I am NOT on Twitter. I am NOT on Facebook. The only place I post myself, in my own words, is here on Live Journal.
I do have an official Twitter account, and an official Facebook account. I established these in self-defense, because there were fake accounts out there, where people pretending to be me were making various spurious pronouncements... pronouncements that would then get picked up all over the internet and repeated as if they were gospel.
The official Twitter and Facebook accounts are maintained for me by my minions and my publishers. I don't post there myself. I don't even read them or check comments. I have other stuff to do. LOTS of other stuff.
Anyway, a few weeks ago, Raya came to me and said the folks at Random House wanted to do a special promotion on Twitter, a "Twelve Days of Christmas" with a Westerosi twist. Did they have the green light? It sounded fun, and funny, so I said sure, and thought no more of it. It was just a little Christmas celebration.
But then, somehow, from somewhere, the rumor arose that the "12 Days" were actually a countdown... not to Xmas, but to the publication of THE WINDS OF WINTER, or the announcement of its completion and/ or pub date.
Sorry. Not true. Look, I've said before, and I will say again, I don't play games with news about the books. I know how many people are waiting, how long they have been waiting, how anxious they are. I am still working on WINDS. When it's done, I will announce it here. There won't be any clues to decipher, any codes or hidden meanings, the announcement will be straightforward and to the point. I won't time it to coincide with Xmas or Valentine's Day or Lincoln's Birthday, the book will not rise from the dead with Jesus on Easter Sunday. When it is done, I will say that's it is done, on whatever day I happen to finish.
I don't know how I can make it any clearer.
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MayabirdPecking at the keyboardRegistered Userregular
The galley was also where the ship's books were kept... the fourth and final volume of The Life of the Triarch Belicho, a famous Volantene patriot whose unbroken succession of conquests and triumphs ended rather abruptly when he was eaten by giants.
Continuing my way through A World of Ice and Fire.
I think that ADWD came out around when they started doing Iron Islands.
None of the repeated jargon through most of the book so far, and then all of a sudden multiple "many and more," "little and less," and "leal." I'm assuming those will be sticking around.
Also, some of the rivers in the maps are bugging me far more than I feel they should. The Blue Fork of the Triden is shown as connecting to Ironman's Bay, making it a strait, which it's totally not. Similarly, there's a river marked on one of the Iron Islands which would also be a Strait (which it could be, but the coloring doesn't match). It's nitpicky, but it's something I read from another author about how maps in a lot of fantasy books bother him because people don't pay attention to where rivers would actually flow based off of the geography, and now I can't help but notice it.
If you look to English history between 1066 and 1400, you can see (in my opinion) three times in which primogeniture broke down.
Edward the Confessor left behind no children, and completely bobbled succession, resulting in a three-way war for England between Harold Godwinson, Harald Hardrada, and William the Bastard.
Henry I's son died in the White Ship tragedy, leaving his daughter Matilda has his heir; Stephen of Blois pressed his claim as the senior male pretender to the throne, and the result was the Anarchy.
Henry II (son of Matilda) had severe issues with his sons and his wife; ruling over vast territories, too vast to be "eldest takes all," all of Henry's sons wanted their cut.
After 1400, you start getting into the territory of the War of the Roses, which eventually culminated in Henry Tudor taking the throne with an absolutely ridiculously weak claim to the throne. Honestly, Doran Martell's claim to the Iron Throne is a couple of orders of magnitude stronger than Henry VII's claim to England was.
With that said, agnatic-cognatic primogeniture appears to be the standard, legally recognized means of succession in Westeros (with Dorne following absolute-cognatic primogeniture, and the Iron Islands apparently being an agnatic elective outlier), for the same reason it was in English history: when the standard order of succession broke down, shit got real. People therefore had a vested interest in following standard lines of succession. As long as transitions were orderly and peaceful, you were more likely to be able to oppress peasants at your leisure, rather than dying on a muddy field with a lot of arrows stuck in you.
As noted above by AMFE, the major surviving claimants are people with competing claims. It's not so different from Matilda and Stephen's situation. It doesn't mean people are ignoring primogeniture, it means that they're having an argument about who is the rightful ruler under that system. Even with Renly, while he hand-waved away the problems people would have with him pressing his claim, it was something that people were bringing up.
