Can ASOIAF be finished in two books?
George R.R. Martin has said that Winds of Winter and Dream of Spring will be the last two books in the series, but he himself has said that he may break this promise. Let’s look at the current plot lines left at the end of ADWD
The North:
- Stannis vs. Boltons-Freys: “the North Remembers”, the Battle of Winterfell, Asha + Theon Greyjoy, Mance Rayder, the Iron Bank, Davos going to Skagos, Davos having to get Rickon back from Skagos, the North rallying under Rickon
- The Wall: Jon’s ‘death’ and possible resurrection, Queen’s Men vs Wildings vs Night’s Watch, Melisandre’s role, the Others’ invasion, possible fall of the Wall
- Bran: his increasing power, partnership with Bloodraven, ‘Coldhands’, fates of Jojen + Meera + Hodor, his ability to see the past with Weirwoods, his use against the Others
- Huge fight against the Others
- HOWLAND REED
The Riverlands:
- Post-war fighting: guerrilla warfare vs House Frey, the BWB (Gendry, Undead Cat, Thoros), Jaime and Brienne confronting the BWB, location of the Blackfish, Nymeria’s wolfpack
The Vale:
- Littlefinger and Sansa: LF vs. Lords Declarant over the Vale, Robert Arryn, Alayne revealed as Sansa, Sansa possibly marrying Harry the Heir, Sansa’s possible actions with the armies of the Vale, LF’s creepy crush on Sansa
The Reach:
- Ironborn threat: their naval raids, possible battles against the Tyrells and Redwynes
- The Citadel: Sam’s training and investigating, Jaqen (‘Pate’) doing something for the FM, Sarella Sand in disguise, the Maesters’ goals
- Aegon VI/Blackfyre’s allies: vassal Houses (Tarly, Hightower, Rowan) possibly being Aegon’s ‘friends in the Reach’ and defecting
The Stormlands:
- Aegon VI/Blackfyre’s campaign: JonCon and the GC raising an army in Storm’s End, fight against the Iron Throne, reaction to ‘Aegon Targaryen’
Crownlands:
- Political scheming: Cersei’s Trial, Margaery’s Trial, weakening of Lannister-Tyrell Alliance, Varys’ machinations, Loras’ fate, the influence of the powerful Faith, fight against Aegon, defections to Aegon, Robert Strong’s role, “Valonqar Prophecy” (Myrcella + Tommen + Cersei dying), Nymeria + Tyene Sand in KL.
Dorne:
- Balon Swann and Obara’s Hunt for Darkstar
- Myrcella
- Reaction to Quentyn’s death
- Will Dorne declare and fight for Aegon? Will Arianne marry Aegon?
Meereen:
- Battle of Meereen, with: Moqorro, Victarion, Tyrion, Jorah, Barristan, and a ton of fucking factions
- Meereenese scheming: all the fucking Harzoos, plus the Harpy
- Dani and Drogon with Jhaqo’s Khalasar, her future
- Dani somehow getting to Westeros (will she win the Throne, fight the Others, take another husband?)
Ironborn:
- Victarion vs Euron: what will happen with the Dragon Horn, will there be a confrontation between Victarion and Euron, will either be able to bind dragons?
- Aeron Damphair
Braavos:
- Arya and her Faceless Man training
- Sam passing thru…
So what do you think? This is a lot of content, but will GRRM take a different angle and start to close these holes without opening new ones like he did in A Feast For Crows?
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I think he’ll do it. Martin has convinced me without fail so far that he’s a master, and he’s in charge. He knows how to tie things up while at the same time expanding to epic scope. He writes so slow because, in my opinion, he’s careful and thoughtful, so if he intends to finish it in 2 books, then he will finish it in 2 books. Lots of these complexities in the plot seem disjointed because I think he has intentionally kept them so, that way when they come together, the payoff will be great – just as grand as the epic he’s constructing. It will be worth the wait, and I’ve got every bit of faith that Mr. Martin will come through for us.
I don’t think he’ll conclude all the threads… I think that is what he meant by bittersweet finale.
There’s no way this’ll finish in two books. With the phenomenal success of the tv show and the books, I can see it going to ten books, just to spin out the cashflow for as long as possible.
So a few things missing here-
Jon Snow’s parentage?
Benjen’s whereabouts?
The Lands of Always Winter? (Ice dragons?)
Stannis considering killing someone with “royal” blood to obtain his own dragon?
Obsidian reserves under Dragonstone?
Shireen/Grey scale
Etc.
I believe Archmaester Marwyn is also headed to Meereen, no?
Jon snow’s parentage is the key to the whole story. He’s no more dead than Brienne and not Ned’s bastard!
Ummm how about Dany going to Westeros. And The “Song Of Ice And Fire” Melisandre mentioned.
What about who were behind the assassination of Jon Arryn?
For Braavos, why are you mentioning Sam? Are you assuming he will return there on a trip back to the North?
There is a lot to tie up here, but I think he can do it. In response to Meraxrd’s question, Jon Arryn was poisoned by Lysa, she alludes to it in the chapter where she is killed by Littlefinger.
