written a rough draft or some sort of outline that could be published after his death, like how Tolkien's unfinished works were collated by his son and published. I really feel for his fans.
I'm gonna say something bordering on heresy: give the plot line to Sanderson and he'll have it done in a week (love then both don't shred me apart pls)
Sanderson said that he would decline if he was asked to finish George’s books. He doesn’t even like GoT. Abercrombie would be a better pick,but I don’t know if he would accept the job.
@@Nortarachanges It’s not just GOT, he doesn’t like grimdark in general, I’m a big fan of Sanderson but I agree that Joe Abercrombie would be a better pick.
THANK YOU MIKE !!!! I asked you to make a George RR Martin video in comments section of the previous video... and you really did it!! You are the best!! P.S. : It was an awesome video!
I couldn't imagine starting the series back when it first came out and waiting 26 years for it to still be unfinished. I finished the last book in 2015...I'm 25 now.
I imagine that when he finished A Storm of Swords, God told him: Georgie, once youre done with ASOIAF your ded. So he began to slow down and by Dance of The Dragon he wrote like 3 pages per week.
I feel very validated in my decision not to pick up this series. If he ever magically finishes it though and I hear the ending is decent I'll read it then.
@@TheDanishGuyReviews that would be cool but i don't really think so. I speculate from his latest post that he isn't prioritising WoW at the moment. I hope he will finish it someday. And if not please let it gaf the Wheel of Time treatment.
The problem I see is that he keeps getting tied up in these television series. First Game of Thrones and now House of Dragons. He has supposedly made good progress on WoW during Covid shutdowns. But has he even started the final book? I don't suspect he has...
This is the main reason I've never actually read the books. I've heard from everyone that they're incredible, and I fully believe that, but it's always hard for me to commit myself to a book series until it's finished 😂 Right now Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere and the spinoff novels of Malazan are the only exceptions.
@@jackbrian7083 feel free to elaborate because the number of sales is quite literally what publishing houses look at before they decide how many books they should print for the next installment of a series - if any at all
@@chrisstoltz3648 i mean yeah youve got the benefit of hindsight , i think all of the fans see now that martin is a lot more interested in doing tv shows and reboots instead of finishing the books, the thing is those who started reading a long time ago are now stuck with it. like my friend read it but i wont , cause one i know pretty much whats going to happen and two i am not investing my time reading something which wont end.
I make sure to tell anyone interested in this series not to bother. I started reading in 2012 and have forgotten most of the minor characters and plot points by now. And George seems to have no intention of actually finishing by the way he responds. I get that fans tend to get a bit overzealous, but at some point, he has to take responsibility for creating a rabid fanbase and then completely abandoning them.
Telling someone not to bother is such an asshole move haha. Also, completely abandoning the fanbase? I think you should back off of him quite a bit, he doesn't owe you shit. He is working on his books at his speed and they will come out when he feels they are ready. The dude is very thoughtful in his approach and has literally created a multiverse world with so much detail that if you hear him talk about the history that does not have supernatural parts to it, he literally sounds like a history professor. Plus he worked with HBO to create 5/6 seasons of some of the best TV of all time. It is not like he buzzed off to some tropical island and has not written in years. The dude is prolific.
I'm on book 3 and too broke to buy all of the books and too busy to read them in less than several months so I have hope that when I finally get to buy and read the whole series at least the next one will be out.
I've reread and made so many notes in my books waiting for the conclusion that I almost don't want the last book to be released. I've spent so much time developing my own head canon and reading into things that might be totally false. I think everyone having their own theories and evidence is a lot cooler than what we will probably get.
In a hundred years, earth will be devastated, aliens will arrive, and they will hear a single whisper in the wind... ... ... "I still believe..." (And George is still alive, somehow)
I'm kinda in the same boat with Patrick Rothfuss. I've enjoyed Name of the Wind so much, I'm avoiding Wise Man's Fear, untill Doors of Stone comes out.
I didn't know anything about these books until two years ago. Everything online said they were fabulous but "you shouldn't read them because Rothfuss will never finish the series," so I put off reading them, but eventually gave in and now they are two of my favorite books of all time. I agree that Wise Man's Fear has its faults (Felurian stuff), but for the most part I am kicking myself for not having read them earlier than I did. One caveat: I also started reading The Wheel of Time books around 1992, so waiting multiple decades to get the conclusion of a series is not a new concept for me.
I wish I could convince you to read Wise Man's Fear. The fact is, we don't know for sure if volume 3 will ever come out. No spoilers, other than to say ... Rothfuss is kinda like William Blake the poet, who wrote one collection called "Songs of Innocence" and another one called "Songs of Experience."
I was a longtime Martin reader -- Sandkings hooked me -- and a fantasy enthusiast, so when A Game of Thrones came out, I was thrilled. Everyone I knew who read it loved it. But I got through the first few pages and said, "This doesn't have a planned ending." I flipped to the end, skimmed it, and said, "Yeah, There just isn't an ending here. It could go on forever. I'll wait until the last one in the series comes out and read 'em all in a row."
