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[PhoenixDark]

Now people are figuring out what the blacked out portion of the letter says lol. Wow.
http://www.reddit.com/r/asoiaf/comments/2usz8v/spoilers_all_uncovering_the_blanked_text_in_grrms/

 

[Brakke]

Man I have no interest in participating in that level of lunacy but also I'm super glad that's happening. So silly.

 

[Kinokou]

Overall I don't think it's particularly spoilery. Most of the plot points simply didn't happen (Sansa having a child with Joffery). But the grander, less specific plot points seem to point to what the ending will be...

also confirms who the main characters are. The three everyone would guess, and two more.

Glad that didn't happen, there would be no end to the Sansa hate.

Spoiler

Oh! And the line about losing interest if he outlines too much. I wonder if telling an outline of sorts to the HBO guys is what put the final nail in his coffin for writing. He's already told someone how it ends so now he doesn't feel up to writing the rest.

Spoiler

Oh no, I'm crossing my fingers and hoping this leads to a huge diverge with the show and books instead of him not wanting to finish at all.

 

[bengraven]

I think the only thing interesting for us on how things turn out, the thing that won't be changed, is basically confirming that Jon isn't Ned's kid. It's all but spelled out in the letter.



also, speaking of Jon Snow, here's Kit and his original stepmom Jennifer Ehle!

http://www.traileraddict.com/spooks-the-greater-good/teaser-trailer

(god, I want to see the original pilot)



Edit: holy shit, I take back what I said earlier. Just saw the latest update and I wonder if it confirms (Letter/series spoilers)

Spoiler

that a major character will be an Other at the end. "stares at something with cold dead eyes"

 

[Cornballer]

Dunk and Egg compilation will be out October 6th.

Circle October 6 on your calendar.

My friends at Bantam have just informed me that will be the day that A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS in released in English, collecting all three of my "Dunk & Egg" novellas -- "The Hedge Knight," "The Sworn Sword," and "The Mystery Knight" -- between one set of covers for the first time.

Many of you, of course, will have read the adventures of Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire Egg in their original appearances in LEGENDS, LEGENDS II, and WARRIORS. But A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS will have a lot more than the three stories. We wanted this to be an illustrated book, so we went to the amazing Gary Gianni and asked him to do some art for us, thinking perhaps we could include seven or eight interior illustrations. Gary turned us down. He loved the stories, he said, but he'd only do it if he could illustrate the entire book, with art on virtually every page.

We said yes, of course, and Gary has been drawing for the better part of two years. Most fantasy fans know Gianni's artwork from his work on PRINCE VALIANT, on the Wandering Star limited editions of SOLOMON KANE and BRAN MAK MORN, and of course for his stunning 2014 ICE & FIRE calendar, but we think A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS may be his best work to date.

This is going to be an amazing book, one I will be very happy to have my name on -- beside that of Gary Gianni, surely among the very best fantasy artists of all time. (And damn it, folks, it is LONG past time that he was nominated for a Hugo).

 

[viciouskillersquirrel]

International release?

 

[TripOpt55]

Dunk and Egg compilation will be out October 6th.

Awesome. I haven't read any of these yet.

 

[Kinokou]

Cool, but I think I will prefer waiting for a complete collection (will probably wait forever) even if it means giving up illustrations.

 

[Pluto]

Eh, I bought the german language collection of the three hedge knight stories a year ago, it features no art at all and I'm quite happy about that. Art on almost every page? No thanks.

 

[Morrigan Stark]

I already read all 3, but I might get it for the illus... oh wait, the 2014 calendar artist?

Ehhhh. Wasn't a big fan of his art. The 2013 artist was so much better. Maybe a Christmas gift then.

 

[devildog820]

I have read all the 5 books and the Dunk and Egg novellas. Is there any place where I can recap them since I have forgotten a lot of things which happened in the last 2 books.
Does The World of Ice and Fire cover those events. I bought it on Kindle but I haven't read it yet.
Also are there any more novellas or encyclopaedias or spinoff books?
Where can I read all the released Winds of Winter chapters?

Leigh someone on Tor.com is recapping the chapters. It's not a quick way, but it's more concise than most.

http://www.tor.com/features/series/a-read-of-ice-and-fire

 

[RobotChant]

Jane Johnson had already confirmed the collection for Oct, last month. They delayed the publishing in the US/UK because they were waiting for the illustrations. I'm assuming other English speaking markets will also get the illustrated version around the same time. Last year some markets outside the US/UK already went ahead and released the non-illustrated version.