I am starting to think that Arya’s story is becoming less and less important, unless she is able to complete her training soon. She is losing her identity, which is what ties her to all the other characters.
Jon has to come back. If he doesn’t, I can’t see the series being worthwhile. I am envisioning him meeting up with Daenerys and Aegon in the next book. Maybe Sam holds the key to Jon discovering his origins.
I can see Tyrion helping Daenerys reclaim her rule over Mereen or escaping with the Second Sons to Westeros, depending on what she decides to do. Victarion will try to claim the dragons, but he will fail. He has to.
Bran is lost to the north, but he may be able to use his powers to contact Jon. It will be interesting to see what his role is in the end.
I am not sensing a very important role for Littlefinger/Sansa, or Jaime/Brienne their stories seem to be losing momentum
Stannis is doomed to fail. He is a false prophet and he’s losing strength.
I think Aegon will probably take the iron throne, then Daenerys will hear word of his ascent and come to meet him. It will be hard for her to believe that he is alive, but i think a part of her will want to believe it.
My question is, how will GRRM conclude these storylines that are lacking in momentum/gravity?
On Jon Snow. I definitely feel he is alive. I am wondering how he will find out about his lineage? I have been thinking for a long time somehow through Howland Reed. And since Howlad Reed was at the Tower of Joy maybe Howland had Arhtur Dayne’s sword which could be the real lightbringer and is given to Jon.
I would have more confidence in it finishing if ADWD had a faster pace to it. A Storm of Swords had great pacing and by the end of that book the landscape of the world is completely changed. Even if the sixth book has this sort of pace and the same number of revelations, that’s only one book left to wrap everything up.
It seems that GRRM and his wife told convention fans that an 8th book is possible.
I’m happy if there’s 8 books, the more the better. I just hope each book is “self-contained” in terms of arc conclusion.
A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords were concluded with a flourish. We got to see the Battle of the Blackwater in CoK, Red Wedding, Joffrey’s Wedding and Tyrion’s trial in SoS.
In A Dance with Dragons, I wished we could have seen the Battle of Meereen or at least the Battle between Stannis and Ramsay in the North. It seems that the manuscript for aDwD DID include the conclusion to those 2 great battles, but the book was too long and the editor just cut the conclusion to those 2 battles from the final book. Maybe the editor could have cut some unnecessary POV chapters instead of cutting the climax?
So yeah, I think there will be 8 books, I just hope the editor has some compassion for the loyal readers who have waited over 5 years between books and will no longer cut climactic conclusions from future novels
GRRM is 64 years old.
Average Life Expectancy of the USA is 78.
Thats 14 years left til the ALE.
He needed 4 years per book by AVERAGE (last 2 books had been 6 and 5 years even!)
If the next 2 books take as long as the last 2, we need to pray that he finnishes them at all. So there wont be the time for an 8 book.
Dont get me wrong. I LOVE this book series and rate it as the best ever done. And I would like to read it forever and ever. Its just…. GRRM needs very long for a book and he is not a young man anymore.
So the question is:
Can ASOIAF be finnished during the life of GRRM?
I agree with Not Today and Hentailogic. 8 books is most likely, esp. given the number of open threads. It would seem rushed compared to the preceding pace to close these threads quicker, and GRRM has alluded to the potential need of 8 books.
Some additional threads…
The North:
- Not just Jon’s resurrection but also his parentage (as mentioned by Greg, Kyra, etc.) and his possible release from the NW as heir to Winterfell by the King of the North (Robb Stark).
Braavos:
- The Iron Bank of Braavos backs Stannis’s claim with a credit line, and Stannis sends Justin Massey to raise an army of sell swords with these funds as reinforcements.
Mereen/Pentos:
- Future moves by Magister Illyrio Mopatis.
- Barristan Selmy’s promise of Pentos to the Tattered Prince.
Hey guys.
Love all the memories being brought back by all
The proposals for the next two or three books!
For mine the game of Cyvasse is the biggest clue
To what will happen. Just my two cents.
There is also reference to Sandor Clegane being alive, altho he is reborn in the eyes of the faith and has put his ‘hound’ days behind him.
I want to say jon snow is not dead but this grrm the fearless charecter killer.
It probably will take eight books to finish the series. Martin does not seem to be committed to seven since that would just confine him so there is not particular reason he must hasten to end the story quickly.
The banners in the Vale have not been called yet and Dorne has only recently begun to significantly affect the story. There is a lot to happen in the Reach and the Rock as well. Littlefinger is manipulating the Vale to help Sansa Stark so the various bannermen and power brokers of the Vale are probably going to matter a lot.
The Daenerys-Aegon conflict (The Dance of Dance) will happen in the seventh book, which seems likely to become one of the lengthier wars.
There will probably some events that occur after this (the Citadel and Braavos may both attempt to kill the dragons and unthrone Daenerys if she ends up on the Iron Throne). Thus the eight book would probably handle the final stages of the story.
What does this mean, “Sam passing thru”?
One thing I would add is Jeyne Westerling. Is she pregnant and is her sister pretending to be her to hide that fact?