George R.R. Martin, the fantasy and science fiction writer, whose Song of Ice and Fire series lead to HBO’s mega hit Game of Thrones, vented a bit about the contentious relationship he and his fans have developed in the last 14 years as they wait for his next book, The Winds of Winter.
In a May 28th post on his personal blog “Not a Blog,” Martin gave fans an update on a new project, a feature film based on his friend Howard Waldrop’s novella, A Dozen Tough Jobs, which is a take on the Labors of Hercules.
Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones (2019), HBO
“Some of you will just be pissed off by this, as you are by everything I announce here that is not about Westeros or The Winds of Winter,” he said. “You have given up on me, or on the book.” Then, seeming to change to the voice of his accusatory fans he continued, “I will never finish Winds, If I do, I will never finish A Dream of Spring. If I do, it won’t be any good. I ought to get some other writer to pinch hit for me… I am going to die soon anyway, because I am so old.”
He then goes on to list his other literary accomplishments including his personal writings and edited anthologies, while claiming that his fans don’t care about those, only Winds of Winter. He knows this, he says, because the fans have told him enough.
George R.R. Martin, presenting award the Hugo Award Ceremony 2017, Worldcon in Helsinki. Photo Credit: Sanna Pudas, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Martin then insists, “Thing is, I do care about them.” He speaks of the setting, the next book, the dynasties, individuals, and creatures. Insisting, “…I care about them all. More than you can ever imagine.”
For those fans who are interested in Martin’s existing work on adaptations of Waldrop’s stories, you can look for Lion Forge’s animated short films, Mary-Margaret Road Grader, Night of the Cooters, and The Ugly Chickens.
George R. R. Martin speaking with attendees at the 43rd Annual TusCon at the Radisson Hotel Tucson Airport in Tucson, Arizona. Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Waldrop’s A Dozen Tough Jobs reimagines Hercules as a sharecropper in the 1920’s and his legendary 12 labors as seemingly impossible obstacles on his journey to regain his freedom. Martin is producing the film alongside David Steward II and Stephanie Sperber. The screen play is being written by Joe Lansdale (who wrote Bubba Ho-Tep). The French animation house responsible for Blue Eye Samurai will be taking on animation duties for the movie.
“I loved A Dozen Tough Jobs the first time I read it, ages ago,” Martin said in a closing thought. “I loved Howard too. It saddens me that he did not live long enough to see the film; I hope we do him justice. How can we not? Hercules, Howard, Joe, Lion Forge… I wish you all could share my excitement at the prospect of this movie.”
Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones (2019), HBO
And Finally, he lists his current mood as “determined.”
Do you think George R.R. Martin will ever finish The Winds of Winter? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
