(BOOK SPOILERS) Game of Thrones Series Discussion for Book Readers

[Edword]

Originally Posted by sycro

The UK publisher has said 2015 at the earliest.

Hopefully it's early 2015

[Starpower67]

Originally Posted by Edword

There is no way that the show will air material from TWoW before it's out.

That's what I'm worried about. I know the writers have said that they have a general knowledge of where the story is heading. However I can't see George giving them all of the details because that would hurt interest in the book. I just see it becoming a problem soon. I wish George had thought this through more before he gave anyone the rights to turn his books into a show.

[ariakon]

Forget the show passing George, I'm afraid that life will pass him first. I have a horrible thought, sometimes, that the show will be our only way to find out what happens, and then HBO will axe the series before its final season.

Can't wait to watch Joff die, though.

[Starpower67]

Originally Posted by ariakon

Forget the show passing George, I'm afraid that life will pass him first. I have a horrible thought, sometimes, that the show will be our only way to find out what happens, and then HBO will axe the series before its final season.

Can't wait to watch Joff die, though.

Well that's a depressing thought. I certainly hope that doesn't happen. I think people underestimate the fact that the show is as good as it is because of the writings of George. They make a few changes here and there but so far it has remained very faithful to the source material. It is his characters and the surprising turns he writes like the RW that keeps viewer so enthralled. That's not to say some of his books haven't slipped in quality. However I really fear for the quality of the show if the writers don't have George's text to rely on. I have seen so many shows and movies that have suffered a lot from veering to far from the books. True Blood being a perfect example of a HBO show that veered so far from the books, and also has 2 of the worse seasons I have seen on a show.

[Edword]

Originally Posted by Starpower67

That's what I'm worried about. I know the writers have said that they have a general knowledge of where the story is heading. However I can't see George giving them all of the details because that would hurt interest in the book. I just see it becoming a problem soon. I wish George had thought this through more before he gave anyone the rights to turn his books into a show.

Book 6 won't be a problem, but the last one might. Although since he knows the end game for this I'm sure he can write the last one in a decent amount of time. The long gaps with the previous two books were more from complications and deciding to split the books, so I'm not really expecting crazy long gaps for these last couple books.

[Aragorn the Elfstone]

Originally Posted by sycro

The UK publisher has said 2015 at the earliest.

Which, based on past experience, really means 2016 at the earliest.

[kernel_thai]

Originally Posted by Aragorn the Elfstone

Which, based on past experience, really means 2016 at the earliest.

Which still works. No way the show is into the second half of ADWD before 2017 unless they lop off major sections of AFFC. Then the race is on. Can Martin get the final book out in less than the three years it takes to catch up? The other problem is what happens if the writers do try and condense the rambling AFFC into ten episodes? If that happens no way Martin wins this race.

[Hucksta G]

I reckon they'll be caught up by where we are now in the books by 2016.

[Cook]

Originally Posted by Edword

There is no way that the show will air material from TWoW before it's out.

Well, D&D and HBO and Martin have said otherwise. D&D have no intention of waiting on the books, and Martin has said he told them the ending so they could continue on if they needed to. And yes, this is in interviews that have been released over the past 4 years.

Given D&D's latest comments, the ending for this show will most likely be altered enough to preserve the books ending, but not so much that the events are unrecohnizable.

[Starpower67]

Originally Posted by Cook

Well, D&D and HBO and Martin have said otherwise. D&D have no intention of waiting on the books, and Martin has said he told them the ending so they could continue on if they needed to. And yes, this is in interviews that have been released over the past 4 years.

Given D&D's latest comments, the ending for this show will most likely be altered enough to preserve the books ending, but not so much that the events are unrecohnizable.

I don't know if that makes me feel any better to be honest.

[Edword]

Originally Posted by Cook

Well, D&D and HBO and Martin have said otherwise. D&D have no intention of waiting on the books, and Martin has said he told them the ending so they could continue on if they needed to. And yes, this is in interviews that have been released over the past 4 years.

Given D&D's latest comments, the ending for this show will most likely be altered enough to preserve the books ending, but not so much that the events are unrecohnizable.

Yeah I realize they know the story, it's been said many times. I'm just saying I doubt that that the show will catch up to the books in regards to TWoW. I expect S5/6 to be much of AFFC and ADWD. So if that's the case writing for S7 would be in the fall of 2016. I'm sure the book will be out by then. Unless they cut out a lot of material from the books.

[Cook]

Originally Posted by Edword

Yeah I realize they know the story, it's been said many times. I'm just saying I doubt that that the show will catch up to the books in regards to TWoW. I expect S5/6 to be much of AFFC and ADWD. So if that's the case writing for S7 would be in the fall of 2016. I'm sure the book will be out by then. Unless they cut out a lot of material from the books.

Oh I get what you mean now.