I mean that article doesn't really disavow it coming out this year, just says its not currently on the schedule. I am not sure how long it takes to convert a final draft of a novel and get it into stores, but surely no more than 6 months? I'm not hopeful it will come out this year, I just think that to definitively say it won't be released this year from that article is a leap.
Not to surprising most publishing houses have around a 6 month lead up between when the final drafts are handed in and when it gets published and shipped. So for it to make 2015 at all it would likely have to be done in the next couple months and that is unlikely.
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JuliusCaptain of Serenityon my shipRegistered Userregular
Looking forward to the illustrated novellas though. Sound nice.
I wasn't expecting Winds of Winter to come out this year anyway. Hopefully it will in the first quarter of 2016.
Big name authors can get books from final draft to release a lot faster. The reason timelines like that are built is because the publisher needs time to advertise and convince bookstores and such to purchase the book to put it up for sale. GRRM is not a name that requires convincing. When he wants to release his book, people will buy it.
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Element BrianPeanut Butter ShillRegistered Userregular
I don't generally expect GRRM's books to come out until I run into them in a store. Same thing with expecting Berserk updates. You're just setting yourself up for disappointment by listening to any estimated deadlines, and you'll be pleasantly surprised when a new one comes "out of the blue".
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Rule of Acquisition number 34: War is good for business
Honestly, for an American talking about football? That's downright rational.
Per Reddit (ADwD SPOILER ALERT):
IIRC Rule 34 is: War is good for business
Which can also be good for business.
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3DS: 3454-0268-5595 Battle.net: SteelAngel#1772
For a Jets fan he sounds downright optimistic.
I think that ADWD came out around when they started doing Iron Islands.
None of the repeated jargon through most of the book so far, and then all of a sudden multiple "many and more," "little and less," and "leal." I'm assuming those will be sticking around.
Also, some of the rivers in the maps are bugging me far more than I feel they should. The Blue Fork of the Triden is shown as connecting to Ironman's Bay, making it a strait, which it's totally not. Similarly, there's a river marked on one of the Iron Islands which would also be a Strait (which it could be, but the coloring doesn't match). It's nitpicky, but it's something I read from another author about how maps in a lot of fantasy books bother him because people don't pay attention to where rivers would actually flow based off of the geography, and now I can't help but notice it.
Whenever something doesn't make sense, a dragon did it.
Aaaaand I'm off to play CKII.
When the Jets win the division.
A now we have the perfect set up for Angels in the Outfield 2: Angels in the Backfield.
FTFY
Arch,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_goGR39m2k
FTFTFY.
Steam: Elvenshae // PSN: Elvenshae // WotC: Elvenshae
Wilds of Aladrion: [https://forums.penny-arcade.com/discussion/comment/43159014/#Comment_43159014]Ellandryn[/url]
http://www.tor.com/blogs/2015/01/dance-with-dragons-manuscript-spoiler
If we're talking about angels, that means God, which then logically means....
TEBOW!
Dinklebeard at the end. So who's going to the IMAX showing?
Law and Order ≠ Justice
ACNH Island Isla Cero: DA-3082-2045-4142
Captain of the SES Comptroller of the State
I mean that article doesn't really disavow it coming out this year, just says its not currently on the schedule. I am not sure how long it takes to convert a final draft of a novel and get it into stores, but surely no more than 6 months? I'm not hopeful it will come out this year, I just think that to definitively say it won't be released this year from that article is a leap.
I wasn't expecting Winds of Winter to come out this year anyway. Hopefully it will in the first quarter of 2016.
Also remember they really like big obvious gift bait books to come out in the fall so you can buy them for people for Christmas gifts.
Arch,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_goGR39m2k
At this point it's pretty hilarious. Best case, she's what, 2-3 seasons out?
Well, there's a pretty decent chance that this season will end with "we're going to Westeros" cliffhanger.
No, that's a really punk ass cliffhanger. The show runners want something bigger and better.
I would actually really enjoy that, but people would lose their shit.
lady stoneheart's gone, man
I'd put money on Aegon being gone, too.
And at this rate I don't hold out much hope for the remaining Greyjoys.