 

[MuddyDonut]

I already read all 3, but I might get it for the illus... oh wait, the 2014 calendar artist?

Ehhhh. Wasn't a big fan of his art. The 2013 artist was so much better. Maybe a Christmas gift then.

I was pretty excited for it, then I googled his name. Hype deflated. I'll wait for some impressions.

 

[Martian]

So what are you guys going to do with season 5?

Are y'all going to watch it or wait for TWOW?
I was hoping to wait half a year, but I dont see TWOW coming out this year anymore, so I might be forced to watch the show first. Because there is no way I can stay spoiler free until the book comes out

 

[fallengorn]

I already read all 3, but I might get it for the illus... oh wait, the 2014 calendar artist?

Ehhhh. Wasn't a big fan of his art. The 2013 artist was so much better. Maybe a Christmas gift then.

I haven't seen the 2014 calendar, but his black and white illos are fantastic. Really excited to see them.

 

[Brakke]

So what are you guys going to do with season 5?

Are y'all going to watch it or wait for TWOW?
I was hoping to wait half a year, but I dont see TWOW coming out this year anymore, so I might be forced to watch the show first. Because there is no way I can stay spoiler free until the book comes out

Just going to watch it. I like the show and I have a crew of friends who always get together for it so it'd be silly to schedule weekly antisocial time.

Never been bothered by anything getting "spoiled" ever at all. I like knowing where things are going, makes it easier for me to dig in to what's happening. I'll probably like TWOW better for having some show "spoilers".

 

[Forsaken82]

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jan/30/george-rr-martin-the-winds-of-winter-publication

I will laugh when 2016 roles around and Winds releases followed by Dream of Summer in 2017 because the reason why they haven't released Winds yet is because Martin secretly finished both books and they wanted to release them back to back.

Spoiler

i don't care anymore

 

[Joni]

I will laugh when 2016 roles around and Winds releases followed by Dream of Summer in 2017 because the reason why they haven't released Winds yet is because Martin secretly finished both books and they wanted to release them back to back.

Spoiler

i don't care anymore

Or he wants to mess with us, he has finished all of them including a superduper secret third book with the real ending and won't release them until he is dead/the show is finished.

 

[Ratrat]

Leigh someone on Tor.com is recapping the chapters. It's not a quick way, but it's more concise than most.

http://www.tor.com/features/series/a-read-of-ice-and-fire

Ive read these during my reread last year and it's pretty good(her reactions to major events are fun to read). She's currently on Dance and is painfully, only doing a chapter a week. She did do all 3 Dunk and Egg books though.

 

[Last Uchiha]

I never read any of the books and I just finished the season 3 of TV-show. I have only one question to those who read all the books till now

Is Arya Stark gonna die? (please just answer with Yes or No) because the only person who I care about is her and I don't care about others. Not his brothers not Lannister family not even her father

Spoiler

which died in season one

. I wanna quit if she is gonna die now

 

[You Know Nothing]

I never read any of the books and I just finished the season 3 of TV-show. I have only one question to those who read all the books till now

Is Arya Stark gonna die? (please just answer with Yes or No) because the only person who I care about is her and I don't care about others. Not his brothers not Lannister family not even her father

Spoiler

which died in season one

. I wanna quit if she is gonna die now

Nope. She's still alive.

 

[Last Uchiha]

Nope. She's still alive.

Yesssssss thanks dude :]

 

[A Human Becoming]

Yesssssss thanks dude :]

I think some early documents leaked she's suppose to live until the end at least.

 

[RobotChant]

Yesssssss thanks dude :]

Khal Drogo was still "alive", too.

 

[ripps]

Anybody else noticed that George is mentioning THE WINDS OF WINTER on his blog alot more lately?

Up until now he pretty much ignored its existence apart from dropping a few chapters.

Could be a good sign.

 

[CassSept]

Anybody else noticed that George is mentioning THE WINDS OF WINTER on his blog alot more lately?

Up until now he pretty much ignored its existence apart from dropping a few chapters.

Could be a good sign.

It's gonna come any year now!

 

[Incandenza]

All y'all are getting antsy when it hasn't even been four years since Dance. We have not yet begun to wait. Even Feast took over five.

