"A Game of Thrones" Spoiler-Ridden Catch-All of Doom - books and HBO show

I meant to post in this thread.
I bought the first book the day this thread was created, and pretty much kept reading til I finished book 4 just over a week ago. Now I've got my roommate hooked.

Yea I have to say this is one of those series that... well I am so very excited about. I read it a couple years ago when it was first suggested on GWJ and I was just floored with how well written it was.

I really really hope it doesnt take 12 books to finish it. But I really really want some backstory. Why the seasons are the way they are... why the north (wall) is the way it is... etc etc etc etc.

But I have to admit, even if he doesnt explain any of these burning questions, GRRM has written this story (at least to me) so well that I wouldnt mind too much.

PAR

So... anybody have a publication date yet on Dance of Dragons?

I want more! MORE!

Farscry wrote:

So... anybody have a publication date yet on Dance of Dragons?

I want more! MORE!

As far as I know "When its done". I can wait though.. its just that good.

BTW, Ive loved your avatar for YEARS 'Scry... Ive even sent it to a couple cat lover friends of mine lol

PAR

Yeah... basically he's been working on several other projects and traveling around, not working on Dance of Dragons enough. Get to work George!

Farscry wrote:

So... anybody have a publication date yet on Dance of Dragons?

I want more! MORE!

It's getting there, he originally intended to have it done before 2007 but it's been delayed. I'd expect it some time this year.

Quintin_Stone wrote:

No, not really. It's great! I'm in the middle of book 2 right now.

In the middle of book 3. Wow, I did not see that coming.

Quintin_Stone wrote:
Quintin_Stone wrote:

No, not really. It's great! I'm in the middle of book 2 right now.

In the middle of book 3. Wow, I did not see that coming.

The Red Wedding?

In the middle of book 3. Wow, I did not see that coming.

I'm about 3/4 of the way through the same book, and neither did I. That one hurt.

I haven't read back through this thread in a long time, but regarding the HBO series... how would you pace them? We presume that doing a book per season will give them enough time to cover everything, but what's the best way to do it? Many of these threads are completely separate, and they rarely, if ever, merge. Cutting back and forth between storylines like in the book could completely disorient the viewer once they got well into the second season, but devoting an entire episode or two to each character's thread would be a disaster.

I guess the best way to do it would be to make a different character the "A" story for each episode, and devote a few scenes to the others each week to keep the viewer invested. Presumably, you'd show the people that are also affected by the happenings in that week's "A" story. It'd be nice to try and give the viewer the same kind of PoV that the reader gets in these books, too.

Quintin_Stone wrote:
Quintin_Stone wrote:

No, not really. It's great! I'm in the middle of book 2 right now.

In the middle of book 3. Wow, I did not see that coming.

Neither did I. I tore through the series then gave them to a friend to read. It's fun seeing his surprise as the story develops but it's difficult not to give anything away. I don't want to ruin any of it for him though, so I keep my trap shut.

par wrote:

BTW, Ive loved your avatar for YEARS 'Scry... Ive even sent it to a couple cat lover friends of mine lol

PAR

Hey, somehow I missed this post before, just wanted to say thanks! I found the pic surfing randomly one day and saved it because I loved it so much

As for the Red Wedding and other unpredictabilities about the books, I'll have to ditto everyone else! After about halfway through the second book, I just gave up trying to predict what would happen anymore and enjoyed the ride. It's rare that I read something that leaves me surprised frequently.

LightBender wrote:

The Red Wedding?

Yeah. I mean, it was clear something was going to happen. I just wasn't prepared for what did happen.

Yeah, I just finished book 3 myself. What makes this series so addictive in my view is how these events come to pass, the majority of which I have found to be so unexpected.

EDIT: Um, yeah what farscry said 2 posts ago

Echo... Echo... echo...

Has anyone been on GRRMs site lately? He certainly is an active old cuss... seems like he really enjoys what he's doing now.

Anyway, in a "news bit" he posted in January, he said this concerning his writing in regards to scripts for the HBO series:

I have already had a number of emails asking why I am not writing more of the scripts myself. Three big reasons: A Dance With Dragons, The Winds of Winter, A Dream of Spring.

So does this mean that he already has the titles for book 6 and 7 too? I didn't think he was going that far.

PAR

Yeah, he has the titles listed in the bibliography section of his site. and expected dates (years) as well, if memory serves.

Edit: Ahh, yes more proof that my memory is like a sponge. With a ginormous hole in the middle of it.
He does not list dates expected, just that they will be done when they are done.

I didn't see the next thing and the thing after that coming, either.

While I'm looking forward to this, it will be real interesting to see if Song lasts beyond two seasons before HBO kills it. HBO has an ATROCIOUS record with "period" pieces -- witness Carnivale (inexcusable ending on cliffhanger!), Deadwood (will the promised movies be produced?), and Rome (2 seasons and we're out). Now Showtime is hoping into the game with The Tudors, I give it two seasons before they complain about the costs of the period costumes and sets. Much as I would like to see these period dramas have full runs, I'll set my watch and warrant that it ain't gonna happen.

If you're a betting man, put your money on Preacher lasting a lot longer. Its a contemporary piece (think Six Feet Under, Sopranos, Weeds, Oz) and all they have to do is spend money on some SFX now and again.

I guess now I'm getting cable.

you know the whole reason I started reading GRRM is because the series was reportedly supposed to be 3 books, with 2 finished and on soon to be released. Then it got pushed back. Then it got split in half (most dissappointing split method evar btw). Now there are 3 more books in the chain?

