Winter is Coming! (the official "A Song of Ice and Fire" thread)

[Inkthinker]

I'm pretty damn sure he's not dead... he was a major enough character (especially what with the sacking of Winterfell) that when and if he dies, we'll witness it.

[Joe Rice]

I'm pretty damn sure he's not dead... he was a major enough character (especially what with the sacking of Winterfell) that when and if he dies, we'll witness it.

Like Robb?

I think he's dead.

[the_coldest_sun]

Like Robb?

I think he's dead.

The difference is with Robb we got a confirmed death. We were there, we saw it happen (or read it happen for that matter). With Theon, we didn't get that. Even Roose Bolton said Ramsay has Theon captive at the Dreadfort when he presented Catelyn with a skin-slice of Theon's finger before the Red Wedding.

EDIT: By the way, any theories on what happened to Benjen Stark? Is he dead? Is he Coldhands? Is he alive and learning about the Others?

[Spike-X]

From GRRM's LiveJournal:

"I have some exciting news to share.

(But please, guys and gals, don't get TOO excited. This is what it is, and so far that's all it is, so don't make any assumptions).

HBO has just exercised its option, and purchased the television rights to A GAME OF THRONES.

For those of you who don't know Hollywood, an option gives a production company the right to buy a property (a book, a screenplay, whatever) at a certain agreed-upon price for a certain period of time (a year, six months, whatever). When that time runs out, they can let the option lapse, renew the option, or exercise the option and buy the property. The last is what HBO has just done.

What they have NOT done is greenlight the project. A GAME OF THRONES remains in development. They're still budgeting, still looking at locations (Spain and the Czech Republic at present, I hear). No decision has been reached, so any celebration would be premature. In Hollywood it is always best not to assume something is going to happen until it actually happens.

Even so... this is a very encouraging sign, and one that suggests a continued high level of enthusiasm and commitment for A GAME OF THRONES at HBO.

So keep your fingers crossed."

Now all we need is for the next book to come out!

[Roquefort Raider]

Now all we need is for the next book to come out!

Thanks for the news, Spike. However, I'd say that for the next book to come out was all we needed even before this announcement from GRRM.

I'm pleased he stands to make money out of a TV series, and more power to him if he prefers to concentrate on derivative products rather than on his series; however, the only thing that I'm interested in on the Westeros front is the next book.

Here's hoping it'll come out before I lose interest in that as well!

[Shellhead]

I agree, I would prefer that Martin stay focused on finishing the last three books of the series before getting distracted by an HBO production of his work. Martin has enough experience writing for television to know how his story will be mishandled unless he is directly involved. Also, Martin turns 60 next week. I would love to see him finish this series and then take some time to relax and enjoy the applause while he still can.

[mrc1214]

EDIT: By the way, any theories on what happened to Benjen Stark? Is he dead? Is he Coldhands? Is he alive and learning about the Others?

Hes got to be alive cause I think Martin would have cleared it up by now if he was dead. He might be Coldhands i thought about that when he appeared.

[Winterwolf]

I'm just dieing to find out...come on Martin...gimme my Dance with Dragons

[Gobbo Mon]

The wait may be long.

[Spike-X]

The bad news - GRRM's office got broken into (http://grrm.livejournal.com/56810.html).

The good news - he's unharmed, and

they did NOT take my computers, so the hard drive where A DANCE WITH DRAGONS lives is still there, and safe, and I haven't lost any work. And yes, I back up regularly, so even if they had made off with the hardware, I have all the finished text saved on disk. So you can all come down off that ledge, please.

*phew*

[Michael P]

The bad news - GRRM's office got broken into (http://grrm.livejournal.com/56810.html).

The good news - he's unharmed, and



*phew*

Dammit, Spike. I thought this was *that* update.

Still, glad he's OK.

[Spike-X]

I know! I get that same surge of excitement every time I see the thread updated.

Sorry.

[Spike-X]

Oh, and I've heard from Mike Smash! (who works at Barnes & Noble) that it'll be April 2009 at the earliest.

[Inkthinker]

Pfft. It'll happen when it happens, no sooner. I find that any hint of a date without confirmation from Martin that the book is done is just a torturous tease.

If nothing else, Martin's release schedule helps my zen.

But yeah, every time this thread updates, I hope that it's that post...

:D

[Tobias March]

Pfft. It'll happen when it happens, no sooner. I find that any hint of a date without confirmation from Martin that the book is done is just a torturous tease.

If nothing else, Martin's release schedule helps my zen.

But yeah, every time this thread updates, I hope that it's that post...

:D

Arrg!

I'm like Charlie Brown here.

[Blueferret]

I know! I get that same surge of excitement every time I see the thread updated.

Sorry.

Same here. Same disappointment every time:mad: One day, though:biggrin:

[Erebus]

He was in A Clash Of Kings, yeah. I'm thinking that maybe

Theon didn't die after all when the Bastard Of Bolton took Winterfell, and that the Bastard has made Theon his 'new Reek'.

I thought he was currently being flayed alive, as per Bolton tradition.

[Winterwolf]

I know! I get that same surge of excitement every time I see the thread updated.

Sorry.

Haha me too, I popped when I saw it. :biggrin:

[Inkthinker]

I thought he was currently being flayed alive, as per Bolton tradition.

Not if they decided he was useful for something... then they might just cut off a hand or two.

Heh... we should all agree that whenever the book is out, someone will make a new thread and it won't be posted in this one. Then we can all stop getting our hopes up whenever this one rises from the deeps.

[Spike-X]

HBO has given a pilot order to fantasy project "Game of Thrones." (http://www.thrfeed.com/2008/11/hbo-orders-fant.html)

I wonder which we'll get first - the first season of the TV show, or the next book?

[Dr. Ghost]

I'm a casual reader; I stick mostly to the Star Wars EU, and I'm on the Dark Tower series now, but this series seems interesting.
What's so great about it (no sarcasm intended)?

[Roquefort Raider]

I'm a casual reader; I stick mostly to the Star Wars EU, and I'm on the Dark Tower series now, but this series seems interesting.
What's so great about it (no sarcasm intended)?

Complex world-building that's accessible, very colorful characters, an engaging plot full of intrigue and clashes, but first and foremost a very strong unpredictability factor. Just when you think you know what's what and where the story will lead to, the tables are turned and you see the story is not really what you thought.

You know when a main character is caught in an enemy's trap, and despite overwhelming odds you just know that he'll escape because he's, well, the hero? That doesn't happen here.

[Spike-X]

You know when a main character is caught in an enemy's trap, and despite overwhelming odds you just know that he'll escape because he's, well, the hero? That doesn't happen here.

That's what I like about it - Martin isn't afraid to let bad things happen to good characters.

Although he's not averse to letting bad things happen to bad characters, either!

[Dr. Ghost]

ah, ok.

i'll check out the first one.:smile: