It's Done... Almost!

[DiapDealer]

It's certainly not the "It's Done!" post we were promised, but apparently, it's done "enough" for a very firm release date.

George RR Martin fans rejoice!!

...or roll over and go back to sleep like I'm going to do.

http://www.georgerrmartin.com/if-update.html

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

It's certainly not the "It's Done!" post we were promised, but apparently, it's done "enough" for a very firm release date.

George RR Martin fans rejoice!!

...or roll over and go back to sleep like I'm going to do.

http://www.georgerrmartin.com/if-update.html

At least that one has a firm production schedule. George and his long time companion Parris recently got married, so I expect his mind is currently on other things.
______
Dennis

[AnemicOak]

Looks like that Hardcover will be 1,008 pages (maybe, since it's not really finished yet who knows)...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/055...SIN=0553801473

$35 list price, I wonder what the list will be on the eBook.

[queentess]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Looks like that Hardcover will be 1,008 pages (maybe, since it's not really finished yet who knows)...

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/055...SIN=0553801473

$35 list price, I wonder what the list will be on the eBook.

Hardback will probably be discounted to somewhere in the neighborhood of $17.99, and the ebook will probably be $14.99. This is complete speculation on my part, backed up by zero data and only my observations.

[AndrewH]

I'll believe it when I see it on the shelf. Till then, I believe this just as much as the blurb at the end of A Feast for Crows in which he said A Dance with Dragons was half done and would be along the next year (2006).

Even more frustrating is that A Dance with Dragons isn't the end, there's two more books planned. Maybe the series will be finished around the year 2035. Or maybe we'll still be reading about football and ASOIAF merchandise...

[AnemicOak]

Originally Posted by queentess

Hardback will probably be discounted to somewhere in the neighborhood of $17.99, and the ebook will probably be $14.99. This is complete speculation on my part, backed up by zero data and only my observations.

I'm just remembering Ken Follett's last book. It had a $36 list price (as opposed to $35) and got a $19.99 eBook price (and is generally the HC has a lower street price than the eBooks list). I know it's a different publisher, but...

Of course, I'm not sure I'm going to read it when it comes out. I might wait to see if the series ever gets finished first.

[queentess]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

I'm just remembering Ken Follett's last book. It had a $36 list price (as opposed to $35) and got a $19.99 eBook price (and is generally the HC has a lower street price than the eBooks list). I know it's a different publisher, but...

Of course, I'm not sure I'm going to read it when it comes out. I might wait to see if the series ever gets finished first.

Yeah, it's the one series I'm intentionally avoiding because I'm not sure he's ever going to finish it. I've had several friends warn me off starting it. (Joke's on me, because I read WOT instead.)

Same publisher, releases in about a week and currently priced at $12.99. But GRRM has a rabid fanbase, so they could easily milk it for $2 more...

[DiapDealer]

Of course, I'm not sure I'm going to read it when it comes out. I might wait to see if the series ever gets finished first.

I've already made this decision. I have to see light at the end of the tunnel before I pick it back up. Plus someone will have to convince me that "A Feast for Crows" was an aberration -- and not indicative of the quality of the remaining books (regardless of favorite characters being absent or present).

[Piper_]

I'm one of those who loved the first 4 so much, I'm glad I read them, whether he ever finishes or not. (I considered Feast to be a gift - it didn't kill me to move on after that.lol)

I used to always wait for the end of a series to begin, but then... heck, life gives you a wake-up call... we could easily die or become too sick to read before any series is finished.

So I just enjoy the moment now. I wouldn't trade my time reading the first 4 for anything. I even started Bernard Cornwell's Saxon series recently.

Yup, I'm livin' on the edge these days. So, are we gonna have the online equivalent of campouts before the stores waiting for the download?

[DiapDealer]

So I just enjoy the moment now. I wouldn't trade my time reading the first 4 for anything. I even started Bernard Cornwell's Saxon series recently.

The difference being that Cornwell gives you relatively stand-alone books that are tied together with an over-arching plotline in his Saxon series... whereas Martin is writing one big story that spans seven books.

I'm not bashing Martin or any other author that writes this way. It's just that I don't love The Seemingly Never-Ending Series as much as I did when I first read A Game of Thrones. It's been long enough ago that I've changed. I've fallen in love with Speculative Fiction stories that have a beginning, a middle, and an end... all between two "covers." Unfortunately, truly stand-alone stories seem to be the red-headed step-children of the fantasy genre.

[AndrewH]

Even if GRRM never finishes ASOIAF, the existing books are well worth reading.

[DiapDealer]

Even if GRRM never finishes ASOIAF, the existing books are well worth reading.

See, I can't even get my head around that.
Oh, well... different strokes.

[Piper_]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

The difference being that Cornwell gives you relatively stand-alone books that are tied together with an over-arching plotline in his Saxon series... whereas Martin is writing one big story that spans seven books.

I'm not bashing Martin or any other author that writes this way. It's just that I don't love The Seemingly Never-Ending Series as much as I did when I first read A Game of Thrones. It's been long enough ago that I've changed. I've fallen in love with Speculative Fiction stories that have a beginning, a middle, and an end... all between two "covers." Unfortunately, truly stand-alone stories seem to be the red-headed step-children of the fantasy genre.

I've noticed that too. I'm sort of in the middle - keep it at a trilogy - 4 at most. If I fall in love with a story's characters or world, I look forward to more time with them.

But it seems like when they get to 4 or beyond, they're just dragging it out too much.

This even happens with Cornwell - his Warlord trilogy was much ...tighter than Saxon has been.

Strange though they both feel like a single story spanning several books to me. (I know, I know ) I'm going crazy waiting for Uhtred to finally win back Bebbanburg - (and get AEthelflead).

[6charlong]

Originally Posted by Piper_

Yup, I'm livin' on the edge these days. So, are we gonna have the online equivalent of campouts before the stores waiting for the download?

The online equivalent of a campout on an online store. Hum. Sounds interesting. A great idea. I've been waiting for Dance With Dragons so long I just might just camp out for it. I wonder what that would look like. Stay up until midnight? Lay in a good supply of comfort food. I'm on Pacific Daylight Time in July. Anyone know what time zone the start eBook sales on? Amazon is on PDT too, maybe I need to find an EDT bookseller?

Maybe someone from the different time zones will post on MR when it shows up. (Oh hell, I know I'm being pathetic but it's been so long )

I've tried pre-ordering ebooks from Amazon before and discovered to my regret that I could have had it sooner if I waited until the release date and bought it then, so staying up seems appropriate.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Piper_

I'm going crazy waiting for Uhtred to finally win back Bebbanburg

Thanks. I'd almost managed to forget the details, but now I feel like I just finished Lords of the North. I've spent three years putting this series behind me.

"Just when I thought I was out... they pull me back in."