Even if he was still interested, he'll be 74 in a few months and he's very out of shape. And even if he wasn't out of shape he's probably going into cognitive decline. I don't think they'll ever be finished for these reasons. Check out 'The Black Company' for dark fantasy.
@@artbylesleymilne um i dont wanna be too cynical but have you read other george martin work, his ending is the weakest part. Tbh it seems like its taking so long cuz he doesnt wanna mess his magnum opus up yk
There was a yard sale in my neighborhood so I stopped by to look at what was around. They had large print hardcovers of Clash of Kings, Storm of Swords, and Dance with Dragons and a large print paperback of Feast of Crows. Bought all four of those books for $6 total, that's a steal (didn't have Game of Thrones, or maybe someone bought it before I got there). Looking forward to reading the series.
If it is a timeless masterpeice, you do not need a completion. Look at Kafka. Look at Gogol. These are few examples of how a peice of true literature can become a masterpiece even without an ending. But again, only time will tell whether G.R.R. Martin's work become timeless masterpeices like those.
Gogol's "Dead Souls" is a complete story. Even though he destroyed whatever he'd written for volume 2 (and 3 wasn't even started), the first volume stands on it own. SoIF is not the same, it's one big continuous story that didn't come to conclusion. 'Wheel of Time' suffered similar fate, but Jordan's widow hired Brandon Sanderson to finish the series. Hopefully, GRRM will finish his series himself, but who knows. It doesn't seem like he's actually working on it.
@@grim_2000 Gogol's Dead Souls is not a complete story to Gogol. Because he wannted to continue the story. But he could not. While we consider the first volume is a complete story by its' own, that was not Gogol's intension. That is why I said it is incomplete.
@@TheMrgoodboy2 that's the thing, it stands on its own, even though it is "technically incomplete". It's not comparable to SoIF, where the story is cut off at about 2/3. If Martin finished the core series, but not the sequel (I think, he's developing some sort of sequel for GoT, isn't he?) - that would be more along the lines with 'Dead souls' situation.
Gorge is the reason that when I start publishing my books, I'll at least have them outlined and partially written. I just hate waiting for these books to get written when they most likely won't and I'd rather not do that to any future fans.
Even tho Erikson is slacking on last Kharkanas book, the Malazan books have always dropped in "a timely manner" (Same with Esslemont and his malazan books) but Martin just doesn't care lol
Ive read all the core books, Dunk & Egg, and have started Fire and Blood, but it now feels like buying a game in early access that the developers have already abandoned but have kept it on the downlow.
i mean i get all the jokes and stuff but i am willing to wait for GRRM or Rothfuss and all these authors that need their time to finish their books adequatley. Rather a late book than an shitty ending
@@AHealthyDoseofFran i get that. But I also think that art takes time. And most of the authors do a shit tone of other stuff in that time.and I for me self think that I still have so many fantasy books I wanna read that waiting won't be a problem. But I get your point
Atleast Rothfuss is genuine with his problem. He's says he's a revisionist and it's the final book. Unlike GRRM who antagonise the fans for wanting his books and shit talks about lotr and Tolkien. He's dictating what his fans should be excited for(like the prequel shows and his other projects).
Lol this poor guy thinks authors like GRRM or Rothfuss are actually still writing the books. Idc what book you're trying to make, 10+ years means you're not writing it.
Back in 2013-14 when I was reading the series for the first time, it was impossible for me to imagine that poor old OG readers had to wait 11 years to find out whats going on with Tyrion and other ADWD characters, I was like Im lucky I got to read the series late lol
They'll never be finished. This is the best way to approach it and the most likely based on the facts. If I wrong take it as a pleasant and totally unexpected surprise. People have literally died while waiting for these books. Don't have any hope.
He needs to come clean and admit he's not interested in writing anymore. He's exceptional ungrateful. He got famous, made massive amounts of money, and now he doesn't want to finish the series. Yes he does owe it to his aaudience. They gave him his money and fame. Whats even worse is he won't come clean about the fact that he won't finish it and to make it even worse he says he doesn't want anyone else finishing the series! To be honest he's a terrible person and doesn't deserve the fame and money. As soon as he blew up he just went "f-ck you, got mine" and decided not to do the one thing everyone wants him to. I despise him.
Firstly the beauty of your videos is that they are short and precise. Please maintain it. You have been subscribed and I thank you for providing the opportunity.
