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I hope that I am just being sceptical but I am afraid that after 5 years, Mr. Martin has just gotten good at making it sound like there is progress. I fervently wish to be proved wrong.
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Also remember that it's fall, and much of Mr. Martin's time will (rightfully, IMHO ) be spent watching football.
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So, I just got the Legends collection of short stories today in the mail. Inside of it are neat novellas from people like Stephen King, Robert Jordon, Anne McCaffrey, our esteemed host here on these forums with an Alvin Maker story, and -most relevant to this thread- George R.R. Martin and his prequel to A Song of Ice and Fire.
Dunk and Egg, as it's called, is so far a three part story, and weirdly enough I got each part in exactly opposite order. Which meant that I couldn't read any of them until today!
So, anyway, the first one, The Hedge Knight, is a lot more cheerful than A Song of Ice and Fire. Which isn't saying much. But whatever.
Has anyone else read this prequel? I don't want to spoil it, though much of what's revealed here is mentioned in the actual novels. Several of the characters are the brothers of Maester Aemon, back when they were all young, for example.
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I haven't read the third part, thanks for the reminder. Was waiting on the soft cover, and looks like that's still not out. Darn.
The first two parts have graphic novels, and I actually prefer the stories in this format. They are very well done .
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Alright, I finished the three prequel novellas over a week ago, now. So I think it's time to say at least a little about them.
Dunk and Egg just seems so much more... positive than the main series. I mean, yes, Ser Duncan the Tall is an absolutely terrible jouster (which is great, btw) but he keeps solving problems.
He tends to find a solution that nobody else finds, and makes things better, even at the price of his own pain and suffering (and, of course, the price of not getting to bone the Red Widow. He seemed quite annoyed by that.)
He seems like the sort of hero, and the sort of knight, that Westeros would really, really need a hundred years later. And yet, I can't help but feel like he'd die a terribly painful death if he had been born during the present day of the series.
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Anyway, dying tragically many years later when they're much, much older isn't quite the same thing as the ridiculous amount of death that happens in the modern time of the series.
After all, everyone has to die sometime. Yes, the fire was a tragedy, and if it hadn't have happened Aerys 2 may not have ever become king, but still, Dunk and Egg are no Eddard or Robb.
----
Oh! Also: I still await your next post, Lyr. I really enjoyed reading your thoughts on the previous books, and I would love to see your thoughts on this one!
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Argh, I feel the same as you, Dan. I cannot wait for the next one. It is definitely selfish... but Lyr's enjoyment and interesting insights is something special to watch.
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I hate to say it, especially here...but I am not sure I will buy any more of Martin's books.
It's taking so long I have lost interest, and I don't want to invest more time just to have to wait years and years again for the NEXT book. Someone can just let me know how things turn out and I believe I'll be okay with that.
I have moved on - I have read new things and I have gone back and re-read old favorites and I find that in that process I do not pick up and re-read anything from ASOIAF. I loved the series when I read each book the first time, I went back and re-read different parts of the first three books in particular but now I am over it. I don't even know where my copies of the books are now, and after five years, I think I've given up.
Maybe I'll change my mind when Dance of Dragons comes out....we'll just have to wait and see.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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Belle - That's why I think I got drawn in at just the right time. You suckers started reading this series a decade ago or more, and had to wait a decade or more for more books. I got in waaaay after, and now I only have to wait a little bit for the next book. As I've said before, I think he's going to publish it in the next few months, and I think once the Dance logjam is broken, the rest will come in relatively short order. You suckers lose out because you got in on the ground floor.
Megabyte, in response to your comment on the blog about Damphair/Damp Hair, there's also Bronn (Brawn) who serves as a near personality-less hired muscle. I think if I went back and really looked, I could find a few names that serve dual purposes like that that are so literal you fly right past it.
Megabyte, Dan - More is coming soon. I feel bad actually because I had my second post all written out but I never typed it out and posted it. Maybe I'll do that later tonight to show I still care and I'm still around. I got sucked back in a little bit right after I told you guys I didn't have time, but then I REALLY didn't have the time. I'm still pretty busy, but I can actually breathe now.
However, I'm taking three English classes right now. In the last 8 weeks, I've read 13 novels, and probably three dozen scholarly articles. Sitting on my desk are two novels, a short story, a play, a few articles, and a history book (that I need to skim) that all have to be taken care of by next Wednesday or so. I should say that, it's not so much that I'm busy, as the fact that reading slightly repulses me at the moment.
At least when I'm forced to do this much reading (if not twice as much) in grad school, it'll all be on history books and not an endless stream of novels, most of which I can't stand.
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Also, that's a little different from Damphair because Damphair isn't his name, it's what people call him and it really is supposed to mean Damp Hair.
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Yeah, he had a personality (sort of). But he existed more for a purpose than for his oh so important character development.
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quote:Originally posted by Lyrhawn: Belle - That's why I think I got drawn in at just the right time. You suckers started reading this series a decade ago or more, and had to wait a decade or more for more books. I got in waaaay after, and now I only have to wait a little bit for the next book.
