Writing a book is a huge task. Even more so, when it’s a novel of a fantasy fiction series on which the most popular TV show is based. And perhaps incredibly tough when you’ve been writing it for years, trying to finish what you promised long ago. Yes, we’re talking about George R. R. Martin. And yes, The Winds of Winter is on our minds. The author has earned a lot of fame and money through A Song of Ice and Fire. But the ghost of his unfinished penultimate novel in the series has got him flak from all corners of internet-crazy fan-territories.
The latest to join the caravan is Jeopardy!, a television game show popular for its questions being answers and answers being questions. In a recent episode, the show threw some shade on George R.R. Martin that caught a Reddit user’s eye who posted it on the Game of Thrones subreddit, titling it, “Jeopardy writers with the GRRM shade on today’s episode”.
[no spoilers] jeopardy writers with the GRRM shade on today’s episode from gameofthrones
In the episode, under a category named “After All These Years”, contestants needed to find the question for the following answer:
“After nearly a decade of waiting, this author assures us “The Winds of Winter” is coming – there’s an excerpt on his website.”
Contestants who aren’t familiar with Game of Thrones may have had a hard time. But all of us know the question would be: “Who is George R.R. Martin?”. The writers on Jeopardy! clearly took a dig on Martin for not being able to finish the sixth book in the series that inspired the phenomenon called Game of Thrones. For perspective, the fifth book, A Dance With Dragons released in 2011, just when Game of Thrones began.
Now, is the criticism fair or are we just dissing the author for no reason? While nobody likes getting hounded for their work, it becomes inevitable when you are this popular. With the attention that he has got, especially during the duration of the show, George has admitted that it’s been hard for him to finish what he started.
Despite that, he has had a long time and given hope about finishing The Winds on multiple occasions. So, if some of us are disappointed, they’re bound to be. Plus, it’s just testimony to the fact that how much they adore the saga. We don’t endorse the vitriol-filled wrath that people are subjected to on the internet; similar to what the creators of Game of Thrones got after the final season. But a silent, smart remark allowing your disapproval to flow casually, such as this one on Jeopardy would make even GRRM look up and smile embarrassingly. I think it lets him know that we’re waiting and watching. Indulgently, patiently!
The last we heard from Martin about The Winds of Winter, it was when he announced that he should be able to finish the book by the time he arrives in New Zealand for Worldcon 2020 (annual science fiction convention). If not, he said, the fans could lock him up in a cabin on White Island, overlooking the lake of sulphuric acid. Well, aren’t Jeopardy! writers just a wee bit tempted! The author has breached his deadlines before, he might do it again. But we’re hopeful. What about you? Do you think The Winds of Winter will release in 2020? Tell us in the comments section.