D&D have said that the rest of the story will be adapted into the rest of the remaining seasons of the show. It will no longer be a book per season or two basis. From here on out the writers will be drawing from the remainder of the story as a whole disregarding what's in what book. Like season 4 has book 3,4, and 5 material. Bran meets the Three Eyed Raven this season and that doesn't happen till well into book 5. Brienne starts her AFFC quest. Danny is in Mereen doing some book 5 stuff. The thing is that S5 & S6 will not just be books 4&5. D&D aren't adapting that way any more. That fact coupled with the fact that this was planned as an 80 hour/8 season show makes it pretty clear that the remaining four seasons will cover the material from the remainder of story including the unpublished books.

Storm of Swords has always been D&D's beloved. That's the one they cared most about. It has all their favorite bits. That's why they wanted it to have two seasons. Going forward however the rest for the story will get split up across the remaining four seasons.

What I'm getting at is they will be in book 6 territory before book 6 comes out. Bran's storyline from book 5 will be done by the end of this season. So next season will be interesting to see where they go with him. They either have to get material from TWOW or they will have to make up there own stuff.

[CIBartowski]

Just a quick thought/question.

If ,or when, they catch up with GRRM, do you think they may consider pausing the series and make The Dunk & Egg tales???

It would keep people interested and give GRRM more time to put book(s)...

just a thought

[Edword]

Originally Posted by CIBartowski

Just a quick thought/question.

If ,or when, they catch up with GRRM, do you think they may consider pausing the series and make The Dunk & Egg tales???

It would keep people interested and give GRRM more time to put book(s)...

just a thought

No, that's not going to happen.

[Starpower67]

Originally Posted by CIBartowski

Just a quick thought/question.

If ,or when, they catch up with GRRM, do you think they may consider pausing the series and make The Dunk & Egg tales???

It would keep people interested and give GRRM more time to put book(s)...

just a thought

I think actors contracts would be a issue for something like that. Besides I know people who loose interest because the show has such a long break between each seasons as it is. I think it would kill it if they had to wait over 2 years to pick up the story. Also the children's age would also be a problem.

[jayembee]

Peter Dinklage is already being courted for another HBO series:

http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=40253

[ariakon]

Originally Posted by Starpower67

Well that's a depressing thought. I certainly hope that doesn't happen. I think people underestimate the fact that the show is as good as it is because of the writings of George. They make a few changes here and there but so far it has remained very faithful to the source material. It is his characters and the surprising turns he writes like the RW that keeps viewer so enthralled. That's not to say some of his books haven't slipped in quality. However I really fear for the quality of the show if the writers don't have George's text to rely on. I have seen so many shows and movies that have suffered a lot from veering to far from the books. True Blood being a perfect example of a HBO show that veered so far from the books, and also has 2 of the worse seasons I have seen on a show.

I know what you're saying, and I certainly don't underestimate his talents. I've been reading Ice and Fire ever since A Clash of Kings came out, and love his short stories ("Seven Times Never Kill Man") and his earlier science fiction as well ( Nightfliers comes to mind). He isn't old, necessarily, but he isn't young either, and 2 or 3 more books at 4 to 5 years a piece? I'm worried. I would much rather read George's ending than only get to watch HBO's. Here's hoping it's both.

[Starpower67]

Originally Posted by ariakon

I know what you're saying, and I certainly don't underestimate his talents. I've been reading Ice and Fire ever since A Clash of Kings came out, and love his short stories ("Seven Times Never Kill Man") and his earlier science fiction as well ( Nightfliers comes to mind). He isn't old, necessarily, but he isn't young either, and 2 or 3 more books at 4 to 5 years a piece? I'm worried. I would much rather read George's ending than only getting to watch HBO's. Here's hoping it's both.

I agree!

[Aragorn the Elfstone]

Well, bottom line is that George is going to have to step it up. At the current rate, we're not going to get his ending until 2020/2021. Unless he decides it's going to take another book to wrap up, and then it'll be even longer.

[frogmort]

Originally Posted by Aragorn the Elfstone

[Show spoiler]Well, first of all, there's really no way the show would have ever not combined the events of books 4&5. A season without some of the most popular cast members? That was never going to happen.

As far as the show surpassing the books, George has let Dan & David know what happens in the rest of the story. So while the details may not be exact (which they wouldn't be anyway, this being an adaptation and all), they will most certainly not be just "making up their own stories".

Really, if the show does get to the ending before George does, he has only himself to blame. Ever since the show started, he's been going on and on about how much of a head start he had and how he wasn't really worried about it. But a fool could see the writing on the wall. The man was out and about promoting the show, writing episodes and novellas - when he should have been writing the books.

He's of course entitled to write at whatever pace he desires - it's his work, after all. But he should have known that he had a train barreling down the tracks behind him the minute he agreed to let D&D and HBO do this show. If he didn't want this possibility to become a probability, he should have reorganized his priorities starting from Day 1.

Very nicely said. This is exactly how I feel about the situation. I really love his books, but I think by the very nature of the fact that he takes such an absurd amount of time to release a book has caused a very love/hate relationship with his fans.

Anyone ever check out Is Winter Coming? or Finish the Book George? Those guys can be pretty brutal, but I do find it somewhat entertaining and hilarious how furious some of those guys can get about it.