Lamentations of a Frustrated Reader
June 16, 2008 – 11:11 pmGeorge R.R. Martin, author of one of the most engrossing and finest written fantasy series in decades, is too fucking slow. And it’s not just him. Countless authors take years between books of an ongoing series. It drives me nuts!
I picked up Martin’s “A Game of Thrones” a few years ago to read on the recommendation of some passing stranger that I met at a party, or walking in the street, or however you meet strangers and exchange reading suggestions. I had seen the book before in the few times I’ve been to a bookstore. The cover looked interesting, but without knowing anything about the author I couldn’t bring myself to take a risk. Instead some other book caught my eye. It wasn’t until that passing stranger gave me the “green light” that I felt compelled to buy it.
“Thrones” is a wonderful book. Characters could be called somewhat stereotypical, but with so much thought and depth put into them it would be hardly fair. From the childlike innocence in young Bran’s thoughts, to the brokenhearted self-despising malice in Tyrell, the book is easy to get engrossed. This book is only safe for reading on weekends, you will stay up way past your bedtime.
But the damn thing is a series. Which means that you have to go buy the next one, and then the next, and the next, and then “What?! It’s not out yet?”
So for the next few years you check the author’s blog twice a month to see the latest news. You reread the series in anticipation, and you keep reading the blog and the newsites and the forums for tidbits of info on when this new masterpiece will arrive, only to get tidbits of every other project the author is working on, like comics, and other series, and football season, and getting sick, and conventions, a trip to Paris….
George, and every other author who’s delays and infatuations torture dedicated fans, get your shit together please. Side jobs are great! it’s good to have hobbies! But think of the people who have died waiting for your next book. Through cancer, old age, and tragedy, millions of people have died since you finished the last one. You could die, with your work getting put into the hands of some other writer to finish off in some long winded tribute on the dust jacket, or never getting finished at all - an evil no lesser.
This is your master work. The work that, once completed, will put your name on the toungues on all whom could utter Tolkien. Are you willing to risk your series to be the one that was good, but never finished? Forgotten but for outdated Amazon lists?
The worst thing is, they’ll be still two more to go after this. I have 10 more years of this hell to endure. Sigh.
