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I accept the Winds of Winter isn't coming

The Merry Exile

71,280 views

There’s a strange kind of peace that comes with accepting that A Song of Ice and Fire may never be finished.

For years, I’ve waited for The Winds of Winter. I’ve speculated, theorized, complained, hoped, and convinced myself that the next book was just around the corner. At some point, though, I realized I was spending too much time mourning the books we might never get instead of appreciating the books we already have.

So this video is my attempt to make peace with that.
Because whatever happens with the rest of the series, what George R. R. Martin has already written means an enormous amount to me. These books gave me characters I cared about, stories I couldn’t stop thinking about, and a world that has stayed with me long after I turned the final page. I’m genuinely grateful to George for creating something that inspired so much imagination, discussion, friendship, and love from readers like me.

I still hope we get The Winds of Winter. I still hope George gets to tell the story he wants to tell. But I don’t want my appreciation for what exists to depend on an ending.

Maybe the books will be finished someday. Maybe they won’t.
Either way, I’m grateful we got them at all.

Thanks for watching — and I’d love to hear how you feel about the wait. Have you made peace with the possibility that A Song of Ice and Fire might remain unfinished?

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20 Comments

@xanatosm.9249 3 weeks ago Pinned

It will come next year

@situngkirnathan 2 weeks ago

Book fans talk bout George like he's their ex😭

@Languagevlogs 3 weeks ago (edited)

I really wish you would have cut the video off abruptly 2/3s of the way through.

@jables9229 3 weeks ago

My acceptance came in 2020 when he missed his self-imposed deadline of the New Zealand worldcon.

@GodMachin3 3 weeks ago

ASOIAF died in the cold with Jon Snow.

@Omenweaver 3 weeks ago

This video captures my sentiment better than any I've seen so far. I'm not mad anymore, I'm just over it, I've accepted the thing won't end and that's that. There's no fun in speculating on theories knowing we'll never really know what happens, it's not a great use of my time, and if George himself no longer cares, then why should I? I don't care for the shows either, so there's nothing left really. The fire has gone out, time to move on

@TheInfamous_Wolf 3 weeks ago

I accepted this long before the show ever ended at its horrible conclusion. That man isn't gonna finish his work.

@Mr.PepeSilvia 3 weeks ago

George Rest And Relaxation Martin

@altotas 3 weeks ago

I think he lost enthusiasm when he realized that it's impossible to end ASOIAF in two books without it feeling rushed pacing and worldbuilding-wise. You honestly need at least four books, and he just does not want to commit.

@griffinh21 3 weeks ago

We might have actually gotten the end of the series if they never made the show

@DieEineMieze 2 weeks ago

I never understood people who say, leave him alone, it’s his decision. Sure, don’t harass him, but why shouldn’t people care or ask why he won’t finish it? Especially when he keeps starting new shows and projects in the same universe.

The people who made him famous and rich deserve some honesty. If he can’t or doesn’t want to finish the books anymore, why not just admit it instead of repeatedly giving deadlines he never meets, doing interviews about the series, and working on other projects?

It’s like waiting for someone who has been missing for years. You keep hoping because you don’t know whether they’re coming back, and that uncertainty prolongs the suffering.

At this point, the way he keeps pretending the series will eventually be finished just feels cowardly and dishonest.

@johnjohnson3830 3 weeks ago

George’s main love was always tv. Then the books got big and he went “well they say my books are unadaptable, so let’s make them bigger and more self indulgent because tv or a movie is off the table.” Then hbo did what many said was impossible

@Grumpygrump2 3 weeks ago

I don't even watch House of the Dragon. I think he may be resigned to releasing whats left posthumously to avoid any criticism to what's the same as the final seasons.

@darrelavery9809 3 weeks ago

I contrarily believe the series will be completed one day, it just won't be GRRM finishing it. There's too money to be made to not finish it with other writers.

@frozen1762 2 weeks ago

When he dies after legal dispute someone will continue and write another 10-15 books needed to finish the story. I'm actually surprised some fanfic writer haven't written this and at least another book already.

@cjc2010 2 weeks ago

My sentiments exactly. GRRM is free to spend his time as he chooses. He does not owe the fans an ending. And he’s still a massive jerk for not finishing.

@gracianocorona4082 3 weeks ago

Don’t worry everyone I’m writing it!! The “fan fiction “ 😉. It’s slow but I’ll finish it before him lol

@MorgothBagluir 3 weeks ago

I am convinced that even if Martin had another 200 years left in him, he still would not finish ASOIAF. He would just find more ways to procrastinate. Attend more vanity events, more shallow interviews and panels that contribute nothing to his legacy and of course... blame the state of the world for him not writing the books.
He can do with his life what he wants, but honesty is owed to the community, that's all. And just as he doesn't owe us more books, the fandom doesn't owe Martin any loyalty or interest in his many side projects or rants.

@damongnojek3912 3 weeks ago

He has also mused that it could end up being an 8 book series.

Thats how disconnected he is from the end.

@bandoogiemanz 3 weeks ago (edited)

What you're saying reminds me of TV shows I like, that only got one season then were canceled. No matter how much I like them, I will never recommend them to anyone because, I don't want someone else to get hooked and then experience that letdown because there's no continuation, like I was.