I first fully read the series in 2013 and have been rereading the series back to back again for the last three years - can’t get enough, I need winds of winter before I go insane
I do like GRRM and his ASOIAF novels, I don't know if he will be able to finish the books through. I remember him saying he had been struggling to write TWOW. I noticed as well that he added more POV chapters which only makes it harder as there are more character arcs to write. He probably scrapped some ideas as authors do that when writing when they don't like the idea. Another thing is he is writing a load of different things and it's probably overwhelming him and become stressful to do all that. He writes for shows and games. He also wrote more stories within the ASOIAF universe like A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which is 3 novellas. He wrote extra lore for The World of Ice and Fire, Fire and Blood. The Dunk and Egg stuff he is still writing and he is still going to do part 2 of Fire and blood. He did however say TWOW is his main focus as there is pressure on him to finish it. Some people are frustrated and i think they have every right to be so long as they are not harassing the author. I can't change how people feel. For me, i just read other novels and never bothers me much. I do like to see what happens next as there are many cliffhangers in the last book. I might reread the books but i am in no hurry to do so as i have other things to read first. Many ASOIAF channels stopped doing videos or are just theory channels. I kinda got bored seeing all these theories and just check other channels who like different books. If you got into reading novels because of ASOIAF then try out other fantasy novels or even other genres of fiction. You will find something you like as there's plenty of books. It's hard to recommend the books to new people as i know they aren't finished and the show is finished and that's the only ending we have and probably the only ending we will ever have.
The only inaccuracies with this video are the positive reaction to a Feast for Crows which in addition to taking a half decade to get just wasn't very good and the under reaction to a Storm of Swords which remains one of my all time favorite books and is part of why a Feast for Crows was such a huge let down, went from one of the greatest reading experiences of my life, to a 5 year wait, to easily the worst book in the series, and, at least in my opinion, just not a very good book in general. If AFFC and ADWD were as good as a Storm of Swords was, I don't care how long WoW takes to get, I don't think anyone would be talking about "giving up" on the series, they'd complain about the wait, and worry about Martin living to finish it, but they'd have confidence it'd all be worth it when it does come out. AFFC and ADWD broke that faith for a lot of people, myself included. It's not just that I'm no longer confident WoW will ever release, but also that I'm not confident it will even be worth the wait.
It has been so long since I read these books, that I don't remember them that well. But I do know that I absolutely loved the first 3, and then the fourth book (like you said) was disappointing. The fifth book I remember liking more than the fourth one though, but still not as good as the first 3 books in the series. And yes, I agree if he needs time to finish these books so they are better than the last 2 then I am okay with that
@@jacobobrien2061 yeah AFFC is super underrated imo. i love the vibe and all the character work going on in it. i think it'll feel better once the whole series is out (knock on wood) as the very necessary breather we needed after how intense book 3 was.
I bought the books in 2017 thinking that once I finished reading them, the next book would surely be released. Boy i was wrong :(
Dude, exactly the same for me too.
Right!? I bought them all after the first season of Game of Thrones thinking the same thing :(
Same for me but I started reading them in 2020
I bought the fifth book back in 2011 thinking we’d get the sixth one soon…
I stopped reading halfway through the second, and I have no intention of going further until I see the final one come out.
It’s amazing that you haven’t aged a bit in 26 years.
lol
Mayber he’s half asian!
Mike=Roose Bolton confirmed
vampire spotted
@@ShemPayne Those just happen to be his "reading A Song of Ice and Fire" clothes.
George RR Martian saying he hasn’t got around to finishing Winds of Winter because he’s been busy with side projects is like if George Lucas made The Manderlorian, Book of Bobba Fett, Prequels, Clone War Cartoons, but never got around to finishing Return of the Jedi.
Better example
It’s like if he did all that but also made a superhero series with a bunch of other guys set in the 50’s and kept reminding you of its existence
@NATE Rosenzweig it was an analogy
He is getting busy with side projects because he cant finish winds of winter. He is stuck and frankly needs some help.
@NATE Rosenzweig are you twelve?
@@exosproudmamabear558Maybe to unstick himself he ought to start over writing the book like Tolkien did for The Lord Of The Rings at times.
Just imagine he confesses “I have actually been working on the last two books at the same time, they are both complete now.”
That would legit be the biggest surprise to ever happen in the book industry! Even more surprising than Brandon Sanderson secretly writing 4 books
@@miketravelsnowhere6557 yeah post a CZcams video like Sanderson did. My biggest gap from starting this series would be closed
No dont give us Hope.
@@miketravelsnowhere6557 the more improbable a Thing the bigger the surprise. And this thing Happening Has the probability of near zero
@@jackbrian7083 lmao, yes I’ll come back to reality
I can only imagine how frustrating and anti climactic it would have been if J. R. R. Tolkien never finished Return Of The King. Luckily that is not the multiverse we live in.
That would be a dark world indeed
Tolkein’s quite unique though since he actually had the entire trilogy finished when the books were first published. He wanted it to be a single novel but his publisher correctly told him a single volume of fiction that big wouldn’t sell. So it became a trilogy which released a couple of months apart over the course of a year (July ‘54 - October ‘55). Thankfully he had already internally divided the story into six parts; now the published volumes have two parts inside each book.
*dies before finishing Silmarillion*
@@LoudWaffle pretty funny in hindsight that they wouldn’t release it as one, considering the two longest books of ASOIAF so far are comparable in size to LotR, maybe only 30,000-40,000 words less
Assuming we live in a multiverse (we probably don't, or if we do it's probably weird) it might be the multiverse we live in. It's definitely not the UNIverse we live in though.
Over ten years later: I’ve read the books so many times I am now confident that Khal Drogo, Lyanna Stark, Sandor Clegane and Tyrek Lannister are all secretly horses.
