George has updated!!

[AandKsavetheDAY]

Here's the thing:
A Game of thrones- 1996
A clash of kings- 1999
A storm of swords- 2000 (wow that was quick)
a feast for crows- 2005

We've all done quite a bit of waiting, but if we average it out, the wait is about 3 years. So, while I was looking for this book in 2006, we probably won't see it until 2008. And I'm pretty sure he won't have finished the series by 2011. Thats just not possible with what I've seen so far.


p.s- is it just me, or whenever he writes about two pages worth about football on his blog make you want to scream? I do love his books, but I don't care at all what he has to say about the draft. Like some others here, I wish he'd spend more time writing his books than writing his blog and overseeing the making of action figures.

[dreamweaver]

Originally Posted by AandKsavetheDAY

is it just me, or whenever he writes about two pages worth about football on his blog make you want to scream? I do love his books, but I don't care at all what he has to say about the draft. Like some others here, I wish he'd spend more time writing his books than writing his blog and overseeing the making of action figures.

This is kinda harsh don't you think?

Have you ever tried writing? The majority of writers have a hard time even being able to write everyday - much less for hours a day, every day. And even the most prolific authors who do write every day, usually only write maybe 4-6 hours a day.

So what do you propose he do with the rest of his time?

It's just crazy, as well as extremely selfish, to expect somebody to spend every waking moment working. Writing, or any creative endeavor, can't work under those conditions.

The poor guy would be burnt out within days.

Even if he were to be able to write 8 hours a day, 7 days a week, no small feat, believe me - he's not allowed to have any other endeavors? Do you work 24-7? Do you spend time also doing things you enjoy besides work?

I'm eagerly awaiting his next book, but I can only scratch my head when people complain because the guy isn't writing 24-7. C'mon! He's not a machine!

He''s just a mortal human being, like you and me, who's writing a wonderful piece of work.

[Werthead]

Originally Posted by AandKsavetheDAY

Here's the thing:
A Game of thrones- 1996
A clash of kings- 1999
A storm of swords- 2000 (wow that was quick)
a feast for crows- 2005

A Clash of Kings came out in October 1998. For some reason a lot of websites have the erroneous 1999 date, probably because the book came out first in the United Kingdom and later (in Feb 1999) in the USA. A Storm of Swords was still the fastest book to be written in the series though (surprisingly, given it's the largest), coming in at about 20 months.

Another factor from the HBO deal to consider: GRRM has to finish the series before the TV series catches up to the later books. With the best will in the world, the TV series is 2 years from the screen, and it will then take another 5 years to catch up to the end of ADWD, which gives GRRM nine years to finish the series (four-and-a-half years each for the last two books), which should be doable.

[Critical Matt]

Originally Posted by Werthead

which gives GRRM nine years to finish the series (four-and-a-half years each for the last two books), which should be doable.

You realize that puts the series out to 20 years to complete.

I completed some exhaustive research and found out from the Jedicouncil forum that the 1st Death Star took 20 years to build. I mean, cmon, a death star in 20 years, and GRRM can't squeeze out a 5-7 book series in the same amount of time?

[AandKsavetheDAY]

Originally Posted by Werthead

A Clash of Kings came out in October 1998. For some reason a lot of websites have the erroneous 1999 date, probably because the book came out first in the United Kingdom and later (in Feb 1999) in the USA.

I had thought that too, but I got that off the bibliography on his website... I dunno.

Anyways, I guess my last post did sound pretty harsh: I was just really bored yesterday and thinking how nice it would be to read a new book. I know that writers can't write 24/7... but I do think that some things (like trying to finish the book that he said would be out last year) should come before others (like making asoiaf miniatures). I feel like he'll start losing fans if he only turns a book out every three years at the earliest. I'll still be reading the books, but by the time the next one comes out I'll probably have forgotten most of the major details. But I don't mean to rant. this series is my manna and I'm just gonna have to get used to waiting.

