Current Events > George RR Martin told 'he is going to die' at WorldCon and to hand off the books

(+) Yeah! (+)

to Brandon Sanderson, who was a panelist there.

Martin, appearing in a panel alongside Brandon Sanderson, Robin Hobb, Rebecca Roanhorse, and Ryan Cahill, was said to be confronted during a question and answer session by a supposed "fan" of his work, who demanded to know when he would be handing The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring the final novel in A Song of Ice and Fire to another author like Sanderson, adding that Martin was "probably going to die soon".

https://collider.com/george-r-r-martin-worldcon-angry-fan-comments-give-books-to-brandon-sanderson/

What an awful thing to say to someone. That dude should be banned from attending Worldcon and any other convention.

Told you are going to die

And probably going to die soon are way different

Nice clickbait title

Angry fans? More like angry spirits lol

Sanderson has enough writing of his own to worry about.

... Currently a few hundred pages into "Oathbringer"

WingsOfGood posted...

Told you are going to die

And probably going to die soon are way different

Nice clickbait title

Both are unacceptable to be saying to an author in any way shape or form, especially if you consider yourself a "fan".

I'm as frusrated as anyone about the lack of progress on Winds of Winter. But demanding that an author pass off their work and accusing them of being in a position where they're going to pass away "soon" which isn't even a guarantee is such entitled fan behavior that I honestly wouldn't blame Martin for putting the book on the shelf out of spite. Especially saying that of anyone that should finish it it'd be Sanderson, who from what I've read has such a massive difference in writing style that I can't imagine him being able to properly emulate the Martin work.

Flaming_Fire619 posted...

Both are unacceptable to be saying to an author in any way shape or form, especially if you consider yourself a "fan".

You are going to die is a threat. Title makes it sound like some nut threaten his life.

If grrm forbid anyone from finishing the series I wouldn't even be mad. Psycho behaviour.

GRRM deserves some flak for stringing along his fans like he has with books hes never going to finish. But this is too much

He ought to not finish or hand them off, just give everyone summaries of what happens to each main character and of the big climactic moments and just move on

Topic title and post say two different things.

Both are incredibly shitty to say. One deserves jail time where the other simply a slap to the backside of the head.

lmao the audacity

FurryPhilosifer posted...

If grrm forbid anyone from finishing the series I wouldn't even be mad. Psycho behaviour.

He already has long ago. He is very protective of his work, even going as far to say fanfiction is theft and has caused authors to go broke.

MNThunder posted...

He already has long ago. He is very protective of his work, even going as far to say fanfiction is theft and has caused authors to go broke.

How does that opinion correspond with authors going broke.

WingsOfGood posted...

Told you are going to die

And probably going to die soon are way different

Nice clickbait title

Seemed obvious what it was about with the hand the books off comment

FurryPhilosifer posted...

How does that opinion correspond with authors going broke.

Years ago in his blog he talked went off on fanfiction. Comparing fanfiction to how Lovecraft allowing his work to be used led him to die penniless and pushed the idea that allowing fanfiction will hurt authors financially

JFC I'm as mad as anyone that he's not finished but you do not get to say that to him!

Just grumble online that he's not working on it like the rest of us.

It's a shitty thing to say, but yeah definitely important to emphasize he didn't threaten him but instead was mentioning his mortality. One of those things is a crime and completely unacceptable whereas the other is being an asshole.

What a rude little shit.

He's entitled to nothing but what Martin chooses to give.

ShaneMcComez posted...

What an awful thing to say to someone. That dude should be banned from attending Worldcon and any other convention.

true, if martin can't actually do his job, why should he be invited to conventions

ai123 posted...

What a rude little shit.

He's entitled to nothing but what Martin chooses to give.

The problem isnt that he can't/won't finish. These things happen. I dont even think he owes it to anyone to hand off the series. The issue is he has strung people along for years saying he's working on it/close to finishing when that is clearly not the case.

If he'd just be up front and honest about it it'd be a different story.

Yea I really don't feel bad for him, because of how he's spoken about his fans in the past.

Is it a shitty thing to say?
Yes.
Is it the truth?
Also yes.

This the stuff people without awareness say. Like its probably the logical truth, but you just dont say it.

