Am I the only one who feels this way?

[Michael]

When I first saw Game Of Thrones/read the books, my immediate impression was that: "This is such a huge story, it could go on for a lot more then seven books. The Wheel Of Time isn't even half as detailed or have as many characters, let alone view points. Why couldn't A Song Of Ice And Fire be the series to go on for 14 books. It deserves that."

Am I the only one who feels this way? There are so many series that go one for more then seven books, and I cant think of one that is as big as A Song Of Ice And Fire, in every aspect. World, characters, popularity...etc

[Jacob]

George Martin says there's probably going to be an eighth installment, but I think that that will probably be it, he can only have so many ideas.

[Michael]

Jacob wrote: "George Martin says there's probably going to be an eighth installment, but I think that that will probably be it, he can only have so many ideas."

Yeah, but when I first came to the series I just saw SO MANY possibilities, but as he killed the characters off, they dwindled and dwindled. I still see so many, and if I wrote the books there would be at least fourteen. So I guess your right, he can only have so many ideas.

[Christie]

There is definitely enough content and subplots to go on for many more books! Considering the amount of plots and interactions in various places on the map, plus all the characters involved, it would definitely a good thing if there were more books. However, I'd rather see some of those plots brought together at this point and stop introducing new characters, as I think some of the main focus is getting a bit lost. Well, GRRM can introduce some new plots and things, but end a lot of the old ones first so we don't have a ton of things going on at once. It gets hard to remember where everyone is and what's happened to them all!

[Michael]

Christie wrote: "There is definitely enough content and subplots to go on for many more books! Considering the amount of plots and interactions in various places on the map, plus all the characters involved, it wou..."

I know right, but I just cant see this series ending at 7 or even 8 books really. I really wish The Wheel Of Time and this series swapped, so the Wheel would have been 7 and A Song Of Ice And Fire 14, I just think it deserves it more, because the story and the world is much much bigger.

[Erma]

Jacob wrote: "George Martin says there's probably going to be an eighth installment, but I think that that will probably be it, he can only have so many ideas."

I don't think ideas are a problem. As my brother's Professor once noted, Martin "borrows" liberally from history. (He wasn't too happy about it, but I couldn't care less.)

What is more of a concern is the time it will take to tell all of it, and whether he will survive through to the end. Dear old George has taken so many in the course of the story, will his story take him, as well?

In the course of any epic, there is room for Spin offs. I think there will be stories from other continents and eras emerge before too much longer. Martin created a world, and has only shown us one corner of it so far. To believe that the world and it's stories end in the unknown is to not fully understand world-building.

I, for one, have vast hopes for the other corners of this world. Stories such as Egg and Dunk show that Martin has already contemplated deeper. I just hope he survives to tell it!

[Mitali]

Why would anyone want this series to go on for 14 books? I haven't read Wheel of Time, but from what I've heard about it, it was ridiculously stretched out, with practically nothing happening in several books in the middle of the series. I certainly don't want that to happen to ASOIAF.

Anyway, if you consider the novellas that are set in the same world as being part of the same series, then this series is already up to 10 books: the 5 ASOIAF books, the 3 Dunk and Egg novellas, and the 2 Dance of the Dragons novellas. If you include The World of Ice and Fire as well (which is not a novel, but does include a huge amount of backstory and worldbuilding), then it's at 11. There are at least 2 books left to be written, as well an indeterminate number of Dunk and Egg stories. So the total count when everything is finished could easily surpass 14.

E. wrote: "I don't think ideas are a problem. As my brother's Professor once noted, Martin "borrows" liberally from history. (He wasn't too happy about it, but I couldn't care less.)"

Huh? Martin has taken only very general inspiration from history. He certainly hasn't lifted anything wholesale from history, if that's what the professor means. And I totally fail to see why it's a bad thing to be inspired by real historical events.

