George R.R. Martin Confirms ‘Winds Of Winter’ Won’t be ready before Season 6 Begins

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Lagopus

I'm pretty sure he have plans ready for someone to do the same as Brandon Sanderson did with Wheel of Time. My guess is that Ty Franck, who was Martin's assistant for several years and is now one half of the writer duo James S. A. Corey, is designated to pick up and finish.

He's free to change his mind, of course, but he's already made it pretty clear in the past that he's not naming a successor to take over for him. He was pretty adamant about it, in fact.

[Penforhire]

I'd certainly bet on David Benioff being capable of continue the series, as he must have seen the original notes and interviewed GRRM to get the TV show written. If necessary, Daniel Abraham would be a great alternate as well.

However I do hope he finishes the series himself. As I always say with affection, as a fan of the books, "write fat man! Write!"

[BenG]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

He's free to change his mind, of course, but he's already made it pretty clear in the past that he's not naming a successor to take over for him. He was pretty adamant about it, in fact.

Was that because he doesn't want someone else to work on the series or was he just annoyed by all the suggestions that he may die before the series is finished.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by BenG

Was that because he doesn't want someone else to work on the series or was he just annoyed by all the suggestions that he may die before the series is finished.

It was a bit of both, actually.
I'm trying to track down the actual conversation, but have had no luck as yet.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by BenG

Was that because he doesn't want someone else to work on the series or was he just annoyed by all the suggestions that he may die before the series is finished.

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

It was a bit of both, actually.
I'm trying to track down the actual conversation, but have had no luck as yet.

It seems the internet is chock full of people who claim that George has said he would prefer the book series to remain unfinished in the event of his untimely demise, but very few accounts of him actually stating it. I may be guilty of spreading unfounded rumor, but this is just such "common knowledge" among vested fans that no one seems to notice that he may not have actually said it.

He has made it perfectly clear in interviews that he (and his wife) would be against licensing other authors to write books set in his world of Westeros (but also realizes that it's probably an inevitability if collateral descendants become involved), but that's something else.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by BenG

Was that because he doesn't want someone else to work on the series or was he just annoyed by all the suggestions that he may die before the series is finished.

Or possibly even suggestions that he should hurry up and die in order that someone else can finish it off for him, in a much more timely manner.

[danskmacabre]

I gave up at "A dance with dragons" . Jut too much going over the same old thing and parallel timelines etc.
I want the story to move on please.

Still, if the series is ever finished, I might read the remaining books.

I've been sort of watching the TV series from time to time and it's OK. Not as good as it was in earlier seasons.

[drofgnal]

I gave up as well. If it ever finishes maybe I'll pick it up, but there are too many good fantasy writers out there who actually finish books for me to really care.

[Ravensknight]

Originally Posted by Lagopus

Really? My impression is the exact opposite: He is enough of a fan himself to understand the fans' desire to read the conclusion to the series, and he is enough of a storyteller to want his story arc to be finished. I'm pretty sure he have plans ready for someone to do the same as Brandon Sanderson did with Wheel of Time. My guess is that Ty Franck, who was Martin's assistant for several years and is now one half of the writer duo James S. A. Corey, is designated to pick up and finish.

Will Martin be able to finish on his own? I don't know. He might get a heart attack this year, or he might write beyond 80. And he might get himself out of the corner he's in and finish the last book relatively quickly, or he might continue the trend of spending more and more time on each new book.

When you tell your fans to pretty much **** off and to stop expecting books in a timely manner, then yeah, I don't carry much of a torch for that author...

[danskmacabre]

Originally Posted by drofgnal

there are too many good fantasy writers out there who actually finish books for me to really care.

And yeah, this as well.

[delph]

As a fan, I hope he finishes it. I worry that he's got too many little plot threads here and there for him to actually be able to do so. I know he's submitted 'the end' to the producers of the show. That doesn't mean that they're going to get from point A to point Z via the same route. I believe the really important plot points of who lives and dies will be the same between the book and the show. I think there will be details here and there which might vary, and those details might be what's delaying the series.

I respect 'it'll be ready when it's ready' and being tired of fans nagging for the next book. I can even respect if he's just tired of writing this particular series in the world. I'll still be (quietly) disappointed if the series is never finished.

[Purple Lady]

Originally Posted by delph

As a fan, I hope he finishes it. I worry that he's got too many little plot threads here and there for him to actually be able to do so. I know he's submitted 'the end' to the producers of the show. That doesn't mean that they're going to get from point A to point Z via the same route. I believe the really important plot points of who lives and dies will be the same between the book and the show. I think there will be details here and there which might vary, and those details might be what's delaying the series.

I respect 'it'll be ready when it's ready' and being tired of fans nagging for the next book. I can even respect if he's just tired of writing this particular series in the world. I'll still be (quietly) disappointed if the series is never finished.

The end and important plot points being the same is why I will watch the show only now. I read the first five books, but that's it for me. If the show wasn't on I would of course buy the books, but at this point he's too late for me. The show started almost five years ago, so you would think Martin wouldn't have agreed to the show if he didn't think he could finish the final two books on time.

[Ansileran]

I was a huge fan... and then I had to wait a few years between book 3 and 4. I re-read the first 3 books on that occasion, read the 4th... And then I believe it was 7 years before book 5 came out! By that time, I had picked up other authors to read and my TBR list is too big to re-read his books again, when there are still two more to come (who knows, I might die before he finishes them ^^)

I'm still buying the books, but won't read them until the series is finished. And I won't watch the show until I've read the books.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

I've got all of the books, but haven't read "Dance" yet as I've decided to just wait until if/when everything is done to invest more time in it.

If this series doesn't get finished, by him or someone else, I will never read it.

After once starting a series (in Dutch) of which the translation was stopped unexpectedly, so the series would be incomplete forever, I've sworn to never start a series/trilogy until after all books have been released.

Therefore I have also not started that 10 book 1000 pages a book series that Brian Sanderson started... I can't remember the name on top of my head.

[Ravensknight]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

If this series doesn't get finished, by him or someone else, I will never read it.

After once starting a series (in Dutch) of which the translation was stopped unexpectedly, so the series would be incomplete forever, I've sworn to never start a series/trilogy until after all books have been released.

Therefore I have also not started that 10 book 1000 pages a book series that Brian Sanderson started... I can't remember the name on top of my head.

The Stormlight Archives by Brandon Sanderson. I'm waiting for book 5 then I'll read them in a row.