[Raven]

Originally Posted by AandKsavetheDAY

I know that writers can't write 24/7... but I do think that some things (like trying to finish the book that he said would be out last year) should come before others (like making asoiaf miniatures).

Well, it's not like he's making each individual one personally. All he's done on the miniatures is approve the firm making them. Unfortunately there were some complications.

I must admit I think GRRM would be better to leave most of this kind of thing to someone else, but he doesn't want to do that: he wants to have a level of personal involvement with the merchandising, so that he is happy that everything put out under the ASOIAF 'brand' is something he personally would buy if he were a fan.

The thing is that when nothing goes wrong, this sort of thing isn't a huge demand on his time (see the art book, for example: all he had to do was approve the art that went in, basically). But when something does go wrong (as with the models) it not only eats up time but is a mental distraction too, because of the stress.

I feel like he'll start losing fans if he only turns a book out every three years at the earliest.

This is unlikely to be much of a problem. Numerous best-selling authors go much longer between books than three years. And AFFC was the best-selling book in the series to date, despite the gap of five years from ASOS.

[Aegon the Unworthy]

Originally Posted by Critical Matt

I completed some exhaustive research and found out from the Jedicouncil forum that the 1st Death Star took 20 years to build. I mean, cmon, a death star in 20 years, and GRRM can't squeeze out a 5-7 book series in the same amount of time?

Yes, but they subcontracted a lot of that work, George doesnt want to do that because he'll have to kill them all to keep his secrets from getting out....think about all the innocent contractors that died on the second Death Star. Constuction workers, engineers, electricians, etc that were just collecting a paycheck to put their offspring through college so they could become a doctor....poof! gone because of the evil Rebellion.

[gigi]

You have to crack a few eggs to make a good breakfast. Besides, they knew what they were getting into making a Deathstar.

[TK-421]

As one of greatest baddies once said and I repeat for all those who whine about GRRM and publishing pace: I find your lack of faith disturbing.

[that old guy]

As one of greatest baddies once said and I repeat for all those who whine about GRRM and publishing pace: I find your lack of faith disturbing.

That'd be the pope, right?


http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/8004/i2iy4zyu0.jpg

[Valko]

Originally Posted by TK-421

Well, that's one less heretic to read on these threads. Considering the way Valko has unfairly judged our dear GRRM, I'd say there's no big loss there if he's "already given up on him".

At the rate he's publishing, there'll only be a couple more books before he keels over. Let's face it, he doesn't look the healthiest of people.

For a person that size, old age is not an option!

[Werthead]

GRRM has regular health checks. After the last one apparently he's fine, and he vowed to get into better shape after the AFFC tour, which was apparently pretty strenuous (as he said in his NotaBlog at the time). Based on the last publicly-released video of him (at ComiCon), he does look in better shape than he did the year before.

The chances of GRRM making it to the end of the series are extremely high, thankfully.

[Werthead]

Anyone check out GRRM's appearance in Second Life? Pretty cool. He read half a chapter from ADWD which was very interesting:

It's Davos' second chapter, chronicling his arrival at White Harbour. Not a huge amount happens, but we get a ton of info on the city of White Harbour and some info on Davos' history. Very atmospheric and slightly unsettling.

[Raven]

Originally Posted by Valko

At the rate he's publishing, there'll only be a couple more books before he keels over. Let's face it, he doesn't look the healthiest of people.

For a person that size, old age is not an option!

You exaggerate, possibly based off some bad pics. In person, GRRM isn't exactly svelte but he's not morbidly obese or anything either. He's reasonably healthy for a 58-year-old.

I think this pic is from LA Con last year, so it's reasonably recent and gives a decent impression of his weight:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...orgerrgfdl.jpg

In any case, I think this sort of amateur actuarial analysis is pretty stupid (and rude, how would you like strangers discussing your health and weight issues?) He could fall under a bus tomorrow, as could any of us. *shrugs*

[TK-421]

I can see that we are sinking to new lows on this thread.