Personally, i think Patchface is secretly Rhaegar
Tyrek Lannister is secretly Quaithe
I feel like the series will either be finished by a different author (like Wheel of Time) or never be finished at all.
With how long WoW is taking I agree. I just can't see him finishing the final book. I would be happy to be proven wrong though!
Honestly idc anymore about dreams of spring but at least he HOPEFULLY finishes WoW.
I’d rather it not get finished at all than it get finished by different writer
@@jac_o7 I can see where you are coming from but as long as the ending is good I would rather have a good ending written by a different writer(that was chosen by Geroge himself) than no ending at all
Honestly I kind of hope it goes the route of wheel of time. I would love to see someone like Abercrombie to get the npd and finish the series. George is an amazing writer but I just don't see him finishing
Read the books back in 2018. I see older, original fans as ancient beings lol and get so fascinated by them. Imagine waiting 20 + years for this story's ending and waiting 20 + years more.
I read the first book before there was a second so I am, indeed, an ancient being. At the time, I felt it to be the best book I'd ever read but I've only just now begun reading it again. Maybe by the time I get through the series this second time there will be another published,... I still believe ;)
I mean we Know the ending 😅
I've been waiting thirty years for Clive Barker to finish one of his series.
I read the first book in 2018. Need to get back to the second book.
Kentaro Miura started Berserk in 1985, sadly he died in 2021 with his series never becoming finished
Yet every chapter released was beautiful and amazing
I feel like the slow pace is a mix of a few things.
One: I don't think he's fully resolved how to finish the series. The White walkers are an existential threat that most people in Westeros really believes in or cared about. Plus, you can see how bad the reception was to how the show settled them, and understand his apprehension (seriously, it took them one episode to deal with the world-ending threat, but three to deal with the Lanisters?)
Realistically, following the logic that GRRM has worked with in the books so far, the Whitewalkers will succeed and everyone will die, which I doubt is what he wants to do, since nobody would like that ending to this series people have been following for as many as 20+ years.
Two: he probably slowed or stopped his work while the show was running, so as to not make confusion with two separate canons after the show ran out of books to adapt. Make it easier on the audience by waiting until that's over to get into the book again.
Three: I think he's honestly just bored of it. The man has obviously been working hard on things that aren't aSoIF, but I really think he just isn't as excited by the series as he was, and just wants it to be over already, and he's dragging his feet as a result
Yup, you are probably right on all accounts. And also with all the other shows HBO is creating (House of the Dragon and the Jon Snow sequel series) is probably keeping him busy too
i mean tbf the ending is going to be the same. He himself has stated that he would not care what people thought of the show ending and he wont change the ending based on that. I think its very naive, optimistic and just feels like coping when people say the book endings are going to be different.
@@jackbrian7083 Yeah, I always suspected he has his idea for the ending and planned to stay the course regardless, but I do think that the show coming our probably did make him put a pause on finishing it
@@jackbrian7083 I think the only difference here is that what happens in between and how believable the character arcs are is important. The ending of the show was rushed, character arcs reversed and things happened that just had no pay off.
I don't care if Bran becomes King if the story of how he gets there makes sense and is actually rewarding to experience.
@@jackbrian7083 George R. R. Martin only worked on the first half of the show. There's no reason to expect that his plan for how to end the books would be the same as how the show ended.
And if you're referring to the quote I think you are, that was Martin responding to how the show runners for Game of Thrones admitted to writing the ending with the goal of subverting the fans expectations. They didn't want fans to have guessed what they had planned. Martin was saying that for his writing he doesn't care if people guess what will happen.
You forgot the part where GRRM will call you impatient and entitled for asking if/when Winds of Winter will come out like it's an unreasonable question to have after 10 years of not being even remotely close to finishing it. Otherwise perfectly accurate, 10/10.
Even if Winds comes out, nobody can possibly think he'll be alive and healthy long enough to finish Dream of Spring. He's an obese 73 year old already. He ain't got another 10 years.
I wish I could still believe. The stories he's written are fantastic but ultimately I think he's written himself into a corner. Combined with writing for TV, promoting said TV projects, press tours, his age, and the reaction to the final season, I really don't think we are ever going to see his conclusion to ASOIAF. Maybe we'll get Winds. Maybe. But I highly doubt we will get Dream of Spring. In all honesty, I wouldn't be surprised if he saw the reaction to season 8 and said "oh man, the major story beats that comprise the end of my series is pretty much the same as the show's, and people hated that, so I'm gonna sit on releasing Winds." I want to believe, but George hasn't given me much reason to.
Ill be honest as fasr as plots go he has written himself into the corner , there is a reason why certain cliches exist. On the other hand he could always choose to lay the tv projects off for a year or two and be completely concentrated on finishing the books but he chooses not to. speaks volumes about if he will actually finish it.
