# George RR Martin finally finishes A Dance with Dragons! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 1, 2010, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-rr-martin-finally-finishes-a-dance-with-dragons/534574 "2010-04-01T13:52:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2010, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-rr-martin-finally-finishes-a-dance-with-dragons/534574/1 "2010-04-01T13:52:57Z")
> [@](#): > > **Star-Tribune** - George RR Martin, best known for his as a writer on the hit CBS series _Beauty and the Beast_ has completed his long awaited fifth book in an ongoing fantasy series _A Dance with Dragons_. Originally scheduled for publication in early 2006, Martin cited his pressing football needs and a hectic HBO shooting schedule as cause for the delay. “I promised my avid readers I wouldn’t revise my (Song of) Ice and Fire update page until the book was finished,” Martin said by telephone interview. “I felt it important to keep my word on this issue,” he explained citing an unchanged status page from January 1, 2008. > “I think my readers are going to be very pleased with this new novel. I’ve taken to heart a lot from what I’ve learned on the set of my new HBO project,” Martin said, referring to his newly greenlit series about the Song of Ice and Fire scheduled to air in Spring of 2011. > “What finally brought me over the hump of writer’s block I’ve been struggling with for so many years is the dawning realization on set of exactly what this book needed: writing by committee. > “Consequently, in _Dragons_, Daenerys is now going to be 19 years old and a redhead to really ramp up the sex appeal for the 18-35 year old males in the audience. Ned Stark returns from the grave in ghost form, just like in Hamlet! Oh and I don’t want to spoil anything, but Jamie Lannister’s going to get his hand reattached, either through surgery or sorcery. We haven’t quite finished the editing process yet but I can tell you it’s going to be exciting either way it happens.” > The book has a page count of 3,658 pages and centers around two main perspectives. Those wishing to learn more about other favorite characters may have to wait for the sixth book _The Winds of Winter_ due out in Mid 2018 by Bantam Books. > “In the meantime, I’m working on editing _Wild Cards LXXI April Showers_ and _LXXII Fool’s Gambit_ due out this Spring and Summer respectively,” Martin said. You can read more of the story [Here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_Fools'_Day) [sub]I swear it gets funnier each and every year I do this.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![heater2000ca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@heater2000ca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heater2000ca)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2010, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-rr-martin-finally-finishes-a-dance-with-dragons/534574/2 "2010-04-01T14:04:34Z")
I’ll admit it - you got me. I’m reading A Storm for Swords, and am pretty keen to read more (especially since I think I just figured out how it’ll end!!:)) The write-up was funny, thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Credible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a8b319/32.png) [@Justin\_Credible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Credible)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2010, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-rr-martin-finally-finishes-a-dance-with-dragons/534574/3 "2010-04-01T14:11:52Z")
You got me last year, but I was ready for it this year. 😃 It’s sad that you can do this same joke so many years in a row. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2010, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-rr-martin-finally-finishes-a-dance-with-dragons/534574/4 "2010-04-01T14:12:47Z")
I knew before I even opened the thread it was an April Fool’s joke. He’s never going to finish that book. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-rr-martin-finally-finishes-a-dance-with-dragons/534574/5 "2010-04-01T14:44:12Z")
Got my hopes up, only to have them crushed. Dammit! :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2010, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-rr-martin-finally-finishes-a-dance-with-dragons/534574/6 "2010-04-01T15:10:56Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Got my hopes up, only to have them crushed. Dammit! :mad: Glad I could be of service. ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2010, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-rr-martin-finally-finishes-a-dance-with-dragons/534574/7 "2010-04-01T16:11:27Z")
The mouseover shows your hidden text. Just FYI, and hoping this post gets me a nifty new title. Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2010, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-rr-martin-finally-finishes-a-dance-with-dragons/534574/8 "2010-04-01T16:20:10Z")
For one, brief, shining second, my heart leapt. Then I realized what day it was. _sob_ ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2010, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-rr-martin-finally-finishes-a-dance-with-dragons/534574/9 "2010-04-01T16:35:00Z")
I liked last year’s version better. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2010, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-rr-martin-finally-finishes-a-dance-with-dragons/534574/10 "2010-04-01T17:58:57Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > For one, brief, shining second, my heart leapt. > > Then I realized what day it was. > > _sob_ The glory of April Fool’s Day, summed up ever so succinctly.