Robert Jordan called, but he just rambled on and forgot to ask for anything back

I don't see how you can fault HBO for Rome. It was originally intended as a single season, they went to two, and they wrapped it up in the end.

pol wrote:

you know the whole reason I started reading GRRM is because the series was reportedly supposed to be 3 books, with 2 finished and on soon to be released.

I don't know about this series, but that's the nature of the fantasy market. Publishers don't want writers to come up with one book when they know the market will buy volumes. A trilogy isn't even enough any more. Publishers want 10, which means writers want ten, because of the money. If tolkien was writing today, LOTR would be 36 volumes long.

It's all about getting paid. Like snoop dog said.

From what I've heard 7 is the hard limit.

I'm just hoping that GRRM doesn't go all Robert Jordan on us.

Lester_King wrote:

From what I've heard 7 is the hard limit.

I'm just hoping that GRRM doesn't go all Robert Jordan on us.

According to the article and his website, 7 is indeed the hard limit.

As to a lot of the others stuff I've seen ITT, it's mostly answered in the article linked.

How are they doing it? One book per season, seven seasons total. As to how many eps, that wasn't in there, but I'd expect something comparable to Rome.

Beyond that, I too would love to know who they *might* have in mind for Cersei. Despite my overall dislike of her, I agree that Jessica Simpson is a pretty good body double if nothing else. I'd also like to echo the frustration with The Button. DAMN YOU BUTTON!

Quintin_Stone wrote:

I don't see how you can fault HBO for Rome. It was originally intended as a single season, they went to two, and they wrapped it up in the end.

My bad on Rome, but I was still pissed over Carnivale and Deadwood. The gist from Wiki

After the broadcast of only three first season episodes, HBO announced plans to produce a second season of Rome in 2006 for release in March 2007[3]. Subsequently in a news conference HBO Chairman Chris Albrecht confirmed that Rome season two would air on HBO in January 2007, but would not return for a third season[4]. Most speculation for the early denial of a third season appears to center on the series' staggering costs, although neither Albrecht, cast members, or any HBO representative will comment on this speculation.
pol wrote:

Robert Jordan called, but he just rambled on and forgot to ask for anything back

I laughed.

Funkenpants wrote:

It's all about getting paid.

Damn, all this time I've been after the wrong consonant. Stupid rhyming words.

That's all for my worthwhile contribution.

Actually, I did just order books 2, 3, and 4. After reading this thread I figured I'd get into this series. Then, upon perusal of my novel bookshelf, low and behold but there was Game of Thrones. Read no less. I think I bought and read it when it first came out but due to tiring of reading epics over the course of many years (and therefore rereading) I decided to shelve it until it was done. Oh well, at least I got closer to the completion.

pol wrote:

you know the whole reason I started reading GRRM is because the series was reportedly supposed to be 3 books, with 2 finished and on soon to be released. Then it got pushed back. Then it got split in half (most dissappointing split method evar btw). Now there are 3 more books in the chain?

Robert Jordan called, but he just rambled on and forgot to ask for anything back

Robert Jordan has cancer right now....so I think that's why he hasn't finished.

Funkenpants wrote:

If Tolkien was writing today, LOTR would be 36 volumes long.

It's all about getting paid. Like snoop dog said.

Well he may not be writing but he left a TON of notes behind. 19 Tolkien books so far (arguably only seven with his name as the primary):

The Hobbit
The Fellowship of the Ring
The Two Towers
The Return of the King
The Silmarillion (posthumously)
Unfinished Tales of Numenor and Middle-earth (posthumously)
The Children Of Húrin (posthumously)

The History of the Lord of the Rings - twelve-volume series includes (edited by Christopher Tolkien):
The Book of Lost Tales, Part One, The History of Middle-earth (Vol. 1)
The Book of Lost Tales, Part Two, The History of Middle-earth (Vol. 2)
The Lays of Beleriand, The History of Middle-earth (Vol. 3)
The Shaping of Middle-earth, The History of Middle-earth (Vol. 4)
The Lost Road and Other Writings, The History of Middle-earth (Vol. 5)
The Return of the Shadow, The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part One: The History of Middle-earth (Vol. 6)
The Treason of Isengard, The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part Two: The History of Middle-earth (Vol. 7)
The War of the Ring, The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part Three: The History of Middle-earth (Vol. 8)
Sauron Defeated: The End of the Third Age, The History of The Lord of the Rings, Part Four: The History of Middle-earth (Vol. 9)
Morgoth's Ring: The Later Silmarillion, Part One, The History of Middle-earth (Vol. 10)
The War of the Jewels: The Later Silmarillion, Part Two, The History of Middle-earth (Vol. 11)
The Peoples of Middle-earth, The History of Middle-earth (Vol. 12)

Houghton Mifflin

RichyRambo wrote:

Well he may not be writing but he left a TON of notes behind. 19 Tolkien books so far (arguably only seven with his name as the primary):

Mine eyes are glazing over. The goggles, they do nothing.

Ulairi wrote:

Robert Jordan has cancer right now....so I think that's why he hasn't finished.

Word on the interwebs is that he's in remission. So he can get back to writing about people who tug on their braids.

Don't forget about the crossed arms under heaving chests or whatever it was he had all of 'em doing.

A book dedicated to Turin and Nienor? Color me interested.