'Game of Thrones' author: 'HBO makes the show faster than I can write'
Published Jun 15 2012, 12:44 BST | By Morgan Jeffery
Game of Thrones creator George R R Martin has admitted that he is worried HBO's TV series could outpace his novels.Martin has written five books in his 'Song of Ice and Fire' saga since 1996, while HBO has commissioned a third season of its popular adaptation.
© HBO
"I'm working on [a new novel], and a number of 'Ice and Fire'-related things at the same time," he explained in an official HBO interview.
"Not only 'The Winds of Winter', which is Book 6, but we're also coming out with a big concordance called 'The World of Ice and Fire', which is about the whole history of Westeros and will be lavishly illustrated."
The author explained that, with his multitude of projects, "production [on the TV series] is moving faster than I can write".
"It's a slow process the way I write, especially books of this size that are as large and complex as they are," he said. "It's still a slow process.
"I am aware of the TV series moving along behind me like a giant locomotive, and I know I need to lay the track more quickly, perhaps, because the locomotive is soon going to be bearing down on me."
Martin added that he hopes his novel series and HBO's show will ultimately conclude simultaneously.
"The last thing I want is for the TV series to catch up with me," he said. "I've got a considerable headstart, but production is moving faster than I can write. I'm hoping that we'll finish the story at about the same time."
I'm a big fan of the show & have started reading the books. The books are incredible. The sheer size of them per volume can be challenging or daunting depending on how people look at them. I hope at least by the time (if we're lucky) that Season 5 or 6 comes out, we have the sixth book or the producers know in advance what's going to happen so it doesn't stop the show. The third book I'm told is amazing, so I'll go back and continue reading. Fingers crossed they don't overlap.
June 27th 2012 at 11:32am
Considering the size of the books hear are my predictions (very similar to ryanellis' predictions earlier.)
Series 3 - 1/2 Storm of Swords (possibly to the Red Wedding)
Series 4 - 1/2 Storm of Swords
Series 5 - 1/2 Feast of Crows + 1/4 of Dance Of Dragons
Series 6 - 1/2 Feast of Crows + 1/4 of Dance Of Dragons
Series 7 - Remaining 1/2 of Dance of Dragons
Depending on the size of Winds of Winter, that could be series 8 + 1/2 series 9 and The Dream of Spring being 1/2 series 9 and series 10. (Good number to go out on.)
Lets Hope he can get the books out in time
June 16th 2012 at 11:47am
Seeing as Book 4 and 5 need to be combined (or we'll have a Tyrion and Dany free series) He has 3 maybe 4 years to write two books good luck with that George!
June 16th 2012 at 8:59am
The producers have already said that they need to break up books after the second series because they are not convenient self contained stories. It is already expected that the next book will be broken up into more than one series, probably up to the Red Wedding.
June 18th 2012 at 8:42am
The kids growing up is a bigger problem then enough books. lets be honest the cost of this show HBO wont let it run and run.
June 15th 2012 at 9:00pm
When it started he was saying it would be fine and he'd finish well before the show. I don't think anyone believed him at the time, but it's good to see he's beginning to realise that himself.
Considering there were 5 years between books 3 and 4, and another 6 between 4 and 5, I'd say it's by no means guaranteed he'll be done before the series catches up.
June 15th 2012 at 5:51pm