 

[Fuzzy]

All y'all are getting antsy when it hasn't even been four years since Dance. We have not yet begun to wait. Even Feast took over five.

But, but, but he untangled the meereenese knot so TWoW shouldn't take so long!

 

[Basileus777]

All y'all are getting antsy when it hasn't even been four years since Dance. We have not yet begun to wait. Even Feast took over five.

There area lot of newcomers, and green children who thought this time would be different.

 

[Tubie]

At this point I'm starting to think the TV show will have it's series finale way before Winds come out.

 

[phazedplasma]

At this point I'm starting to think the TV show will have it's series finale way before Winds come out.

I believe its a fact

 

[Purple Cheeto]

But, but, but he untangled the meereenese knot so TWoW shouldn't take so long!

"I've decided to use the time saved by untangling to Mereneese knot to visit this random movie set!"

 

[PhoenixDark]

Honestly this wait hasn't felt bad. Now next year? Sure, I'll start feeling upset. But right now I'm assuming he's making good progress and would have been done or nearly done already if he wasn't constantly accepting offers.

 

[PHOENIXZERO]

TWoW probably would've been done by now and ADoS not far behind if he was willing/able to write away from home.

 

[Basileus777]

Honestly this wait hasn't felt bad. Now next year? Sure, I'll start feeling upset. But right now I'm assuming he's making good progress and would have been done or nearly done already if he wasn't constantly accepting offers.

The waiting doesn't even bother me anymore because it's expected. The wait for what would become AFFC, now that was excruciating. But I no longer have any expectations, so I can be pleasantly surprised when a book comes out, like I was with ADWD.

 

[Tubie]

The waiting doesn't even bother me anymore because it's expected. The wait for what would become AFFC, now that was excruciating. But I no longer have any expectations, so I can be pleasantly surprised when a book comes out, like I was with ADWD.

Yep this is the attitude I have right now.

I expect him to never finish another book, so if he ever does I'll be very surprised/happy.

 

[cashman]

I hope we're able to get a faster writer after GRRM and the last book would only be out a couple years after TWOW

 

[Pollux]

Honestly this wait hasn't felt bad. Now next year? Sure, I'll start feeling upset. But right now I'm assuming he's making good progress and would have been done or nearly done already if he wasn't constantly accepting offers.

The wait has been terrible - I just wish we could get some confirmation from him on how far he is and what the status of the book is. At this rate the show is going to pass the books this coming season.

 

[Jacob]

The wait has been terrible - I just wish we could get some confirmation from him on how far he is and what the status of the book is. At this rate the show is going to pass the books this coming season.

I came to terms with that last year so I'm not so bothered about the show passing the books anymore. It will be a little frustrating wondering how much of the show will ultimately resemble the last few books, but we've been wondering for a while.

 

[ripps]

I stand by what I said earlier and his recent posts and comments on his blog just make me more hopeful.

He mentions WOW in a lot more posts than he has ever before.

 

[PhoenixDark]

I stand by what I said earlier and his recent posts and comments on his blog just make me more hopeful.

He mentions WOW in a lot more posts than he has ever before.

I think you're right, especially in light of this:

I don't often attend the World Fantasy Convention (not to be confused with the World Science Fiction Convention, which I have only missed once thirty years), but I was there the last time it was held in Saratoga, and I had a great time. A terrific town, a wonderful con.

This year the convention is returning to Saratoga once again, and I was hoping to return as well. I'm not a guest of honor, and I'm not (so far as I know) getting an award; I just wanted to go.

Reluctantly, however, I've just had to scratch Saratoga off my list of 2015 appearances. For no reason having to do with the con itself. I am sure it will be terrific. It's just a matter of time.

I have too much to do. Too many things on my plate. Son of Kong foremost amongst them.

My apologies to anyone who saw Saratoga on my Appearances page and planned to go in order to see me. I won't be there. Go anyway. You'll have a great time.

Also, I have decided against attending this year's San Diego Comicon. Same reason. But since Comicon was never listed on my Appearances page, scratching it is not as big a deal.