I remember thinking something quite similar about 5 or so years ago when I first read the series.
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Also, George is getting old and overweight and he spends too much time doing conventions and stuff of that ilk, so I wouldnt count them apples.
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I'm with Belle. Those books are like an old boyfriend. The flame has gone out. I will need to be re-wooed.
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Have you read any of Martin's stuff that's not from ASOIAF? I got suckered into buying a short story, and it was terrible!
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I have a book of them, and I quite enjoy most of them. Nowhere near Ice & Fire quality, but still very good. To each his own, I suppose.
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Argh! Every time I see this come up again, I hope it means Lyr. I know, he's busy. But still! I need to hope.
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New post is up. Grad school applications are due next Wednesday, so, I wouldn't expect anything else until after that. And sorry if this one isn't as entertaining as usual, my memory of these chapters is a little fuzzy, and I leaned heavily on my notes.
quote:Originally posted by DDDaysh: Have you read any of Martin's stuff that's not from ASOIAF? I got suckered into buying a short story, and it was terrible!
What story was it? I've read most of his stuff, long and short, and while the quality of it varies quite a bit, he's turned out lots of great stuff other than Ice and Fire.
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Well, it's nice to see you get to a Cercei chapter. Welcome to the party, friend.
Oh, and I was looking through A Game of Thrones earlier, and I realize that Cercei was as paranoid in her first speaking scene as she is now. But alas, now we're inside her head. Have fun!
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quote:Originally posted by Lyrhawn: Belle - That's why I think I got drawn in at just the right time. You suckers started reading this series a decade ago or more, and had to wait a decade or more for more books. I got in waaaay after, and now I only have to wait a little bit for the next book.
I remember thinking something quite similar about 5 or so years ago when I first read the series.
+1
I have been enjoying my re-read and have managed to catchup with Lyr since he seems to be busy.
So, how's it going? =)
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The end seems to be in sight for me as far as school work goes. Thursday is the last day of finals for me this semester, and hopefully after that weekend I'll also have all my grad school applications turned in.
And after that? Feast! A week from today, the journey continues!
Then I figure 6 months from now Dance will be out. I know, cue the jokes.
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Look at it this way, Lyr. In a few years you can introduce a friend to the series and when he's finishing Feast and says "hey, well, at least I don't have to wait long for Dance!" you'll be in on the joke, and you'll get a chance to tease someone else about it.
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If there's a God, he'll be saying "Winds of Winter" instead of "Dance." But yes, I do look forward to being part of the frustrated multitudes who tease the newbies about being happy for not having gotten in on the ground floor.
Life was so much simpler and care free before I started ASOIAF.
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For anyone still anticipating future blog posts: I'm going to start Feast up again tomorrow night when I get home from work. I'm going to start over from the beginning since it's been so long since I've read anything, but I imagine I'll continue at a pace similar to what I've read in the past.
School is over, grad applications are turned in, and all I have to do is work a little more than usual. I'm free as a bird!
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The fifth novel update from wikipedia......pasted and copied so as not to include and spoilers
Despite original predictions of possible completion in late 2006, Martin has not finished the book as of December 2010[update]. Martin's blog has featured sporadic updates on his progress, and in January 2008 he posted an update on his website affirming his vigilant commitment to finishing the book.[12] In early 2008, publisher Spectra Books (a division of Random House) announced that A Dance with Dragons would be released on September 30, 2008,[16] but Martin stated this would only be possible if he finished writing by the end of June, before a trip to Spain and Portugal,[17] and he did not meet this goal.[18]
On February 19, 2009, Martin posted on his website, "I am trying to finish the book by June. I think I can do that. If I do, A Dance with Dragons will likely be published in September or October."[1] On June 22, 2009, the author expressed "guarded optimism" in respect to his progress on the book, while still not confirming a publication date.[19] When asked in a July 2009 interview with FREE! Magazine how the book was going, Martin stated, "It is going pretty well, actually. I am hoping to finish it by September or October; that is my goal."[20] On October 6, 2009, Martin said that his working manuscript for A Dance With Dragons had just exceeded 1,100 pages of completed chapters, plus "considerably more in partials, fragments, and roughs."[21] He noted that this made the upcoming novel longer than his earlier books A Game of Thrones and A Feast for Crows, and nearly as long as A Clash of Kings.[21]
On March 2, 2010, Martin remarked that he had reached 1,311 manuscript pages, making Dance the second longest book in the series at that point, behind only the 1,521-page manuscript of A Storm of Swords.[22]
On July 8, 2010, Martin spoke at a conference and confirmed the current length of the book to be 1,400 manuscript pages. He expressed his disappointment that he was unable to completely finish the book by the conference, although he would not speculate how soon the book would be completed after his return home on July 11.[23] At the same conference, Martin also confirmed that he has written one Sansa, one Arya, and two Arianne chapters for the planned sixth novel, Winds of Winter, and has transferred two Cersei chapters from that book into A Dance with Dragons.[24]
On August 7, 2010, Martin confirmed that he has completed 8 POV's, excluding prologue and epilogue.[25]
On October 10, 2010, at the New York Comic Con, Spectra senior editor Anne Groell stated that Martin had announced he had five chapters remaining, with sections of the chapters already completed. She also wanted to get the manuscript completed by December.[26]
In a December 2010 interview with Bear Swarm, Martin stated that he almost has Dance With Dragons completed [27]
The delays surrounding A Dance with Dragons have polarized some of Martin's fan base, questioning his commitment to finishing the series.[28]
me again... it seems to me most of his delay this past year was his working on the hbo series
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Well, I guess that means Arya and Sansa survive to the end of Feast. Guess I need to read faster.
