# If George R.R. Martin finishes "Winds of Winter", will you read it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** books-writing-myths\ **Created:** [March 14, 2022, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-george-r-r-martin-finishes-winds-of-winter-will-you-read-it/961044 "2022-03-14T17:48:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-george-r-r-martin-finishes-winds-of-winter-will-you-read-it/961044/21 "2022-03-14T18:54:47Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > Not unless A Dream of Spring is finished too. I read the first book but I promised myself I wouldn’t go any further unless there was definite end. I wish he would just finish both and release them. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-george-r-r-martin-finishes-winds-of-winter-will-you-read-it/961044/22 "2022-03-14T18:59:47Z")
I voted “no, the show ruined it,” but it’s even more than that. I got frustrated in Book 4 (or 5; I forget) when we spent half the book following characters we’d never heard of before, who then got killed by the end of the book. Martin apologists at the time tried to explain to me that this was just part of the epic world-building he was doing, but in my opinion such an unforeseen and meandering diversion was a disservice to readers. It made no sense from a storytelling perspective. Time hasn’t changed my mind on this, and in fact has only strengthened my view. I think it’s obvious Martin was losing the narrative even then, and was grasping at straws in an attempt to regain it. But I’m equally convinced he’ll never finish the thing anyway, so it’s all moot. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-george-r-r-martin-finishes-winds-of-winter-will-you-read-it/961044/23 "2022-03-14T19:13:24Z")
I want a few more Dunk and Egg and that’s about it from him. When I read they were going to make a full SEASON of the TV show from each Dunk and Egg tale, each of those large print 120 pages with illustrations, it’s going to make the Hobbit look like a breezy and short adaptation… ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-george-r-r-martin-finishes-winds-of-winter-will-you-read-it/961044/24 "2022-03-14T19:46:37Z")
I’ll vote for “Maybe; I can’t predict that far in the future how interested I’ll be”. It’s kind of like asking “Are you going to vote in the election in 2056?” I’m certainly not mad/upset/pissed off about the whole thing. ---
**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:** [March 14, 2022, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-george-r-r-martin-finishes-winds-of-winter-will-you-read-it/961044/25 "2022-03-14T19:47:09Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I’m an early adopter of ASOIAF, reading all of the books when they came out. Count me as another one who’ll wait until the series is finished before reading another volume. Seconded. ---
**Author:** ![mjmartin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3d9bf3/32.png) [@mjmartin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mjmartin)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-george-r-r-martin-finishes-winds-of-winter-will-you-read-it/961044/26 "2022-03-14T20:15:55Z")
Season 8 cannot be the final word on what happens, so I will definitely read it. I would be happier if Martin says to hell with the novels and just finishes the series in a “Fire and Blood” type fashion set 200 years after the events of ASOIAF are finished. I don’t think it’s realistic for him to publish 2 1100-1300 page books before his writing days are done. ---
**Author:** ![Akaj](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/akaj/32/145_2.png) [@Akaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Akaj)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-george-r-r-martin-finishes-winds-of-winter-will-you-read-it/961044/27 "2022-03-14T20:49:35Z")
I’m not a fantasy/SF reader at all but my son got me hooked on this series and I tore through all five current books. While I was reading I vowed I wasn’t going to watch the series until I could read the entire story, but once it became clear there might never be an entire story to read I gave in and watched it. Like many, I loved it until the last two seasons. So I’ll probably read TWOW once it’s out in paperback and try to appreciate it for its own sake, knowing there’s a good chance ADAS might never appear. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-george-r-r-martin-finishes-winds-of-winter-will-you-read-it/961044/28 "2022-03-14T21:26:15Z")
> [@Sauron](#): > > I got frustrated in Book 4 (or 5; I forget) when we spent half the book following characters we’d never heard of before, who then got killed by the end of the book. Martin apologists at the time tried to explain to me that this was just part of the epic world-building he was doing, but in my opinion such an unforeseen and meandering diversion was a disservice to readers. It made no sense from a storytelling perspective. And yet, Book 4 is my second favorite of the series… simply for that fact. Dorne and the Iron Islands were fantastic. As were the Sparrows (though that could be said to be consequence for the big families we’ve already met playing their Game) ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-george-r-r-martin-finishes-winds-of-winter-will-you-read-it/961044/29 "2022-03-14T21:42:56Z")
