The Story
The Future Story: Story
The Future Story: Author
The Story
A Song of Ice and Fire was good the first read, but improved upon re-read. Knowing what is coming, the reader can see Martin subtly positioning people, places, decisions, and actions well in advance, such that when the time comes for the shoes to drop (swords to fall?) the striking moments feel organic and natural, not cheap spots of drama as so many lesser writers contrive. The Red Wedding, for example, takes on a darker hue reading how the characters in-the-know spoke and behaved well beforehand. Or Tyrion killing his father, the reader can see how he was driven to inhuman depths by the man. The perpetrator of Joffey's poisoning is now clear as day. And there are numerous other such examples. The stories and sub-stories were always gears within gears, but upon re-reading became Swiss watchwork. (At least the first three novels; the latter two are more individual trajectories shooting from a central point.) Martin nevertheless remains a master storyteller.
Another thing which improved upon re-reading was my opinion of A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons. There are many fans for whom those two are the worst of the five novels, and after first reading the series, I agreed. Martin seemed to have lost control of the beast he created—those individual trajectories loosed on the world. He lets side characters become main characters, not to mention allows undeserved minor houses and locations around Westeros time under the spotlight. But reading again of Brienne, the Iron Islanders, Jon Griffon, Quentyn Martell, Arianne Martell, and other such character's chapters showed something different. When not pushing ahead just to see what happens next, these arcs take hold and the world of A Song of Ice and Fire becomes richer for it. I realized Martin, while likely not planning those arcs in his initial plot outline, was writing for the sake of the world and its story. It's the artist's drive to create, something dying to get out. Some may argue that he was expanding the story to cash in, but I think the quality tells, not to mention if Martin were truly in it for the money he would be pumping out product as fast as possible (looking at you Kevin J. Anderson). Instead, the quality of Feast and Dance hold up on a line-by-line and narrative basis, and fans are well aware Martin, with only one book every three or four years, is not milking the series. What this means is that, in 20-30 years readers will be able to sit down with the complete series and read it end to end without a drop in quality (assuming, of course, Martin stays the course throughout the remainder of the series). At that time, without the need to wait for further volumes to be released, Feast and Dance will have a clear place in the Westeros tapestry, bridge novels though they may be.
I gush, yes, but as long as the series gets finished (whether by Martin or someone else, more later) it will become like The Lord of the Rings: a timeless epic. It's halfway there already.
But Speculiction, what about the vast quantities of murder and rape!?!? That's a good point. It's not in question that Martin uses them to create mood and tone, to give Westeros a gritty realism contrasting idyllic high fantasies of knights and princesses. But is it too much? Is there a point where readers become desensitized to unjust killing and sexual violence? At times, yes. One good rule in life is 'everything in moderation', and there are certainly moments in Feast and Dance that the mention of slaughter and mass rape grow old. Every village seems to suffer the fate. In the early novels Martin established his world is not rainbows and butterflies, that communities will burn, which in turn means the quantity of violence in later novels is sometimes more gratuitous than integral. By all means include it for the purposes of scene or mood, but everything in moderation lest you dilute the story and callous readers, which I fear happens in moments. Another innkeep strung up... It's moments like this which push the series toward grimdark and away from realist.
The Future Story: Story
I have not watched the Game of Thrones television series, and thus do not know how the story of Westeros ends. I know, I'm an idiot, waiting for the books. For that small amount of people with the same hope, allow me the indulgence of the next few paragraphs. Everyone else can skip to the last paragraph in this section.
As it stands at the end of A Dance with Dragons, several things seem obvious. The Others are coming, and despite Jon's efforts, humanity will not be ready. Zombie carnage incoming. Secondly, Dany will be returning to Westeros, but not with all three of her dragons. Drogon is clearly hers, but the other two are up for grabs. Victarion seems one of the likely suitors, but whether he can retain ownership of one (or two) heading back to Westeros remains to be seen (which makes for a nice opportunity for dragon drama, natch). The third dragon, if not Victarion's, I don't know. Perhaps Tyrion finds a way to take ownership of one? Perhaps someone else? Regarding Jon Snow, I don't think he's dead at the end of Dance. The novel has a prologue featuring a warg, which indicates Jon will find a way to live through Ghost. Regarding Arya, her assassin's training and hit list seem destined for revenge. Walder Frey is a ripe fruit waiting to be plucked. Sansa will find a way to stop being a child, but how I don't know. Killing Littlefinger in a moment of desperation? Tyrion I have no idea except that he is one of Martin's top three favorite characters, which means he will be there to the bitter end. In what capacity, hard to say except his wits will be his strength. Bran is also a wild card. His third-eye powers are so enigmatic that they could have any variety of effects on Westeros. Stannis and the red witch seem destined for death, but other than a ball of fire I cannot guess. And what carnage do they cause before bowing out screen left? Jaime's role is likewise a question mark. Martin seems bent on redeeming him. Perhaps he will become Kingslayer twice, maybe killing a king of the Others? His sister Cersei, while on the surface seeming reformed after her walk of shame, is still showing signs of being the narcissistic bitch that she always was. There may be no redemption for her except the fire of a dragon. Theon and Davos are also question marks for me. Does Martin also attempt to redeem Theon after his betrayal of Winterfell? He's suffered hugely since, so perhaps a tragic, heroic death while saving Winterfell awaits him? Davos is the series' good guy—the normal, well-rounded, well-intentioned everyday man who people root for. I'm afraid he will die a truly tragic death for that when he deserves of a small estate in the hills with a vineyard to live out the rest of his days. And lastly, I think the Wall will fall, at least a big chunk of it. The image of Others streaming into Westeros through a hole blasted in the wall is too good for Martin to pass up. Another horn will likely be found...