Martin's Dec. 16th blog post:
quote:It's snowing.
On Jon. On the krakens. On me.
We all slog onward.
Finished a chapter a few days ago. Revised another. Then re-revised it.
The days go too fast, the work too slowly. But onward.
He's inching towards completion. I still say we get a release date around the time of the HBO miniseries' release. They'll co-promote the hell out of them with the hopes that people will watch the show then rush out to buy all the novels, including the new one.
"back to reading Feast*
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I'm waiting until January 9th. Because of something that ends with "don't quote me on that" and begins with "there may be a big announcement on that date. Maybe two." So, I'm not going to quote.
quote:You suckers started reading this series a decade ago or more, and had to wait a decade or more for more books. I got in waaaay after, and now I only have to wait a little bit for the next book.
This approach has a lot going for it. Accordingly, if I do return to ASOIAF (I read the first book six or seven years ago), it won't be until the series is much closer to concluding.
I used this method with another series: I started Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the fallen series two years ago this month. Here's the book list:
quote: 1. Gardens of the Moon (1999) 2. Deadhouse Gates (2000) 3. Memories of Ice (2001) 4. House of Chains (2002) 5. Midnight Tides (2004) 6. The Bonehunters (2006) 7. Reaper's Gale (2007) 8. Toll the Hounds (2008) 9. Dust of Dreams (2009) 10. The Crippled God (forthcoming)
With the exception of the first one, each of these books is 1,000+ pages. All of them have long POV character lists and the overarching plots are tremendously intricate, and each book casts some of the events of previous books in a new light, so reading them is fairly time-consuming for me, and I usually deliberately intersperse other books between Malazan books. I just started Toll the Hounds this week, and received Dust of Dreams for Christmas. By the time I finish Dust of Dreams, The Crippled God will be out in paperback (it's already complete; initial publication date is in Q1 2011) and I'll be able to read it at my leisure.
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Twinky, you notice how Erikson only needs about a year or two to finish a book of the same size as GRRM's 5-year projects? Hrmph.
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quote:Originally posted by Unmaker: Twinky, you notice how Erikson only needs about a year or two to finish a book of the same size as GRRM's 5-year projects? Hrmph.
Yeah, how dare Martin not write on the schedule we want. That makes him a failure!
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I'd say that the only reason we're all so impatient is because the series is just that good.
However, even so, he never technically made a contract with us stating he owed us the conclusion...
Of course, I'm a hypocrite for saying that, because if he said "you know, I don't want to write this anymore. KTHXBAI" I'd be, not merely part of the angry mob, I'd be selling people pitchforks at a discount.
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Dan, Unmaker didn't suggest anything like that. All he said was that there are authors out there whose epic-length ongoing series might be more enjoyable to read because they get finished.
Posts: 17164 | Registered: Jun 2001
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Well, he also said "hrmph" which to me implied indignation. I may be projecting though. I used to be very indignant, until I read Neil Gaiman and Martin himself writing about people being indignant with how long it takes him. Then I realized that the bottom line is I want to read them, and I want to read them when he thinks they're worth reading. That takes as long as it takes.
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Well, not indignation, Dan, just annoyance. Obviously people work at different paces, but the GRRM thing just smacks of performance anxiety to me. Now, if Martin were, I dunno, a full time educator or something writing in his spare time, I'd be more inclined to hang loose. But as it is... argh.
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The new characters, I think, are at the heart of this story. Since the Red Wedding and the other events in A Storm of Swords, the previous big event is over. Now we're in the reconstruction phase, and in the new political situations we get to see some of the players for the new period that's coming.
Also, this being Westeros, you know that whatever's going to happen, it's going to be a disaster. This is not a hint to anything in particular, just a theory about this world I have. Posts: 1577 | Registered: Sep 2005
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Couple new posts up. Finally starting to see the beginning of some major new plots in motion. It's interesting to be with the plotter rather than the victim. It seems like most of the past tragedies, like Ned or the Red Wedding were about the reader reacting to unannounced tragedy. We never saw it coming, and it was shocking. Now we're more like horrified voyeurs. We see the plots in King's Landing as they are being formed rather than only when they actually hit. Very different feeling.
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