How long (Book time) will the war against the Others last?

[Dolorous Edd]

Just wondering how many books will the war vs. the others take up? From the time they start seriously pushing against the wall to the time of they’re inevitable but costly defeat. A few weeks ago I read the first 2 books in the prince of nothing trilogy, and they were brilliant. The only "problem" is there is only one book to go and it's equivalent of "the last battle/War vs. the others" hasn't kicked off yet, it's still all about shadow games and movement behind the scenes. I'm sure it will be excellent but I would have really liked it to have lasted longer. I'm halfway through KOD now and the same appears to be the same for TWOT. Jordan’s had 11 books to set up the last battle, but it seems like the actual event itself will last less than a book in length. I will be bitterly disappointed if the same thing happens in ASOIAF. I want war! I want several books of struggling to hold back and seemingly unstoppable tide, men dying, lands falling. Fragile alliances forming and breaking as foolish, greedy lords still stubbornly vie for power in the face of oblivion. Not 5 books of people bitching over who gets the iron throne and then 1 book in which the others breach the wall, everyone kisses and makes up and then marches north to kick some ass and still be back home in time for tea and crumpets.

 

[asdar]

I agree with you. It's hard because there's really no proof that the Others are controlled.

For all we know they could be just a natural 'thing' that occurs during the long winter. If they're not just a thing then Mr. Martin has to introduce who's controlling them and what his/hers/it's goals are. I'm not even sure who the candidates would be right now, certainly not any of the characters that I can think of fit the bill.

We have at least A Dance of Dragons and two more books I believe.

So far I will say in defense of G. RR Martin that he's not just dragging it out, or cutting it off. His PoV's all seem relevent and vital to the story. I hope that continues.

We've had two books of war in the kingdoms, battle scenes like Tyrion getting slashed and Dany's taking of the city state.

I'm with you in liking war though, there's nothing like a good battle scene to get my blood pumping in a book.

 

[Culhwch]

I'm with Asdar... I don't think the lead-up has been superfluous in any way. The one event - the coming of the Others - isn't the whole picture. War has been raging in the Seven Kingdoms since the end of AGoT. It's building tension. If the Others had come at the start, while Robert was king and everything was relatively peaceful, the books would have been much duller. With what has come and what promises to come in the powerplays for the Iron Throne, the Starks vs the Lannisters, the Baratheons vs themselves, Dany vs everyone, I would hardly have even cared if the Others had never come into it at all....

 

[Dolorous Edd]

Oh, don't get me wrong. I think the series has been excellently handled, masterfully paced. I just want Martin to handle the others in the same manner he has everything else.

 

[Sword of the Morning]

I would take it that the others will be slowly become more present in the up coming three books, just as "magic" as increased over the series.