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Game Of Thrones' Last 2 Books Will Be Very Different From Show Ending
A Song of Ice and Fire author George R. R. Martin says the last two books of the series will be very different from the ending of the television adaptation Game of Thrones. The HBO series ended its eight-season run in 2019 and received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics and fans for its story resolution, fueling speculation that Martin's books will differ from the series' conclusion. Martin's next book, The Winds of Winter, is still being written, with no prospective release date announced as of yet.
A Song of Ice and Fire offers even more details regarding the story of Westeros, where several parties vie to rule the Seven Kingdoms, filled with dozens of characters and unraveling plot threads. The book series features a number of supporting characters that were never featured in the tv series, shaping the narrative in ways the show never had to contend with. A prequel series to GoT, House of the Dragon premieres August 21. Based on Martin's book Fire & Blood, it will further explore the lives of Westoros' denizens.
On Martin's blog Not a Blog, the author talks about his writing process, saying he tends to change and move around story and character beats as he writes to serve the story better. As a result, he says The Winds of Winter will be very different to its screen counterpart, having to deal with different constraints and story developments. He goes on to say that's the reason the new book is taking so long, since having to deal with so many characters and plot points is exhausting and mentally taxing. Read his quote below:
Quote:
I have been at work in my winter garden. Things are growing… and changing, as does happen with us gardeners. Things twist, things change, new ideas come to me (thank you, muse), old ideas prove unworkable, I write, I rewrite, I restructure, I rip everything apart and rewrite again, I go through doors that lead nowhere, and doors that open on marvels. Sounds mad, I know. But it’s how I write. Always has been. Always will be. For good or ill.
With more Game of Thrones spinoffs on the way, the televised world of Westeros has seemingly grown beyond Martin's control, so the best he can do is write the books the way he sees best. In the post, he also talks about how he wishes fans will go into reading his books with an open mind, and not be affected by how long the book has taken to come out. Martin acknowledges how difficult that is for some fans, but nevertheless hopes the show's followers can take in the story as clear-eyed as possible.
With Game of Thrones receiving sharp criticism for its ending, Martin has his work cut out for him to cap off such an epic story in a satisfying manner. Martin himself seems to understand this and is taking all the time he needs to make the story as good as it can possibly be and have it live up to the expectations formed off the back of the previous books. With so many Game of Thrones stories in the pipeline, Martin is sticking to his guns by taking his time with A Song of Ice and Fire, a plan that has worked for him throughout his whole career so far.
