Yeah. That, to me, seemed to be the place where the killing of characters began to feel random and soap-opera like. And when I saw how many books were already written (I think there were 7 at that point—it was only a year before the TV series began) and I realised that the saga still hadn't ended yet, I just went ...enuff. It is interesting to note, however, that I wasn't initially put off by how many books there were. So for readers like me, a long string of books isn't a turn-off. But I do want to know, before I invest in reading the series, that the damn thing WILL eventually reach a decent conclusion. I'm still not convinced that Song of Ice and Fire actually will. Now that the filmed series has lapped the writer, I'm wondering what incentive he's got to finish it at all. He seems very very stuck. I think the enjoyment he must have had at the beginning of this saga has all but worn away. The fact that there are longer and longer gaps between books is a marker, isn't it? You'd expect that his writing should be easier for him, the more he does? I think he's fed up. Just my reading of the situation.
I have no idea. It's an interesting thought. I would never discuss my WIP with anyone until its finished. This in a way is happening to George RR Martin right now. It's almost like he doesn't even own Song of Ice and Fire anymore... (I guess that's obvious). I never read anything else by him, but I have read some synopses. One story is basically a Casablanca love affair that occurs on a dying planet. The other is about a man who meets a vampire on a steamboat down the Mississippi-"Stoker meets Twain." To be honest, BOTH premises sound more interesting than Song of Ice and Fire. Thus, George RR. Martin is not at a loss for ideas. My vote for him, is to take the money, enjoy the fame, and work on something brand new. To share with you what ruined Song of ice and Fire for me: I don't read in a vacuum. I want to hear/read other's opinions about the novels I read. The longer the interval between novels are, the more time it allows for nasty criticism. People made some very good points about the novels, namely that Jon Snow and Daenaerys, especially the latter, SUCK. They are primarily wish fulfillment characters. I was already feeling this way, plus like you said, it was feeling like a soap. So yeah, I opted off that train.
As I have never written anything I decided to do a couple of side projects first up to get the hang of the process.
Because I started late, I had all the books at one time, so beasted in. I was totally hooked on book one, still fairly happy with book two, by book three I was starting to get doubts, and by book four I abandoned ship. If I had been waiting between books while he wrote the next one, I might have been less irritated by the lack of progress and the scattering of settings and characters. However, I agree. He should probably wind it up fast, and get on with something else. A story that only takes one volume? I'm with you, that I wouldn't want anybody to see a story of mine until it was finished to my satisfaction. What kind of pressure is that, eh? And yet it's done a lot these days. Danaerys? Urk. I think she's an insipid character. I'm not entirely happy with Jon Snow either. In fact, most of the characters I really liked have already been killed off.
I don't much like the idea of a trilogy consisting of three entirely standalone books. There should at least be some connection between books to keep me interested. That said, I agree that it's better for each book in the trilogy to have some sort of conclusion otherwise they would feel incomplete to the readers. Guess what I'm saying is that each book in the trilogy should have their one plots and subplot that are largely if not completely resolved at the end of the same book while there's one or more main plot(s) that span the course of all three books and are connected in someway - directly or indirectly - to the individual plot of each book. At least that's how I like it
If they are three standalone books, are they really a trilogy? How closely related to they have to be? I can think of series where each book is stand-alone, and they're not generally labeled as a trilogy as far as I can remember. But when you have three books that all continue the same story, they get labeled that way.
That's roughly where I gave up. I might have had more tolerance if there weren't so many, many braided story lines, each of which moves so darn slowly. I find myself imagining a parody (probably in film) where dozens and dozens of characters each get several split up fraction-of-a-second actions, and then the film is over, perhaps with dramatic music over one character who's about to insert a fork into a fried egg and another one who's lifting a foot to take a step.