Tbh ..I dont mind it. Hes probably not finishing them out of spite at this point

kawalimus posted...

The problem isnt that he can't/won't finish. These things happen. I dont even think he owes it to anyone to hand off the series. The issue is he has strung people along for years saying he's working on it/close to finishing when that is clearly not the case.

If he'd just be up front and honest about it it'd be a different story.

15 years ago he was already several chapter into the book. If he hasnt finished by now, hes never going to.

Do people think Martin is deliberately lying about working on the book?

I always got the impression he wants to be working on it/is trying to, but can't bring himself to for whatever reason. Not that he knows he isn't going to do it.

FurryPhilosifer posted...

Do people think Martin is deliberately lying about working on the book?

He very much is.

FurryPhilosifer posted...

Do people think Martin is deliberately lying about working on the book?

I always got the impression he wants to be working on it/is trying to, but can't bring himself to for whatever reason. Not that he knows he isn't going to do it.

I don't agree with what this fan said at all, but GRRM is absolutely lying about working on the book. He is way beyond benefit of the doubt at this point. He made tons of promises that he then just ignored. Including the infamous: "if I dont have THE WINDS OF WINTER in hand when I arrive in New Zealand for worldcon in summer 2020, you have here my formal written permission to imprison me in a small cabin, until Im done."

For whatever reason he thinks stringing the fans along is a good idea. I don't know if it's trolling or intentional maliciousness towards his fans, but he is absolutely lying about working on it.

Wtf is wrong with him

It's funny because it's really obvious GRRM has the books finished and is just too scared to release them because they're not much better than what Dick and Dick did with the show. He'd rather be criticized for keeping it in limbo instead of criticized because it's disappointing.

Also, as a fledgling author, I'd low-key be thrilled for someone to be so passionate about my work that they say something this unhinged to me but it's still very unnecessary.

kawalimus posted...

The problem isnt that he can't/won't finish. These things happen. I dont even think he owes it to anyone to hand off the series. The issue is he has strung people along for years saying he's working on it/close to finishing when that is clearly not the case.

If he'd just be up front and honest about it it'd be a different story.

He's under no obligation to hand off anything.

He had been a prolific author, but the well dried up. Yes, he is in denial about that, which is a shame. But the constant demand that product continues, even if he's blocked, or dies? That leaves a bad taste.

if he were to hand it off, I absolutely would not want Sanderson to have to write it. I am way more interested in him finishing out the cosmere than having to stop and take time to finish GOT

Sanderson has said before that he would be the wrong person to do it. And he's successful enough now that he's doing exactly what he wants to be doing.

ai123 posted...

He's under no obligation to hand off anything.

He had been a prolific author, but the well dried up. Yes, he is in denial about that, which is a shame. But the constant demand that product continues, even if he's blocked, or dies? That leaves a bad taste.

All he has to do is say that, otherwise criticism is valid up to and including reminding him of his mortality.

TheLiarParadox posted...

It's funny because it's really obvious GRRM has the books finished and is just too scared to release them because they're not much better than what Dick and Dick did with the show. He'd rather be criticized for keeping it in limbo instead of criticized because it's disappointing.

As someone who started following his blog in 2005, no way does he have the books finished. He's been struggling with writer's block since then and he's always quick to tell his fans when he finished a new chapter.

They need to chill... Sanderson already has at least 8 books in the chamber he doesn't need to piled on more work.

That jagoff clearly misunderstood the concept of death of the author.

MNThunder posted...

He already has long ago. He is very protective of his work, even going as far to say fanfiction is theft and has caused authors to go broke.

The Barnes art collection was supposed to stay together, and that lasted about six months.

It doesn't matter what you will says, if no one will enforce it.

GRRM will give up on writing an ending. I fucking know it!

He is going to spend the rest of his life enjoying his money he made off fans. Absolutely disgusting.

I think most fans know this will be the reality and its talked about online, like hell I have said it here on gamefaqs in topics but in no way do you ever say that to him. Its just incredibly shitty. While I want the series finished of course Ive accepted it wont happen and he doesnt owe me an ending. Ive still enjoyed a great story/world/characters.

Now do I think we will see Winds of Winter? I actually do think its possible we see that in the next few years as long as he lives but Ive accepted A Dream of Spring will never come to fruition. Also as frustrating as it is George actually works on a lot of stuff, its just not what we want him to be working on. The guy is involved in tons of projects.