Whatever if the end of the books is pretty much the same as the show's, it will never be *exactly* the same nor the way of reaching there because the complexity of the books is pretty big, with the all ten thousand plots that doesn't appears in the show (Dorne-Arianne, Nightfort, Jojen Paste, Winterfell revenge, Faegon, Euron's plans...). I kinda think George is conscious of that, and he is not afraid for readers opinions, the thing is that actually writing those complex plots and trying unifying them all in a logical way it is pretty hard and takes a lot of time.
@@pedroalitovar6624 of course it wont be exactly the same , the pacing will be different , and probably more people will die as more people are alive in the books. But the broad strokes will remain the same. And most people shitting on the ending does have the potential of giving someone anxiety.
A lot of the broader stuff in the later seasons was pretty good, it’s the actual writing that was terrible, and GRRM is leagues above the show runners.
You are giving way too much credit to the social reaction and too little credit to George's intelligence. Hes been working on the series for about 30 years, do you seriously think the reason that is stopping him from finishing is that vomitive quotation you theorized? As if he hasnt been writting the book years before the last season came out.
And you mentioned the other projects he is involved but how is that putting himself in a corner exactly?
Him: “I still believe.”
Me: “I don’t.”
I feel for the people that have been waiting since the 90's haha - I took out the first three in 2004 from the library. I still remember being excited that I got the whole trilogy in one go. During the second book I realised hang on there is no way it is going to be finished in another book and a half haha - if only I knew...
How long did it take you to finish reading the three books?
@@tinfoil1225
it's not too long, if you're somewhat committed to reading. I've read 1-4 in about 6 months during 2007-2008 academic year. And I've been reading mostly in transport on my way to/from school.
I got into ASOIAF through the show in like 2016 and read the books a few months later in 2017. Since then, I’ve finished high school, finished college, have a job, and I’m still waiting for the rest of the series.
I seriously hope that, at minimum, he's written a rough draft or some sort of outline that could be published after his death, like how Tolkien's unfinished works were collated by his son and published.
I really feel for his fans.
Eh. Doubt they'd get published. He's already on record about how he wouldn't allow a ghost writer to take over.
I'm gonna say something bordering on heresy: give the plot line to Sanderson and he'll have it done in a week (love then both don't shred me apart pls)
Sando will have completed storm light in its entirety before Martin releases the next book
No no, you’re right
Sanderson said that he would decline if he was asked to finish George’s books. He doesn’t even like GoT.
Abercrombie would be a better pick,but I don’t know if he would accept the job.
@@bribli2177 , when did he say he doesn’t like GoT?
@@Nortarachanges It’s not just GOT, he doesn’t like grimdark in general, I’m a big fan of Sanderson but I agree that Joe Abercrombie would be a better pick.
THANK YOU MIKE !!!!
I asked you to make a George RR Martin video in comments section of the previous video... and you really did it!!
You are the best!!
P.S. : It was an awesome video!
Thanks for the idea!
I am just end reading ASOIAF fourth time, zero regrets. Waiting for Winds hurt so much, but as you say, I'm still believe.
This is why your wife left you. Ow, wait. You don’t have a wife. Nor a girlfriend.
@@licmir3663 Bold words for a 13-year-old girl, a fan of Minecraft from West Wirginia.
Imagine how Tolkien fans be feeling, been like 80 years since the last lotrs book, they patient af.
I couldn't imagine starting the series back when it first came out and waiting 26 years for it to still be unfinished. I finished the last book in 2015...I'm 25 now.
I imagine that when he finished A Storm of Swords, God told him: Georgie, once youre done with ASOIAF your ded. So he began to slow down and by Dance of The Dragon he wrote like 3 pages per week.
Wow, this man has not aged a day since 1996. That's impressive.
lol
I feel very validated in my decision not to pick up this series. If he ever magically finishes it though and I hear the ending is decent I'll read it then.
Winds of Winter might be released in 2030. But we shouldn't get too excited.
Meanwhile Br. Sanderson: "Hey guys, I had some free time during lockdown. Here is a complete new series with 5 books, have fun reading them."
I sure hope it's the final book in the series, for the sake of everyone waiting.
Nope. One more giant book to come afterwards.
@@hristol7537 Oh, he'll definitely die before that, unless he's writing both at once, like how some people film two movies at once.
@@TheDanishGuyReviews that would be cool but i don't really think so. I speculate from his latest post that he isn't prioritising WoW at the moment. I hope he will finish it someday. And if not please let it gaf the Wheel of Time treatment.
The problem I see is that he keeps getting tied up in these television series. First Game of Thrones and now House of Dragons. He has supposedly made good progress on WoW during Covid shutdowns. But has he even started the final book? I don't suspect he has...
Good news, guys. Martin just stated he has finished a few difficult Cersei chapters and is now working on Jaime and Brienne. The man is working.
This is the main reason I've never actually read the books. I've heard from everyone that they're incredible, and I fully believe that, but it's always hard for me to commit myself to a book series until it's finished 😂 Right now Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere and the spinoff novels of Malazan are the only exceptions.
Sanderson writes faster than you can read anyway
Not buying books until the series is finished is the best way for it to never be finished because the first books didn't sell enough
@@maximedurante7574 Not really.
