George has updated!!

[Werthead]

Sansa. This is the first we knew of her being in the book.

 

[viZion]

I'm actually pleased about Arya, too. I mean, I've only seen words to the effect that Arya would "probably" be in the next book and that he would "probably" include a few POVs that would tie up the cliffhangers in AFFC. For me, this is the first time I've seen confirmation from GRRM himself that Arya would be in the new book.

 

[Werthead]

He said back when the books were split that some of Arya's chapters were being saved for ADWD for reasons that would become clear once we read ADWD. She's been on the official, confirmed ADWD POV list since then. Maybe I should have reposted that here, but it's a big spoiler so I decided not to.

Sansa was the big news and some have taken it as an indication we may see Brienne, Cersei or other AFFC POVs in the new book, at least briefly. I wouldn't go that far, but it is intriguing.

 

[Boaz]

Wert, I salute you for keeping your ear to the ground.

 

[Valko]

He's taken so long completing ADWD that I recognise the names but I've completely forgotten where they fit into the story now.
Most active authors have published 2-3 books since AFFC.
He must be suffering some serious writer's block or as I've said previously, he's too busy to write due to merchandising and promotion of other projects.

Too many irons...

 

[pan naranus]

Had it occurred to you that possibly he is actually sitting and writing, and re writing and re writing everything to perfection?
Ever tried your hand at a one thousand pages masterpiece? Apparently it takes time.
Jordan wrote faster books of similar volume, but they weren't that good. (No offence intended).
I wait eagerly for the dance, but I prefer a complete, subtle, complex and deep writing in the standards of SOI&F, than a book that smells like a deficit in a writer's bank account and pushy editors.

 

[Boaz]

I second that, pan.

 

[Adasunshine]

Bad news from the latest update: GRRM is pessimistic about hitting the end-of-June date.

Good news: GRRM confirmed the presence of one of the AFFC POVs in ADWD, which some people are very pleased about.

Damn! I just got all excited because the bloke in Waterstones (who was also a huge GRRM fan - I bought Dreamsongs today) told me that their release date was 1st November 2008...

*sighs*

Ah well, looks like I'll just have to wait a wee while longer...

Chuffed that Arya and Sansa are definites though...

xx

 

[Boaz]

Hey, Ada. Long time, no see.

Not to beat a dead horse, but Mr. Martin has said he'll post the minute he's ready to send his manuscript to the publisher.

A Song of Ice and Fire Update.

On this webpage he states, "I probably won't update this page again for quite a long while, so let me close by saying once again that when A DANCE WITH DRAGONS is finished, I will post that news here. The moment I finish the book, I will log on and make the announcement. You guys will be the third ones to know, right after Parris and my publishers."

 

[Adasunshine]

Hey Boaz! Good to see you too! I pop in here every now and then to read the debates from afar... as soon as ADWD is out, I'll be joining in with gusto!!!!

I know GRRM said that but I still (against my own wishes) hope that the sellers might, one day, be right about the date!!!

xx

 

[Valko]

Had it occurred to you that possibly he is actually sitting and writing, and re writing and re writing everything to perfection?
Ever tried your hand at a one thousand pages masterpiece? Apparently it takes time.
Jordan wrote faster books of similar volume, but they weren't that good. (No offence intended).
I wait eagerly for the dance, but I prefer a complete, subtle, complex and deep writing in the standards of SOI&F, than a book that smells like a deficit in a writer's bank account and pushy editors.

Hmm, ok here goes....

In answer to your very direct if slightly terse questions questions: What occurred to me is what I have written.
I haven't tried my hand at a thousand page masterpiece but there again we're not discussing my literary attributes are we! I agree on the Jordan front - Gave up after book 5- And finally, Your last statement is ironic as I believe it's exactly the size of his bank account that's delaying the book. i.e. self promotional trips to conventions, wild card drivel and all the other merchandising tat he has going on aswell.

 

[pan naranus]

Going to conventions is his right. He is a free man, and according to his "not a blog" he enjoys it very much. Not producing manuscripts like a machine is O.K by me, Ill be very crossed if he serves a half finished manuscript. I can wait a year, plenty to do and to read, but SOI&F was written is extremely high standards so far, letting these standards plumb will be a crime against the best fantasy work of the last... millennia I think.

 

[TK-421]

No sense in engaging the senseless, Pan. Save your typing.

 

[Boaz]

Ada, I must be so incredibly naive. Of course Martin keeps his publisher abreast of his progress... who in turn talks to the retailers... who in turn make predictions. I dunno, mayhaps the retailers might have a decent grasp on the timetable.

 

[Valko]

No sense in engaging the senseless, Pan. Save your typing.

Am I not allowed to have an opinion that differs from your's without you resorting to that type of post?
I thought the forums are here for dicussion and debate, not insults!

 

[Culhwch]

Am I not allowed to have an opinion that differs from your's without you resorting to that type of post?
I thought the forums are here for dicussion and debate, not insults!

They are, but it gets incredibly tiresome to repeatedly see folks accuse Martin of laziness or greediness or both - not just here, but across the web. It shows no respect, and is usually ill-informed, selfish, and born of a society used to instant gratification. The man is working, and I am sure working very hard. If you (or anyone else) can produce some evidence to show that George is lazy and only interested in his bank balance, I'll pay attention, but until then...

But, yes, as a moderator, I would like to remind everyone to keep a civil tongue.

 

[Werthead]

They are, but it gets incredibly tiresome to repeatedly see folks accuse Martin of laziness or greediness or both - not just here, but across the web. It shows no respect, and is usually ill-informed, selfish, and born of a society used to instant gratification. The man is working, and I am sure working very hard. If you (or anyone else) can produce some evidence to show that George is lazy and only interested in his bank balance, I'll pay attention, but until then...

But, yes, as a moderator, I would like to remind everyone to keep a civil tongue.

As a moderator on the main ASoIaF forum, I can speak to the fact that GRRM has been working exceptionally hard on the book and very certainly hasn't been lounging around on the fruits of his past success, and yes it certainly gets frustrating hearing people dish out the same tired arguments about how GRRM is taking the mick.

 

[TK-421]

Well, enough said about that.

Back to the update itself. I had a sneaking suspicion that we would see a Sansa chapter in ADWD. Her story will have a significant impact on how it all comes together at the end. Question is, will it be a Sansa POV like in ASOS or will it be an Alayne POV like in AFFC??? Now that she has found some of the mettle to deal with the "real" world of Westeros, I think we will see a new Sansa emerge.

 

[Boaz]

You make Sansa sound like Georgy Girl.

 

[Adasunshine]

Ada, I must be so incredibly naive. Of course Martin keeps his publisher abreast of his progress... who in turn talks to the retailers... who in turn make predictions. I dunno, mayhaps the retailers might have a decent grasp on the timetable.

You're such a gentleman Boaz and I would never call you naive!

I would love to agree that the retailers might have a decent grasp on the timetable but the publishers are more than guilty themselves of keeping the rumour mills turning, as everyone else keeps saying, GRRM is the only one who will know when he's done... everything else is just guesswork.

Still... there's always hope!!!

xx