To me that is different than say Patrick Rothfuss who doesnt seem to hardly be doing anything except telling us how much better of a writer he is now but wont finish the final book. So ultimately yeah it sucks,ni wish we had a complete series but Im not going to be angry at George.

Umbreon posted...

Topic title and post say two different things.

Both are incredibly shitty to say. One deserves jail time where the other simply a slap to the backside of the head.

The exact quote was:

"Here's the thing...George, youre not gonna be around for much longer, and, this is a tough question that I wanted to ask...this is more directed at Brandon...wait, I was wondering, like, how would you feel about someone else taking over and finishing the books?"

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rCiQWbjPtYI&t=7762s&pp=2AHSPJACAdIHCQn_AKO1ajebQw%3D%3D

(At 2:09:20)

I don't know why news articles don't always just quote people directly.

Yeah, she still could have phrased it better, i.e. "you're not going to be around forever," but it wasn't as bad as what people were saying.

I mean, she is correct.

Martin doesn't want to admit it, but it's true.

ai123 posted...

He's under no obligation to hand off anything.

He had been a prolific author, but the well dried up. Yes, he is in denial about that, which is a shame. But the constant demand that product continues, even if he's blocked, or dies? That leaves a bad taste.

The thing is, that's a two-way street. He's under no obligation to produce any more works, but fans are under no obligation to continue praising him or using kid gloves when he's being paid to sit on a panel with a bunch of famous writers and answer questions from paying customers.

If he doesn't owe fans a single page of his unfinished series, then fans don't owe him a single shred of politeness in touching on the fact that he abandoned what he started. It's completely fair for them to badger him about this until the day he dies at public events he's been invited to for as long as he continues to pretend as if he's making progress while doing a dozen other side projects and raking in fat checks because of them.

mercurydude posted...

Yeah, she still could have phrased it better, i.e. "you're not going to be around forever," but it wasn't as bad as what people were saying.

tbh that's wrong. Doesn't matter how you say it, that's a shitty thing to ever tell someone. Period.

This "question" asked by the audience member was a thought that should never have left their brain.

You can't just come out and say it.

He's well aware that fans have been saying that for years. Still a shitty thing to say to his face though

s0nicfan posted...

If he doesn't owe fans a single page of his unfinished series, then fans don't owe him a single shred of politeness

No, people still owe him basic respect, regardless of whether or not he finished a book series.

FurryPhilosifer posted...

No, people still owe him basic respect, regardless of whether or not he finished a book series.

I dont consider asking him about his abandoned series, at a paid event where he's there to answer questions because said abandoned work made him famous, while he continues to gaslight audiences over a lack of progress at the same time he's churning out multiple side projects, a lack of basic respect.

Maybe 10 years ago it would have been, but not at this point.

s0nicfan posted...

I dont consider asking him about his abandoned series, at a paid event where he's there to answer questions because said abandoned work made him famous, while he continues to gaslight audiences over a lack of progress at the same time he's churning out multiple side projects, a lack of basic respect.

Maybe 10 years ago it would have been, but not at this point.

Then ask about an update or something on his progress. Not just a blunt "who's going to take over when you die?"

Some of the fans are just neurotic at this point. He deserves criticism, but move on with your lives and stop caring at this point.

I'm glad Shenmue fans are a positive bunch despite the story not being finished.

TheLiarParadox posted...

It's funny because it's really obvious GRRM has the books finished and is just too scared to release them because they're not much better than what Dick and Dick did with the show. He'd rather be criticized for keeping it in limbo instead of criticized because it's disappointing.

Also, as a fledgling author, I'd low-key be thrilled for someone to be so passionate about my work that they say something this unhinged to me but it's still very unnecessary.

That is the conspiracy theory that I'm most inclined to agree, because at this point there isn't a feasible reason for him to not have finished this work while working on other projects.

Chances are that the ending of the book is far closer to the HBO series than people thought, then the backlash made him backpedal hard.

If he was just being an old man and wanted to use his fortune living the rest of his life and not work ever again, I would understand, but afaik the guy is deliberately working on other projects and ignoring GoT specifically, something is up.