And the question on everybody's lips, at least that handful of us who have not watched the tv series: who will sit the iron throne when all is said and done? My guess is Jon or Dany, and if I had to choose between them, I would say Jon. Dany is too obvious for Martin, a writer who has shown a penchant for pulling the rug out from under readers' expectations. A bastard underdog stuck on the wall, Jon seems the unlikely choice, and therefore the choice. Jon could also symbolize a changing of the guard in Westeros. Where the Barratheon's took power from the Targaryen's, it was only temporary. I would hazard the Starks are the next house to enter the annals of Westeros' generational power. A Game of Thrones started with them, and I think the series ends with them, at least the bastard son. Tyrion is in third place on the list after Jon and Dany, but I think Martin has other plans for him. As odd as it sounds, true love seems the most suitable ending for the lovable dwarf, not the iron throne.
My overarching guess is A Dream of Spring will feature a humanity squabbling among itself about metal chairs while a larger threats descends. Too focused on its own navel to see bigger problems, that would be a timeless (grimdark) metaphor threading Martin's epic fantasy series. Just ask the Aztecs...
At the macro scale, The Winds of Winter will need to put an end to readers' time in the Eastern continent. Despite being left alone with Drogon at the end of Dance, Dany needs to get her act in gear. There is too much happening in Westeros for the series to continue spending page calories on other continents. In Feast and Dance Martin only put more logs on the bonfire of a major climax, and the time needed to get to the bonfire has been extended with every new character...
Which leads me to: I don't think two novels are enough to wrap up A Song of Ice and Fire. Sure, Martin is good at killing main characters, but he's added so many that killing them would be a massacre that even he hasn't attempted yet. I could make a list here of all the loose threads, but suffice at saying three more novels seems likely, not two, particularly if the publishing angle is added to the discussion. Why make a killing on two books when it's possible to make a bigger killing on three? That would be the massacre—and one I hope readers would prefer if Martin is to maintain the same level of quality and consistency to date. A rushed conclusion (two 1,000+ page novels, har har) would be a disservice. Fans and future history deserve three.
The Future Story: Author
One of the four major novels of the Chinese canon is A Dream of Red Mansions by Cao Xueqin (aka A Dream of Red Chambers and other titles). It's a 2,500-page poetic drama featuring Chinese aristocracy in the Qing dynasty, just massive. Somewhere around the three-quarters' mark there is a noticeable shift in authorial voice. Dialogue loses its subtlety, the pace noticeably picks up, and character actions start to deviate from established behaviors. The reason is that Cao Xueqin died before completing the novel, and many years later Gao E completed it. Cao Xueqin left no notes, meaning the Gao E had to estimate how things would end for everything—characters, setting, and story.
It's a minor tragedy that readers do not get to experience Cao Xueqin's complete vision. Gao E's contributions have naturally lead to centuries of debate among Chinese literati: what were Cao Xueqin's intentions? How would the storylines for the main characters actually have ended? We'll never know.
This is all a long winded way of saying: I hope Martin has his estate and story notes in order should he be unable or unwilling to complete the series. Unwilling you say?
The most recent book in the series, A Dance with Dragons, was published twelve years ago. And the next, The Winds of Winter, doesn't seem it will see the light of day this year or next, meaning additional novels must be forecast at decades in the future. Martin, who is now 74 years old, occasionally keeps readers updated on novel progression for Winds. But there seems no urgency to complete it. If I had to be realistic, I would look at the facts, which are:
Martin has already told the Ice and Fire story in the tv series. Writing the remaining novels is writing the story a second time
Martin's creative efforts (i.e. original ideas) now appear in Westeros spin-offs (television, books, and otherwise) and other writing endeavors (Wild Cards, editing, etc.)
If I had to be cynical, I would say Martin has already blown his creative load with the television series. Putting the show into novel form has become a twelve-year chore and counting. Writing it no longer seems the liberating, creative expression it was before HBO. Martin will likely never come out and say it, but from an artistic point of view I understand how he could struggle to tell the story a second time. Even Andy Warhol repeated himself with different colors. So, is Martin only semi-motivated to continue writing the series? Likely...
Which is why I would like to introduce the idea of co-writing the series, or letting someone else, with Martin's supervision, complete it. Co-writing means that the re-telling loses its specter yet Martin retains creative control. Publishing dates between novels would shorten, meaning the chances of Martin himself seeing the complete vision in book form becomes realistic. And best yet, there is a qualified person close to hand to help: Daniel Abraham. The two writers have collaborated before on a novel (Hunter's Run) and Abraham is the person who adapted A Song of Ice and Fire to graphic novel form. Yes, Abraham's style is drier than Martin's, but he has the same balanced approach to character, plot, and setting. Meaning, Abraham could do skeleton and muscles and Martin the skin and hair. Knowing both writers live in Albuquerque and work well together, it seems reasonable. It would be a shame if Song of Ice and Fire were to go the way of A Dream of Red Mansions, and I can't reasonably see a way to avoid that other than co-writing...
A Song of Ice and Fire, as it stands, is excellent, excellent storytelling. But it's tough to say it's the greatest fantasy series of all time unless it gets finished, and for that I wish Martin the best of motivation and luck. To be clear, I am not a person who believes he owes the remaining novels to humanity. No artist has such an obligation. But I will be in the bookshop if/when each novel is published, eager to get my next hit of crack candy. And if no further books are forthcoming, there's always the tv series—not my first desire, but likely better than Gao E's work on A Dream of Red Mansions...
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