George R.R. Martin Blames Game Of Thrones For Delaying The Final Books

Cersei Lannister Game of Thrones HBO

There have been many things said since Game of Thrones' series finale, and while there have been some who believed the final season to be the best that could be done, many feel otherwise. George R.R. Martin has been a defender of the way the series handled the final leg of its journey, and has even gone so far to say fan reactions won't change the books' ending.

With that said, Martin does have one negative thing to say about the series. GRRM recently explained in an interview that he can attribute a lot of the delays on the final books in the A Song of Ice and Fire series to the show's success, and that his increased fame definitely affected the level of writing he has been able to complete.

I don’t think [the TV series] was very good for me. The very thing that should have speeded me up actually slowed me down. Every day I sat down to write and even if I had a good day … I’d feel terrible because I’d be thinking: ‘My God, I have to finish the book. I’ve only written four pages when I should have written 40.'

It's no surprise that fame has given George R.R. Martin a busier schedule than he may have had before Game of Thrones was a hit series on HBO. Once it took off, Martin consulted for the series, had other projects kick off, and even worked on expanding the show's world with other novels. Take that and the various conventions and events he's invited to, and he certainly doesn't have as much time to write as he once did.

And even when he does, George R.R. Martin told The Guardian his fame has come at the cost of things he used to love. Martin revealed attending conventions isn't as fun anymore, and that while getting a selfie with a fan used to be exciting, it has now turned into work. Similarly, Martin also said he can't even enjoy a trip to the book store without being surrounded by fans.

Though the fans may have consumed some of his former interests, George R.R. Martin has stated he won't bend to the negative reactions to Game of Thrones and change his story. The author explained that he's at a point where he's finishing and creating the story he wished to write for himself, and apparently not writing one for fans who loved the series and want a re-worked ending. As far as what he had to say on whether fans have accurately predicted which ways his novel will end, Martin said this.

I took myself out of all that ... some of [the theories] are right and some of [the theories] are wrong. They’ll find out when I finish.

Of course, Martin didn't give a timetable for when fans should expect his final two books. He's tried and failed to deliver enough times in the past that the author seems to know better by now than to promise any hard and fast release date. Until then, fans can only wait and hope he does complete them, and maybe place some bets on whether Martin's next book will come before Game of Thrones' showrunners make a public appearance to field questions on the final season.

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Mick Joest
Content Producer

Mick Joest is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend with his hand in an eclectic mix of television goodness. Star Trek is his main jam, but he also regularly reports on happenings in the world of Star Trek, WWE, Doctor Who, 90 Day Fiancé, Quantum Leap, and Big Brother. He graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Radio and Television. He's great at hosting panels and appearing on podcasts if given the chance as well.