[Katherina]

I read on his website, that originally the whole thing was supposed to be a trilogy, but when doing the outline/structure, he had to include and move things.
And so, due to the density of the story, the former three books turned to seven.
Again, reading his website/blog, I understand that he had to move roughly 400 pages from "A Dance With Dragons" to the next tome or else the book would become too large to be printed properly.
So... the series having more than seven tomes seems realistic to me - simply because it can happen any time, that Martin realizes during writing that he needs another unplanned viewpoint, moves some chapters to "the next book" and then seven turns to eight or more.
The writing is dense and rich, the world really colorful and I enjoy the series.
Whichever length the series will have - 7 tomes or 14 - it will be exactly as much as is required to tell the tale :).

[Deanna]

Katherina wrote: "I read on his website, that originally the whole thing was supposed to be a trilogy, but when doing the outline/structure, he had to include and move things.
And so, due to the density of the story..."

I agree. I don't think it's the number of books that matters, but the quality and interest of the books. I think as long as he answers all the questions he's set up, we'll all be happy. Plus, his books are really long. Seven of them are basically 14 regular books, right. ;)

[Michael]

Deanna wrote: "Katherina wrote: "I read on his website, that originally the whole thing was supposed to be a trilogy, but when doing the outline/structure, he had to include and move things.
And so, due to the de..."

Regular books if you mean like general short ones, maybe the Shannara novels, but Wheel Of Time books, not really. Because even though Jordan never wrote one as long as on of Martins, many still average 300-400,000 words.

[Deanna]

Michael wrote: "Deanna wrote: "Katherina wrote: "I read on his website, that originally the whole thing was supposed to be a trilogy, but when doing the outline/structure, he had to include and move things.
And so..."

I understand what you're saying and that you really want this series to continue as long as possible. My point was simply that the important thing is the story be completed in a way that answers all the questions in a satisfying and entertaining way for the reader. Book length and number of volumes should really be irrelevant. Word counts have nothing to do with the the enjoyment you get from a novel. It's really all up to what George R.R. Martin has in his mind for his characters and how he sees that playing out.

[Michael]

Deanna wrote: "Michael wrote: "Deanna wrote: "Katherina wrote: "I read on his website, that originally the whole thing was supposed to be a trilogy, but when doing the outline/structure, he had to include and mov..."

I do agree with you, but I think you misunderstood my fist post. I was just saying that id much rather read a 14 book game of thrones series, then a 14 book wheel of time. I do agree that whatever amount of things that George wants to do will determine how long the series is, and that whether a book is long and short it doesn't matter, because the story is what to be enjoyed. This thread was really just a comparison between the two series and preference.

[Jo]

At first I loved, the book, 'Game of Thrones', but as each of my favorite characters were killed off or changed ( such as the beloved character, Bran, losing his ability to walk)I began to feel disappointed. I made it through the 'tome', and I was eager for more. But next, starting to read 'A Clash of Kings' I became too discouraged. I couldn't seem to pick up the thread of the story. Maybe someday I will get the series on CD!

[Matthew]

I sincererly hope to see something surrounding the events on Westeros, from the POV of other arena. Essos is HUGE, way bigger than Westeros. The World of Ice and Fire provides a dope recount of the history of the World and touches on Essos (through the Targs); I would like to get some in-depth stuff about it. Maybe through some characters developed by GRRM (dude is crazy-talented with character development). Maybe even a History type book retelling what happened in the current goings-on in Westeros, but set way in the future. Kinda like how they discuss the past throughout ASOIAF.

[Matthew]

I'd have to go with yes. Even if you're not alone in thinking this, I would bet good money you're in the minority. I've heard the Wheel of Time comparison too, but it's usually from people who are bewildered with the way Martin's dragging the series out.

In fact, most people I've heard from or talked to claimed they were experiencing ASOIAF fatigue after books III or IV. They said, to a person, that they would like the story to get where it's going and wrap the hell up. And as someone who's read all five books so far, I can totally see what they mean.

The only reason I kept reading after book IV was because of the twist at the end and the promise of resolution that was apparently to come. After book V, I am really hoping two more books is all it will take to get to the end. Let's get to the big showdown with the Others and find out who Azor Ahai reborn is already!

Don't get me wrong, I love the series, but it can get tedious, long-winded and depressing at times. In the first book, it presented what appeared to be a tightly-knit three-pronged plot, but its diverged from that a lot since. Still, I am waiting on that sixth book and, like everyone else, wishing Martin could write faster!