Martin update

[chump]

This is an update off Martin's site:

The hardcover of A FEAST FOR CROWS has now been released in both the US and the UK, just in case some of you have been visiting Mars for the past fhalf year. I have been touring all over the place and signing thousands of copies, but with the conclusion of my Canadian book tour last week, that's all done. I am back home again, and back at work.

With the FEAST served, next up is A DANCE WITH DRAGONS. This is the only place to find reliable information on DANCE. Please do not believe anything you might read anywhere else about release dates, completion, or page count. Until the book is actually finished and delivered, all that is just guesswork... and when it is finished and delivered you will read it here first.

A DANCE WITH DRAGONS will feature all the characters that you (and I) missed in A FEAST FOR CROWS. Jon, Tyrion, Davos, Dany, and Bran will all be present with major storylines, and toward the end of the novel Arya will appear as well, as will Asha Greyjoy. There will also be one new viewpoint character debuting and one old returning, giving me a total of nine POVs, plus the usual prologue.

The greater part of DANCE will take place at the same time as the events chronicled in FEAST... but though the two novels will run in parallel, there's nothing to prevent one parallel line from extending beyond its fellow, and the DANCE should indeed take the action beyond the end of FEAST. Just how far beyond remains to be seen, and will depend in large part on the page count when the new volume reaches the point where the last one ended. IF (and only if) I have the room, it is possible that I may drop in on a few more of the protagonists of FEAST towards the end of DANCE.

As of this writing, A DANCE WITH DRAGONS consists of some twenty-two finished chapters totalling 542 manuscript pages, plus another 100 to 150 pages of partial chapters, early drafts, scenes, and fragments. Some of that material will need to be revised, and of course much more remains to be written. My hope is to bring the book in at around 1200 to 1300 pages.

And before anyone writes me asking, yes, there is a third Dunk and Egg novella in the works as well. It's maybe three-quarters done, and sometime soon I want to find the time to finish that one too.

Anyway, that's how things stand at the end of January. I will try and update again around the beginning of April.

—George R.R. Martin, January 24, 2006

Does anyone have any ideas who the new POV or who the old POV returning could be.
The only old POV that could return that I can think of would be Theon.

 

[AryaUnderfoot]

Theon's a good guess. Or it could be Cat, although I think that would be hard to write and harder to read.

 

[JohnSnow]

Theon is the best guess, but if I were a betting man I would put the money on Davos. Even though his POV was less frequent, he should still play a large part, plus he is thought to be dead, but really isn't (IMHO).

snow

 

[Adasunshine]

Martin has already mentioned that Davos' POV is already part of the book in that little excerpt so kindly provided by chump.

My guesses on who the returning POV might be, my brain's working overtime, but I don't think it will be Cat, although that would be interesting as she's probably very dark now. Theon's a safe bet, I think everyone else is dead!!!

As for the new POV, maybe we get to see a little of Varys or Ilyrio? Then again, maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part. The other option is of course Osha with Rickon, as we know nothing about what's happened to them. There's also Gendry, though not sure he's a major player but strange that Martin brought him in then just left him at an inn with those girls. There is also Jorah Mormont who Dany ordered from her company - does he have a bigger part to play still? The options are endless...

I'm off to think some more....

xx

 

[Winters_Sorrow]

Well as for the old PoV, Theon probably is the safest bet. It'll be interesting if he undergoes a "Jamie-style metamorphosis" after his ordeals in the Dreadfort *shudder*

I hope the new one is Stannis or Melissandre, personally. All we've seen of them is either through Davos or Jon. Although it could also be someone like Dhario (mercenary commander with funky blue hair) or Jorah Mormont because in Dany's part of the world, we only have her viewpoint.

 

[Adasunshine]

I thought about Stannis or Melissandre but have noticed in the other books that Martin doesn't provide the POV's of leaders or priests, just of people in their circle so I can't imagine him bringing in either of these two, though methinks it would prove an interesting read.

xx

 

[Brian G Turner]

Please don't let it be Catelyn...!

 

[Dolorous Edd]

Please don't let it be Catelyn...!

Did someone not mention on here that GRRM has said that we won't be getitng anymore CAT POV's?

 

[gigi]

Please let it be Catelyn!

 

[AryaUnderfoot]

Did someone not mention on here that GRRM has said that we won't be getitng anymore CAT POV's?

She's not Cat anymore, technically. She's Stoneheart.

 

[red_temple]

I'd have to go with Theon for the old POV.

A wild swag for the new POV - Hodor.

 

[sawtooth]

I would agree with most everyone that the returning POV is Theon. We know Davos is in, and he is the only remaining previously used POV in the North.

For the new POV, I would like to see Osha/Rickon. Their whereabouts and activities are a big mystery. Is she raising him as a wilding? Hanging out in the house of Umber or Karstark? How about Shaggydog?

Meera would also be a great addition to the POV set (no offense to those who have offered Hodor). How about Howland Reed? That would be interesting, but maybe too revealing for GRRM.

Jorah Mormont would be great too, as Daenerys provides the only POV on her side of the world.

 

[hedgeknight]

I don't care who the new or old POVs are - just finish the damn book so we can argue....discuss it.
-g-

 

[Knight of the Day]

As it said returning POV it's probably Theon or Benjen Stark, but I would love one of these for a new POV:

Sirio foriel,
Brynden " The Blackfish " Tully,
Jaqen H'ghar ( possibly Sirio in disguise but dont think so),
Some of Robert's bastards Gendry ( Will he try for the throne when He discovers who his father was? Will he be as fierce a warrior as Robert?) Me smells blood on the trident!!! Or maybe Edric or Mya,
Arya's wolf Nymeria (probably hard to write a lot of lines though GRRRR etc),
Also cant remember where but there was talk of a Knight who went beyond the wall as far as could be looking for Others and a way to stop them ( I think one of Reeds' stories) could this be Coldhands.

any other characters you would like to see a POV from?????

 

[Tyranus]

It has to be Theon (Benjen never had a POV so he cannot be returning.)

As for the new, I have heard Quentyn a bit, but we already know what he is up to. Osha and Rickon however we have no clue about, so I do believe the new POV will be Osha. Then again, you can't discount Benjen having a POV.

 

[AryaUnderfoot]

any other characters you would like to see a POV from?????

It would be nice to get a Tyrell POV, since they are major players in the game. Maybe Willas Tyrell?

 

[rudycrab]

This may be off topic but since most people seem to think Theon is coming back, what do you think he will be up to? His POV always seemed to have a strange twisted brotherly love for Robb so mabye when he hears of the way Robb died, he will escape and bring about the end of Boltons and Freys. If it is Theon, I hope GRRM doesn't pull another Jaime but instead makes Theon become more "evil" in his quest for revenge.

 

[Tyranus]

Well since he is a prisoner of the Boltons I think he may be whining a bit and will give us insight to the schemes of the Boltons, who have the Fake Arya.

 

[Winters_Sorrow]

It'll be interesting to see what happens to Theon if it is him.
Obviously the first couple of chapters will just be him getting tortured...
But if he does manage to escape where will he go?
He has no support from the Iron Islanders, who view him as weak. He has no support anywhere else in the North (Theon Turncloak really has a ring to it, doesn't it? ), so in theory he has no where to run to.
Ha! Who knows, he may rush off to Dany as well - seems to be the trend at the moment

 

[Knight of the Day]

If the Boltons think of Theon as heir to iron islands they may not torture him but seek to ransom in return for support or surrender of the north.

The Damphair has no love for Euron and cannot support Asha but he may look to pronounce Theon as Heir.... maybe with help from Asha.. while Euron is away fighting!!!!