Game of Thrones’ Actor Says George R.R. Martin Has Already Written Books 6 and 7 BY ADAM CHITWOOD MAY 13, 2019 SHARE TWEET The Game of Thrones series finale airs in just one week, but shortly after that, fans of George R.R Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire book series may be in for a hugesurprise. The smash-hit HBO series launched in 2011, adapting Martin’s epic fantasy series for the small screen. That same year, Martin published the fifth book in his planned seven-book series, which began in 1996. The show roughly adapted one book per season, but while Martin maintained that he would finish the book series before the TV show wrapped up, it quickly became clear that the show was going to finish first. After all, it’s a 12-month-a-year job for showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, and the cast members couldn’t be expected to remain under contract forever. So the series finale of the TV show is coming next week, and Martin still has two books to publish. While fans of the books have been waiting, Martin has maintained that he’s still working. However, comments from an actor from Game of Thrones who is no longer on the show may reveal a gentleman’s agreement that explains the book delay, and signals a very imminent release date for the new books. Image via HBO Actor Ian McElhinney, who played Barristan Selmy on Game of Thrones until the character was killed off in 2015, claimed at a convention called Epic Con back in April that Martin has already completed the final two books, and he agreed to wait and publish them after the show finished: “George has already written Books 6 and 7, and as far as he’s concerned there only are seven books. But he struck an agreement with David and Dan, the showrunners on the series, that he would not publish the final two books until the series has completed. So if all goes well, in another month or two we might get Books 6 and 7, and I’m intrigued to know how Barristan, for instance, ends up going through those final two books. George, I talked to him during Season 1 and he did say to me that Barristan had a very interesting journey. But unfortunately I didn’t get to play all of that, so we’ll have to wait and see.” Image via HBO This is the epitome of a “huge if true” statement, but it also makes a lot of sense. It’s now been nearly eight years since Martin published a new A Song of Ice and Fire book, so surely he’s made headway since then. Plus, we know that when it became clear the show would surpass the books, Benioff and Weiss went to Martin’s home and essentially had a series of story conferences in which Martin told them the broad outlines of how A Song of Ice and Fire concludes. During those meetings, could they have hit upon this new agreement? This agreement also benefits both sides. The show gets to air its final seasons without fear of “spoiling” the ending to one of the most popular TV series of all time, and Martin gets to take his time finishing his books, then publish them as his own definitive conclusion to the epic saga that he created. There’s been no confirmation from HBO, Benioff, Weiss, or Martin so this could be a case of McElhinney simply regurgitating a rumor or a bad game of telephone, but he seems to be speaking from a place of knowledge here so… I don’t know. I suppose we’ll have to wait and see. But regardless of whether Martin is done or not, fans can rest easy knowing there will be an “alternate ending” to Game of Thrones once it’s all said and done. http://collider.com/george-rr-marti...-song-of-ice-and-fire-game-of-thrones/#images
I don't think it's legit, but if it is how do you explain the horrible writing at times for season 7 and 8 and breakneck speed? It just doesn't make sense...
It may or may not be true, but I think the agreement they struck probably allows the show runners the broad outline, but Martin can finish the books how he wants. It may be the same general story line, but I bet Martin has saved some big differences for the books’ ending. I also think it’s possible that the books end way after where the show leaves off. Just the names of the books hint at it. Winter is just now descending on Westeros in the show, and the final books is A Dream of Spring or something like that. Could be that the final book is partially or even completely after the events of the show.
I think he's been finished with the books several times and then had second thoughts and keeps going back and rewriting. I feel like his original plans had certain parts that were inconsistent with things in the world and history that he laid out before. I don't think he realized it until fans started pointing things out to him and that has caused him to go back and rework things to make them consistent with the established history etc.
I will, however, say for the record — no, THE WINDS OF WINTER and A DREAM OF SPRING are not finished. DREAM is not even begun; I am not going to start writing volume seven until I finish volume six… [The] books are not done. HBO did not ask me to delay them. Nor did David & Dan. There is no “deal” to hold back on the books. I assure you, HBO and David & Dan would both have been thrilled and delighted if THE WINDS OF WINTER had been delivered and published four or five years ago… and NO ONE would have been more delighted than me. http://georgerrmartin.com/notablog/2019/05/13/idiocy-on-the-internet/
If it's true and he has finished TWO books ages ago and just kept them away for a freaking show then he can go fck himself as far I am concerned. His audience are readers not viewers of a sitcom and this is outright contempt and betrayal to them who have been waiting for a decade. Needless to say that if true , I will be boycotting them there are too many other amazing fantasy books that don't have greedy assholes as writers.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/ew.com/tv/2019/05/13/george-r-r-martin-song-ice-fire-books/amp/ Not finished
Even if he had the next two books done, I doubt they'd be released at the same time anyway. Release #6, wait a year or two, then release #7 just in time for Christmas.
Martin is angry. Said rumors are BS cause he makes millions when they release... why the hell would he wait. So honest and upfront. Also hasn't started A dream of spring he said.