Finished A Dance w Dragons Major spoilers, Do Not Click if YOu havent finished.

[Delhomeboy]

unless they've been waiting 10 years for the manuscript and there are fanboys with pitchforks and torches outside their offices

To be honest, I'm kind of surprised the publisher even let him get away with that; this isn't Stephen King or J.K. Rowling here, until a couple of years ago (before the tv series), this was, by my understanding, still a niche series. A very popular one, but nothing that, it would appear to me, would give an author license to take ten years on a MS without any pressure from his publisher whatsoever. GRRM must have a damn good agent.

[Porn Shop Clerk]

He's been involved with television and writing since the 60s, and has won a ton of awards. Just because he doesn't have name recognition doesn't mean he doesn't have clout.

[Delhomeboy]

He's been involved with television and writing since the 60s, and has won a ton of awards. Just because he doesn't have name recognition doesn't mean he doesn't have clout.

True, true.

Still, what I find interesting about ADWD is that, if you read the afterword for AFFC, he expected to have ADWD released the next year after AFFC. It'd be interesting to know what happened. Did the story get away from him? Was he busy with other projects? Did he have personal problems? I mean, ten years is a long time for a book to be released, especially one that, from what he himself said, was basically done. It's not a big deal at this point, but I do wonder how that happens.

[Porn Shop Clerk]

he was having trouble figuring out how to depict happenings in meereen after dany flew away so he added selmy as a pov character

that's his story anyway

also he does a LOT of editing on the side. hopefully that will taper off now.

[Delhomeboy]

also he does a LOT of editing on the side. hopefully that will taper off now.

Yeah, I agree (or at least I hope). I think the TV series will be the best thing for the book fans, because now Martin a) has a much wider audience than he had previously and b) has something of a time limit as to how long he can take to publish these. I'm sure neither he nor the TV writers want to get into a situation where the series has caught up with the books but the books haven't been published.

[Porn Shop Clerk]

honestly i've been waiting so long now that i really don't care if he finishes it or not. as it stands he peaked on the 3rd book

but at least it hasn't gone downhill like wheel of time

[Ruff]

Just finished.

First, I think Jon did die, but he's going to transfer into Ghost. Then, Melisandre is going to resurrect his original body, and Jon is going to warg back into it, once again alive, (and maybe a servant of Melisandre's.)

I think that, with Jon's death, things are going to go crazy at the Wall. Pretty much the Wildlings are going to overrun the crows and Queen's Men, and Tormund is going to take control of the Wall, and the Gift.

I'm pretty sure that Daario Naharis is Jaqan, and I think he's also the Alchemist that showed up in Oldtown in A Feast for Crows.

I think Arya will officially be accepted into the Faceless Men in the next book, becoming more than just an acolyte. She may be given free reign to finish off the people in her prayer.

I think Dorne is going to declare for Aegon once they hear that Quentyn died. Which will allow Aegon to overthrow the Iron Throne. Once Aegon (and Connington) have Storm's End, they will be able to march against King's Landing, and take the Iron Throne.

I don't think Cersei lives through the next book. If so, it's only because Varys allows it.

I think Jamie is going to be killed and arisen again, much like Lady Stoneheart. (Jamie will become Ser Goldhand?)

Coldhands, I'm almost certain, is Benjen Stark.

Sam has the real Horn of Juramun.

[Ruff]

I'm starting to really think that Benjen is Coldhands (which is why he won't take his scarf off in front of Bran), and that he's helping Bran become the Great Other. In the end, I think it'll be a great war between Bran (Ice, the North, the Wildlings, the Giants, the Others, the Children of the Forest) versus Aegon and Dany (Fire. The South, Dorne, the Iron Throne.) Which will be the true Song of Ice and Fire.

I don't know if it cheapens the story that red priests and priestesses can resurrect characters, I think it adds a layer of depth. It definitely changes them in the process. (Look what Dondarrion became and look at what became of Cat). It may end of that Lady Stoneheart demands the death of Jamie, Jamie dies, and comes back as someone reborn. Maybe, when Jamie is resurrected, he can become Azor Ahai, which would mean that he would have to kill Cersei to gain Lightbringer.

[Porn Shop Clerk]

Maybe, when Jamie is resurrected, he can become Azor Ahai, which would mean that he would have to kill Cersei to gain Lightbringer.

that would be pretty bad ass

[Bronn]

I'm not entirely sold on Benjen being Coldhands at this point... I figured Bran would recognize his own uncle, even if most of his face was covered in a scarf... Plus the kid in the cave told Bran and Co. that the wights had killed Coldhands "long ago" and Benjen didn't die all to long ago, if he died at all...

Whomever Coldhands is, I'm pretty sure he's a wight, or has some sort of undead characteristic... He never breathes, eats, nor sleeps, so that is a pretty assuring sign that he doesn't need to do so...

I still say Jon is AA, and that Melisandre will use him (once she puts him back in his own body) to do her will against the Others...

Also, on that note, I bet to put John back into his own body, she'll sacrifice Ghost to do so... much like the blood magic used with Dany's story arc across the Narrow Sea... Blood for a life... Ghost's blood for Jon's life...

[Ruff]

I'm not entirely sold on Benjen being Coldhands at this point... I figured Bran would recognize his own uncle, even if most of his face was covered in a scarf... Plus the kid in the cave told Bran and Co. that the wights had killed Coldhands "long ago" and Benjen didn't die all to long ago, if he died at all...

Whomever Coldhands is, I'm pretty sure he's a wight, or has some sort of undead characteristic... He never breathes, eats, nor sleeps, so that is a pretty assuring sign that he doesn't need to do so...

I still say Jon is AA, and that Melisandre will use him (once she puts him back in his own body) to do her will against the Others...

Also, on that note, I bet to put John back into his own body, she'll sacrifice Ghost to do so... much like the blood magic used with Dany's story arc across the Narrow Sea... Blood for a life... Ghost's blood for Jon's life...

Red Priests don't need to sacrifice. Thoros of Myr just breathed the fire of life back into Dondarrion, and he rose from the dead.

And I'm not so sure Bran would recognize Benjen. It's been about three years from the time Bran fell to the time Benjen would've died and been reborn as a wight. With a scarf around all but his eyes and forehead, plus being pale from the dead, and having a wight's eyes, then yeah, he would look differently.

[Bronn]

I think you're forgetting Melisandre already using blood magic when tossing the leeches into the fire to represent the coming deaths of Renly, Balon, and Robb... Not only can it be used for resurrection, but also for death... Red Priests (and priestesses) are well versed in blood magic..

You could be right about Benjen, but I'm not sold on the idea... GRRM is a pro at wanting you to believe something and then changing it completely...