His inspiration is so far gone that doing anything else has become a defense mechanism at this point. Imagine the worst period of procrastination you've ever experienced. It has to be like that. His heart isn't in it and the task of getting back in and tying everything up in a meaningful way probably feels insurmountable, but the immense pride that comes with authoring ASOIAF prevents him from passing the work on.

A lot of people think Brandon Sanderson should finish the series but I think that would make for a very stale and sterile end to the series. Sanderson books read like a movie script or something. They just keep moving forward without really slowing down to paint the environment and let the story breathe. It has to be someone else.

[–] paddirn@lemmy.world 10 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I wonder if he saw the bad reception that the end of Game of Thrones got and just assumed that it was pointless to finish it out. Which will be yet one more reason to hate the showrunners for ruining not just the show, but the books.

[–] szynaptic@lemm.ee 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I really want some obnoxious interviewer to open up with "So George, do you hate Benioff and Weiss now? If so, how much do you hate them?"

[–] MimicJar@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I'm sure he wouldn't answer, but he's given enough of an answer on this already. The books are the books and the show is the show. They may have similarities, they may differ. Additionally the show has limitations that the book doesn't. Actors age. Actors want to move on to new roles. Production has a budget.

I'm sure George has plenty of feedback for Benioff & Weiss. But also, literally everyone has feedback for them. They made some obvious and glaring mistakes.

[–] szynaptic@lemm.ee 1 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Sure, I agree. I just think it would be funny though if someone actually asked him. Like some completely thoughtless and vapid interviewer walks up to him, shoves a mic in his face and asks that lol.

[–] Blaze@sopuli.xyz 8 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Sanderson books read like a movie script or something. They just keep moving forward without really slowing down to paint the environment and let the story breathe.

Well put, I read the first Mistborn but never got really immersed in it, that's probably why

[–] Stamau123@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago

Felt the same way. It was around the time the rebellion kicked off before it was ordered to, and the first slave army is defeated. Something about how the whole thing progressed felt oddly rushed.

[–] voracitude@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

I don't know what "slow down and let the story breathe" means, can you explain a bit please? Myself, I'm not sure exactly what it was but I did notice a difference in style between Mistborn and The Way Of Kings. I thought the latter flowed better and illustrated his improvement as a writer; I'd be curious to hear what you think and how you'd quantify the difference, if you give Stormlight Archives a go!

[–] Blaze@sopuli.xyz 3 points 2 months ago

I might, thanks!

[–] CHOPSTEEQ@lemmy.ml 3 points 2 months ago

I’ve only read Stormlight so I have no comparison to the other works, but Way Of Kings is like 1/3rd painting scenery of crushing oppression and letting depression breathe. Sanderson is not right to finish ASOIAF, by his own admission, but it’s not for lack of skill.

[–] southsamurai@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I sympathize.

I've had the third book in the first series I wrote damn near twenty years ago, sitting unfinished for damn near that long. The first two flopped, and it took the wind out of my sails, which led me to re-editing the first two, and intending to rejigger the third and finish it.

But the original inspiration was gone. I still have the overall plot in my head, still have some of the scenes there, but getting that to come out in words just never happens.

If it isn't there, it isn't there, and trying to force it ends up making crappy writing.

[–] nickwitha_k@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Have you continued writing other things?

[–] southsamurai@sh.itjust.works 3 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Yeah, off and on. Mostly short fiction, some poetry, and another series that takes years before a book is finished lol.

[–] nickwitha_k@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 2 months ago

Good! I'm glad to hear that! I was worried from your previous comment that you might have been too discouraged.