*Sigh*
Game of Thrones, I’m just not sure about you.
I don’t think I’ve ever taken this long to finish a book. Almost half a year.
There’s a lot that I love GRRM for. He made a new type of fantasy mainstream, a fantasy where the heroes and the good didn’t necessarily come out on top. Sometimes they ended up dead. I’ve said this before and I still think this is true: I don’t think my own fantasy books would have been as well-regarded if it wasn’t for Game of Thrones paving the way.
Buried in the 1100+ pages of this book, there are hints of a great story: characters making tough decisions and surviving tough times. In this book at least, we get to spend more time with the characters I enjoy: Tyrion and Daenerys and Jon Snow and more.
But there is just too much here where nothing happens and the story and characters aren’t moved forward in any meaningful way. I love worldbuilding, and there’s no doubt GRRM is second to none in this regard, but only if it advances the story, which it doesn’t always here.
In a past post I argued that Game of Thrones has the potential to be one of the greatest fantasy stories ever told. It also has the potential to be a complete dud. I worry that it moves more and more towards dud.
I’ll read the next book, if it ever comes out. I hope that as war and hardship thin the herd of characters GRRM can focus the story a bit more.
I want to see the series succeed, but I’m not sure I’m going to hold my breath anymore.
Ha ha
Thank you I have read every major bit of fantasy for the past 35 years and I have never got through GOT. Just reading your nightblade books again and finding them wonderful. I really need to finish my book at some stage 300k words and changes with 20 to go deserves to be finished. keep writing we will keep buying and reading…..Cam
Hi Cam,
Thanks! I’ve heard from a number of people who never made it through GOT. Thanks for the support, and good luck on your own work – that’s an impressive word count!