@@jackbrian7083 feel free to elaborate because the number of sales is quite literally what publishing houses look at before they decide how many books they should print for the next installment of a series - if any at all
@@chrisstoltz3648 i mean yeah youve got the benefit of hindsight , i think all of the fans see now that martin is a lot more interested in doing tv shows and reboots instead of finishing the books, the thing is those who started reading a long time ago are now stuck with it. like my friend read it but i wont , cause one i know pretty much whats going to happen and two i am not investing my time reading something which wont end.
The real question is: Will Mike once again be wearing the same shirt when Winds of Winter comes out? LOL! XD
lol
I make sure to tell anyone interested in this series not to bother. I started reading in 2012 and have forgotten most of the minor characters and plot points by now. And George seems to have no intention of actually finishing by the way he responds. I get that fans tend to get a bit overzealous, but at some point, he has to take responsibility for creating a rabid fanbase and then completely abandoning them.
Telling someone not to bother is such an asshole move haha. Also, completely abandoning the fanbase? I think you should back off of him quite a bit, he doesn't owe you shit. He is working on his books at his speed and they will come out when he feels they are ready. The dude is very thoughtful in his approach and has literally created a multiverse world with so much detail that if you hear him talk about the history that does not have supernatural parts to it, he literally sounds like a history professor. Plus he worked with HBO to create 5/6 seasons of some of the best TV of all time. It is not like he buzzed off to some tropical island and has not written in years. The dude is prolific.
@@brandonwhite4992 I'm surprised you were able to write all of that with Martin's balls in your mouth. Well done.
The real gut punch is that the Winds of Winter doesn’t conclude the story. He also has to write A Dream of Spring. Will that one take 20 years?
I'm on book 3 and too broke to buy all of the books and too busy to read them in less than several months so I have hope that when I finally get to buy and read the whole series at least the next one will be out.
Take your time
@@charlievogel yeah it's a lifelong goal at this point
I've reread and made so many notes in my books waiting for the conclusion that I almost don't want the last book to be released. I've spent so much time developing my own head canon and reading into things that might be totally false. I think everyone having their own theories and evidence is a lot cooler than what we will probably get.
In a hundred years, earth will be devastated, aliens will arrive, and they will hear a single whisper in the wind...
...
...
"I still believe..."
(And George is still alive, somehow)
I'm kinda in the same boat with Patrick Rothfuss. I've enjoyed Name of the Wind so much, I'm avoiding Wise Man's Fear, untill Doors of Stone comes out.
I didn't know anything about these books until two years ago. Everything online said they were fabulous but "you shouldn't read them because Rothfuss will never finish the series," so I put off reading them, but eventually gave in and now they are two of my favorite books of all time. I agree that Wise Man's Fear has its faults (Felurian stuff), but for the most part I am kicking myself for not having read them earlier than I did. One caveat: I also started reading The Wheel of Time books around 1992, so waiting multiple decades to get the conclusion of a series is not a new concept for me.
Meanwhile me: *read both books twice and considering reading them again but this time in english*
I wish I could convince you to read Wise Man's Fear. The fact is, we don't know for sure if volume 3 will ever come out. No spoilers, other than to say ...
Rothfuss is kinda like William Blake the poet, who wrote one collection called "Songs of Innocence" and another one called "Songs of Experience."
I was a longtime Martin reader -- Sandkings hooked me -- and a fantasy enthusiast, so when A Game of Thrones came out, I was thrilled. Everyone I knew who read it loved it. But I got through the first few pages and said, "This doesn't have a planned ending." I flipped to the end, skimmed it, and said, "Yeah, There just isn't an ending here. It could go on forever. I'll wait until the last one in the series comes out and read 'em all in a row."
it's been 10 years??? holy 🐄
😂 the ending man.
Almost 11, actually....
Time flies...
Credits to this guy, who began to film this video in 1996
He will never finish it. I think he's lost interest.
No theres just so many plotlines and questions at this point that hes just trying to figure out how it can all be made into a compelling last 2 books
He seems to be more focused on television shows now. Game of Thrones took his attention for years, and now House of Dragons might do the same
Even if he was still interested, he'll be 74 in a few months and he's very out of shape. And even if he wasn't out of shape he's probably going into cognitive decline. I don't think they'll ever be finished for these reasons. Check out 'The Black Company' for dark fantasy.
Its a pity because I think he would have come up with a MUCH better ending.
@@artbylesleymilne um i dont wanna be too cynical but have you read other george martin work, his ending is the weakest part. Tbh it seems like its taking so long cuz he doesnt wanna mess his magnum opus up yk
There was a yard sale in my neighborhood so I stopped by to look at what was around. They had large print hardcovers of Clash of Kings, Storm of Swords, and Dance with Dragons and a large print paperback of Feast of Crows. Bought all four of those books for $6 total, that's a steal (didn't have Game of Thrones, or maybe someone bought it before I got there). Looking forward to reading the series.
Nice, that is awesome! I hope you enjoy them!
You should *really* get and read game of thrones first tho, every book follows the one before like 5 minutes after its ending. Jus a little advice.