(Should I complete and deliver WINDS OF WINTER before these cons roll round, I reserve the right to change my mind).

http://grrm.livejournal.com/412882.html

We've talked about it in the other thread but...I'm sensing a pattern, you're right. He also said he's struggling with whether to write an episode of S6 or not. I think this pretty much confirms he's past the 900 MS count at the very least. I'd predict he reached 1000 MS between September 2014 and late Feb 2015; he didn't have any major events during that near 6 month period. I can't think of another way to take this news, given the comment about reserving the right to change his mind.

Disclaimer: he cancelled events in 2007 and 2008 because he thought he was getting close with ADWD. But I think this is different because there's no evidence that he is struggling with anything that compares to the 5 year gap or Meereenese Knot. He's also said he hasn't had to re-write TWOW nearly as much as AFFC/ADWD.

 

[Memento Mori]

I'm optimistic for an early 2016 release.

 

[Purple Cheeto]

I stand firmly in the camp that believes he will never release another ASoIaF book. If he does then I'm pleasantly surprised (until I read about shatting again).

 

[bengraven]

Also Westeros is doing an AMAA over at Reddit. Some interesting stuff there. Including:

16. Since TPATQ, there have been much and more (heh) discussion on whether Nettles was a dragonseed or not. However, on page 81 in WOIAF it is stated that Sheepstealer was "tamed by a dragonseed". Can and should this be taken as confirmation on Nettles dragonseed status, or is it subject to unreliable history writing?
Maester Yandel writes based on the historical record (... for the most part ... ), but that record is imperfect and often a matter of conjecture.

----In this specific case, Yandel and his sources subscribe to the idea that if you can tame a dragon, you must have Targaryen blood. It is, of course, circular reasoning in its way, but there is circumstantial evidence (namely that no one who is absolutely certain not to have any Targaryen blood has ever succeeded in taming a Targaryen dragon, at least so far as the historical record indicates)

If the setup is correct and Tyrion really does ride a dragon as is being heavily foreshadowed, I think there's a large change the Mad King's bastard tinfoil theory is not tinfoil. I know it's a crazy theory, but I'm saying this because we should keep an open mind about it, just in case it happens. I think it would be a disappointment because of the whole "Tyrion is more Tywin's son" trait, but even further back would make the line "all dwarves are bastards..." even more sweet. He and Jon had something more in common.

And because the last crazy theory that turned out to be true (Aegon), proved me wrong.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

If the setup is correct and Tyrion really does ride a dragon as is being heavily foreshadowed, I think there's a large change the Mad King's bastard tinfoil theory is not tinfoil.

Eck, that's one of my least favorite theories.

 

[Memento Mori]

Premature celebration is always a bad idea.

He's just saying that because he wants us to be surprised when he announces the release date in a few months time. 2016 confirmed.

Eck, that's one of my least favorite theories.

Yeah I wouldn't mind if Jaime and Cersei were Aerys' illegitimate children purely for the irony but Tyrion really should be Tywin's son.

 

[PhoenixDark]

His comment doesn't contradict his statement about possibly finishing this year. It's not coming out this year, that's not the point. The aim is for a release before S6 starts (or shortly thereafter).

 

[RatskyWatsky]

He's just saying that because he wants us to be surprised when he announces the release date in a few months time. 2016 confirmed.

2015 BELIEVE

Yeah I wouldn't mind if Jaime and Cersei were Aerys' illegitimate children purely for the irony but Tyrion really should be Tywin's son.

I kind of hate the idea that any of them might be Targaryens, but I would prefer that over Tyrion being one.

 

[Memento Mori]

There are few things that I like about it:

1. The parallel that half-brothers Tyrion and Jaime both murder their fathers.
2. The 50:50 odds that a Targaryen is insane works out exactly for Jaime (sane) and Cersei (insane). When you look at their kids- Joffrey (insane), Tommen and Myrcella probably sane considering every character says how nice they are.
3. The only child Tywin actually had is the one he hated.
4. Ironically enough both Joffrey and Tommen would have royal blood even if they aren't legitimate kings.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

There are few things that I like about it:

1. The parallel that half-brothers Tyrion and Jaime both murder their fathers.
2. The 50:50 odds that a Targaryen is insane works out exactly for Jaime (sane) and Cersei (insane). When you look at their kids- Joffrey (insane), Tommen and Myrcella probably sane considering every character says how nice they are.
3. The only child Tywin actually had is the one he hated.
4. Ironically enough both Joffrey and Tommen would have royal blood even if they aren't legitimate kings.

Hmmm....when you put it like that, I kind of like it now too. lol