I voted “Yes, but I wont be in a rush”, but only because there wasn’t a “Maybe. It depends”-alternative. If he finishes the series and a significant number of reviewers consider it a decent result, I’ll not delaying long in picking the books back up. If the general consensus is that it’s not better than the TV-show I’m happy just letting it go, just like I let WoT go after book 9? ---
**Author:** ![epbrown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47774/32.png) [@epbrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2022, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-george-r-r-martin-finishes-winds-of-winter-will-you-read-it/961044/30 "2022-03-16T02:01:41Z")
If he ever finishes the series, I’ll read it at some point. But I stopped caring _years_ ago. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2022, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-george-r-r-martin-finishes-winds-of-winter-will-you-read-it/961044/31 "2022-03-16T02:54:12Z")
Probably. I’ve read the first three either three or four times each and bought the 4th and 5th the day they were released. However, the delay, the quality of the most recent books, and knowing the broad strokes of the story (he might change it, but I think the big picture of what we saw on screen is what he intended at the time) have dampened my enthusiasm. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2022, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-george-r-r-martin-finishes-winds-of-winter-will-you-read-it/961044/32 "2022-03-21T13:38:31Z")
Most people are taking this recent blog post from GRRM to mean Winds is a long shot and Dream of Spring has a less than zero chance of being finished. Didn’t see it linked here. [Random Updates and Bits o’ News | Not a Blog (georgerrmartin.com)](https://georgerrmartin.com/notablog/2022/03/09/random-updates-and-bits-o-news/) I read the books before the HBO series and loved them. And I stopped watching the series when it caught up to the books, so as not to be spoiled (although it’s been impossible to avoid). But now it feels like a lifetime ago. I’ve definitely lost some interest, but I’d probably find my way to Winds if it were miraculously released. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2022, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-george-r-r-martin-finishes-winds-of-winter-will-you-read-it/961044/33 "2022-03-22T02:25:55Z")
I’ll read it if he manages to finish it, but none of his other books. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2022, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-george-r-r-martin-finishes-winds-of-winter-will-you-read-it/961044/34 "2022-03-22T03:24:13Z")
I dunno. A _Dance with Dragons_ was so frustrating - all that time and it was mostly new characters I hated - I gave up after 150 pages and never tried reading it again. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2022, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-george-r-r-martin-finishes-winds-of-winter-will-you-read-it/961044/35 "2022-03-22T09:51:08Z")
That was probably Feast for crows, where he decided he wanted to write a weird Viking saga for half the book. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2022, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-george-r-r-martin-finishes-winds-of-winter-will-you-read-it/961044/36 "2022-03-22T11:15:26Z")
> [@Smid](#): > > Yada Yada, Tyrion and Varys now stupid, Danys now mental, WHAT A SURPRISE JON’S ALIVE! Damn, dude. Spoiler alert! (/sarcasm) ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2022, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-george-r-r-martin-finishes-winds-of-winter-will-you-read-it/961044/37 "2022-03-22T13:22:29Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > Damn, dude. Spoiler alert! To me this was the modern day example of “you really have to go out of your way to give away plot points on major tv series”. Kitt Harrington walking through Belfast airport when GOT was filming the new series was pretty much the giveaway. Perhaps private jet? ---
**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:** [March 22, 2022, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-george-r-r-martin-finishes-winds-of-winter-will-you-read-it/961044/38 "2022-03-22T16:32:40Z")
> [@susan](#): > > I’ll read it if he manages to finish it, but none of his other books. Well… may I recommend his _Tuf Voyaging_, an environmental satire and one of my all-time favorite sf books, and _Fevre Dream_, also terrific, a vampire novel set along the Mississippi River before the Civil War? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2022, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-george-r-r-martin-finishes-winds-of-winter-will-you-read-it/961044/39 "2022-03-22T17:03:45Z")
And _Armageddon Rag_, which is set in an alternate universe where The Nazgûl were a top group, until Black Mesa. I had coffee with GRRM right after _AGoT_ came out. It was _AR_ I had him sign. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2022, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-george-r-r-martin-finishes-winds-of-winter-will-you-read-it/961044/40 "2022-03-22T17:09:51Z")
I’m really enjoying Wild Cards book #28 (or whatever), Three Kings. I don’t know how much work GRRM puts in on that moasic series anymore, but each new short story/novella/novel is a treat. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-george-r-r-martin-finishes-winds-of-winter-will-you-read-it/961044.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-george-r-r-martin-finishes-winds-of-winter-will-you-read-it/961044.md?page=3)