@@leandrocastello309 thanks
Bro i absolutely love your channel!
Thanks! I appreciate that!
Sent all mine to the charity shop. Got fed up of waiting not to mention the series killed any enthusiasm I had left for the story.
If it is a timeless masterpeice, you do not need a completion. Look at Kafka. Look at Gogol. These are few examples of how a peice of true literature can become a masterpiece even without an ending. But again, only time will tell whether G.R.R. Martin's work become timeless masterpeices like those.
Gogol's "Dead Souls" is a complete story.
Even though he destroyed whatever he'd written for volume 2 (and 3 wasn't even started), the first volume stands on it own.
SoIF is not the same, it's one big continuous story that didn't come to conclusion. 'Wheel of Time' suffered similar fate, but Jordan's widow hired Brandon Sanderson to finish the series. Hopefully, GRRM will finish his series himself, but who knows.
It doesn't seem like he's actually working on it.
@@grim_2000 Gogol's Dead Souls is not a complete story to Gogol. Because he wannted to continue the story. But he could not. While we consider the first volume is a complete story by its' own, that was not Gogol's intension. That is why I said it is incomplete.
@@TheMrgoodboy2
that's the thing, it stands on its own, even though it is "technically incomplete".
It's not comparable to SoIF, where the story is cut off at about 2/3.
If Martin finished the core series, but not the sequel (I think, he's developing some sort of sequel for GoT, isn't he?) - that would be more along the lines with 'Dead souls' situation.
Bro that t-shirt has seen a lot of history for sure, good fabric!
lol
Gorge is the reason that when I start publishing my books, I'll at least have them outlined and partially written. I just hate waiting for these books to get written when they most likely won't and I'd rather not do that to any future fans.
Whenever I see a picture of G.R.R Martin, I can't be mad.
Even tho Erikson is slacking on last Kharkanas book, the Malazan books have always dropped in "a timely manner"
(Same with Esslemont and his malazan books)
but Martin just doesn't care lol
I still believe too, buddy.
Wow, you haven’t aged at all in 26 years. That’s really impressive.
Ive read all the core books, Dunk & Egg, and have started Fire and Blood, but it now feels like buying a game in early access that the developers have already abandoned but have kept it on the downlow.
Now try Rothfuss. 11 years... for the third book of the series.
What it's like to read Brandon Sanderson: "DEAR GOD STOP IT I CAN'T CATCH UP".
Can't believe you've been wearing the same shirt for 26 years!!!
He's the Kendrick Lamar of dropping books, decades could go by and people will still wait on him
I admire the reading posture
GRRM writing Winds of Winter is like SpongeBob writing his paper during the Procrastination episode.
lol so true
i mean i get all the jokes and stuff but i am willing to wait for GRRM or Rothfuss and all these authors that need their time to finish their books adequatley. Rather a late book than an shitty ending
Yeah but like 10 years is a bit much
@@AHealthyDoseofFran i get that. But I also think that art takes time. And most of the authors do a shit tone of other stuff in that time.and I for me self think that I still have so many fantasy books I wanna read that waiting won't be a problem. But I get your point
Atleast Rothfuss is genuine with his problem. He's says he's a revisionist and it's the final book. Unlike GRRM who antagonise the fans for wanting his books and shit talks about lotr and Tolkien. He's dictating what his fans should be excited for(like the prequel shows and his other projects).
Lol this poor guy thinks authors like GRRM or Rothfuss are actually still writing the books. Idc what book you're trying to make, 10+ years means you're not writing it.
@@MRJTD99 well i Think youll be quite surprised when they do come out
The book will come this winter, 2024. Somehow right on time for me starting to read ASOIAF
I was expecting the last cut to be a picture of your gravestone
Same brother I am holding out for all hope
2 years later. stilllll waiting. stilllll believe
Its scary how accurate this is.
I gave up when the show ended.
What it’s like reading Patrick Rothfuss.
lol
I would request a “What it’s like to read Patrick Rothfuss” but it will just make me sad :(
Gorge Martin’s books are like ordering a pie then learning it doesn’t have filling.
Exactly the same with Patrick Ruthfuss and the 3rd Kingkiller Chronicles..over 10 years......still waiting
He watched the same season 8 we did.....and re-examined his life.
Back in 2013-14 when I was reading the series for the first time, it was impossible for me to imagine that poor old OG readers had to wait 11 years to find out whats going on with Tyrion and other ADWD characters, I was like Im lucky I got to read the series late lol
They'll never be finished. This is the best way to approach it and the most likely based on the facts. If I wrong take it as a pleasant and totally unexpected surprise.
People have literally died while waiting for these books. Don't have any hope.
He wrote less than the half of the book after 2011. Just so you know.
These videos are do true..glad I found this channel
George doesn't have any intention on finishing his books. He'll be laughing at us from the grave.
I will wait for the last book to come and then buy the whole set.
This should end in watching it on TV.
I guess thats kinda why I still havent finished book 1... Idk man its less reassurring to finish because its ben nearly 12 years.
DON'T STOP BELIEEEVING
Well there's apparently a TV show that concludes the book so no big deal
I’ve had 4 kids since Patrick Rothfuss wrote his second book
He needs to come clean and admit he's not interested in writing anymore. He's exceptional ungrateful. He got famous, made massive amounts of money, and now he doesn't want to finish the series.
Yes he does owe it to his aaudience. They gave him his money and fame. Whats even worse is he won't come clean about the fact that he won't finish it and to make it even worse he says he doesn't want anyone else finishing the series! To be honest he's a terrible person and doesn't deserve the fame and money. As soon as he blew up he just went "f-ck you, got mine" and decided not to do the one thing everyone wants him to. I despise him.
Maybe both books would surprisingly release at the same time. Most likely not but it would be crazy
Biggest plot twist in the history of literature
0:30 idk how he's so calm after reading lady stone heart's intro
Firstly the beauty of your videos is that they are short and precise. Please maintain it. You have been subscribed and I thank you for providing the opportunity.
Thank you!
He got the show now. He don’t care no more.
Meanwhile Sanderson can't stop writing new books constantly 🙃
I still Believe
I remeber when Dance with Dragons came out he said Winds of Winter was basically halfway completed
Someday I might read his books
Keeping hope alive
I still believe to buddy 😢
None of us really had to wait that long for the first 5 how many of you were actually reading the series when it first came out in the 90s
I know I'm late to this video but you know, I'm glad somebody still believes because it ain't me (':
Objectively, he has written more Westeros novels, even if not finishing A Song of Ice and Fire.
I first fully read the series in 2013 and have been rereading the series back to back again for the last three years - can’t get enough, I need winds of winter before I go insane
It’s about to be 30 years…
Can't believe you kept footage from 1996. I can't keep footage from last year.
I do like GRRM and his ASOIAF novels, I don't know if he will be able to finish the books through.
I remember him saying he had been struggling to write TWOW. I noticed as well that he added more POV chapters which only makes it harder as there are more character arcs to write. He probably scrapped some ideas as authors do that when writing when they don't like the idea.
Another thing is he is writing a load of different things and it's probably overwhelming him and become stressful to do all that. He writes for shows and games. He also wrote more stories within the ASOIAF universe like A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which is 3 novellas. He wrote extra lore for The World of Ice and Fire, Fire and Blood. The Dunk and Egg stuff he is still writing and he is still going to do part 2 of Fire and blood. He did however say TWOW is his main focus as there is pressure on him to finish it.
Some people are frustrated and i think they have every right to be so long as they are not harassing the author. I can't change how people feel.
For me, i just read other novels and never bothers me much.
I do like to see what happens next as there are many cliffhangers in the last book. I might reread the books but i am in no hurry to do so as i have other things to read first.
Many ASOIAF channels stopped doing videos or are just theory channels. I kinda got bored seeing all these theories and just check other channels who like different books.
If you got into reading novels because of ASOIAF then try out other fantasy novels or even other genres of fiction. You will find something you like as there's plenty of books.
It's hard to recommend the books to new people as i know they aren't finished and the show is finished and that's the only ending we have and probably the only ending we will ever have.
I pretty much refused to read those books until it's finished because I don't want to have to wait for the next book.
Currently rereading A Feast For Crows and I love it. 😁
Awesome, happy to hear you are liking it! A lot of people seem to dislike that one most in the series. I agree though, still a very good book!
@@miketravelsnowhere6557 Yesss
The only inaccuracies with this video are the positive reaction to a Feast for Crows which in addition to taking a half decade to get just wasn't very good and the under reaction to a Storm of Swords which remains one of my all time favorite books and is part of why a Feast for Crows was such a huge let down, went from one of the greatest reading experiences of my life, to a 5 year wait, to easily the worst book in the series, and, at least in my opinion, just not a very good book in general.
If AFFC and ADWD were as good as a Storm of Swords was, I don't care how long WoW takes to get, I don't think anyone would be talking about "giving up" on the series, they'd complain about the wait, and worry about Martin living to finish it, but they'd have confidence it'd all be worth it when it does come out. AFFC and ADWD broke that faith for a lot of people, myself included. It's not just that I'm no longer confident WoW will ever release, but also that I'm not confident it will even be worth the wait.
It has been so long since I read these books, that I don't remember them that well. But I do know that I absolutely loved the first 3, and then the fourth book (like you said) was disappointing.
The fifth book I remember liking more than the fourth one though, but still not as good as the first 3 books in the series.
And yes, I agree if he needs time to finish these books so they are better than the last 2 then I am okay with that
Whaaat AFFC is my favorite book in the series. It's such an aesthetic book with tons of gothic and fall vibes
@@jacobobrien2061 yeah AFFC is super underrated imo. i love the vibe and all the character work going on in it. i think it'll feel better once the whole series is out (knock on wood) as the very necessary breather we needed after how intense book 3 was.
A Feast for Crows had such memorable moments. Jaime kept roasting Cersei in that book, which was hilarious!
That just your opinion tho, AFFC is my favorite in the series