Release Date for A Dance With Dragons Announced, Plus a New Game of Thrones Trailer

[Scott Bullock]

Release Date for A Dance With Dragons Announced, Plus a New Game of Thrones Trailer

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The first full-length HBO Game of Thrones trailer, and a release date for the long awaited 5th book in the Song of Ice and Fire series? Somebody get me a change of pants ...

Amidst all the boxes of odor [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/108126-Official-Game-of-Thrones-Trailer-Impresses] promoting HBO's upcoming fantasy series Game of Thrones, out April 17, us wordy nose-in-book types have felt a little left out by author George R.R. Martin. He has the time to appear in promotional videos, oversee TV scripts, and grow that magnificent beard, yet we've had to wait 5 years for his next book? Well Martin, bless his beardy heart, is nearly done with the book. The long wait for A Dance With Dragons is finally ending July 12. And there is much rejoicing.

On his website [http://www.georgerrmartin.com/if-update.html], Martin has announced that "The end is in sight, at long long last, and we're close enough so that my editors and publishers at Bantam Spectra have set an actual publication date." Along with saying that this is the real, set in stone, honest-to-goodness release date, he has supplied us all with a handy countdown to the release, in case you feel the urge to watch the seconds until A Dance With Dragons is in your hands slowly dwindle.

Along with the official release date a brand new, full-length trailer for Game of Thrones was let loose, featuring Wights, beheadings, sword fights, and even more fantastic casting. It also is perhaps the first reminder that while the trailer only has almost-nudity, this show is on HBO and will most certainly not be appropriate for children, considering the books feature rape, incest, an abundance of extramarital affairs, and battles that make the Vietnam War look like a kindergarten slap-fight.

Source: Entertainment Weekly [http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/03/03/game-of-thrones-new-trailer/]

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[messy]

I'm gonna need a cigarette or something after that combined nerdgasm.

 

[Bretty]

if there was anyone I trusted to do this series justice it would be HBO. Thank the gods it was not Fox!

 

[Jamboxdotcom]

yeah, except that for those of us who have been waiting 5 years for ADwD and been disappointed by projected release date after projected release date, we're not likely to get too excited.
especially when GRRM himself admits he's not completely done writing it, yet. basically, they're asking us to believe that they're going to have that book proofed, edited, printed, shipped, and on the shelves in 4 months. that isn't likely even if he was done.

i got super excited when i heard this yesterday, but then reality set in.

 

[CoffeeOfDoom]

Argh! Why does it ADWD have to be released the day after I go on holiday for 2 weeks?! Fail!

 

[HT_Black]

Uh...is that Boromir in that trailer up there? Because I think that is.

 

[cainx10a]

Uh...is that Boromir in that trailer up there? Because I think that is.

Aye that's Ser Sean Bean it is! Dunno about you, but he fits in those medieval roles extremely well.

Also, just finished watching Legend of the Seeker Season 2. Guess I know what to spend my time on now

 

[Yokai]

SEAN BEEEEEEAAAAAAN
I've never read any of Martin's work other than Hedge Knight, and I am still completely stoked for this how because it features Sean Bean and his manly beard.

Also because it looks like it might be the first quality film work since Lord of the Rings to take the fantasy genre seriously.

 

[Ne1butme]

GRRM might not be my *****, but after waiting for so long, this feeling of relief and exaltation makes me realize that I'm GRRM's *****.

 

[drakythe]

I've actively been avoiding reading this series because ADWD has been so delayed... Is it the last book, or are there going to be more?

Also, how explicit are the rape/sex scenes in these books? I'm not a huge fan of reading those things but I do love a good fantasy series and don't want to never read this series because my imagination is blowing scenes out of proportion.

 

[Scott Bullock]

I've actively been avoiding reading this series because ADWD has been so delayed... Is it the last book, or are there going to be more?

Also, how explicit are the rape/sex scenes in these books? I'm not a huge fan of reading those things but I do love a good fantasy series and don't want to never read this series because my imagination is blowing scenes out of proportion.

Most of the rape, sex, etc., while not exactly glossed over, is never (as far as I can remember) excruciatingly detailed. A bit of detail, but nothing really pornographic. It shouldn't keep you from enjoying the series.

 

[Doc Theta Sigma]

Another release date for ADwD? Oh don't hurt me again George. Please. We need to believe in this. All we need is a little faith. Also praise the Seven that Virgin Media has HBO.

 

[ThaBenMan]

More trailer awesomeness, and sooooo excited for ADWD! That wight was pretty freaky looking (at least, I hope that was a wight and not an actual Other, excited to see those too).

Does anybody have any idea if this is going to be available on any kind of cable on-demand service? I'm totally willing to pay a bit to watch each episode or whatever, but I don't really want to actually get HBO just for this one show. I hope I don't have to resort to any... illicit means >_>

 

[littlewisp]

I dunno about you guys, but I've long since forgotten the majority of stuff that happened in those books. Ugh.

That and since I discovered China Mieville, all other authors suddenly seemed a bit paler.

 

[Jamboxdotcom]

SEAN BEEEEEEAAAAAAN
I've never read any of Martin's work other than Hedge Knight, and I am still completely stoked for this how because it features Sean Bean and his manly beard.

Also because it looks like it might be the first quality film work since Lord of the Rings to take the fantasy genre seriously.

Hedge Knight is set in the same world as ADwD, although it's admittedly much lighter in tone.

I've actively been avoiding reading this series because ADWD has been so delayed... Is it the last book, or are there going to be more?

Also, how explicit are the rape/sex scenes in these books? I'm not a huge fan of reading those things but I do love a good fantasy series and don't want to never read this series because my imagination is blowing scenes out of proportion.

it's not going to be the last book, which really sucks, considering how painful the wait has been for this one...
as has been noted, the rape/sex scenes aren't typically too bad (at least not the rape... in fact i don't think any actual rapes are explicitly described, though quite a few averted rapes), but your mileage may vary.

I dunno about you guys, but I've long since forgotten the majority of stuff that happened in those books. Ugh.

That and since I discovered China Mieville, all other authors suddenly seemed a bit paler.

China Mieville is indeed awesome. Perdido Street Station is one of the greatest books i've ever read. wasn't quite as thrilled with Kraken though, and i thought the allegory in The City & the City was a bit heavy-handed.

 

[drakythe]

I dunno about you guys, but I've long since forgotten the majority of stuff that happened in those books. Ugh.

I actually experienced this exact same thing with The Wheel of Time series. By the time book 12 came out I had forgotten the majority of the first 11 books, and did not want to slog through them again. I'll probably do it after the final trilogy has been released though.

I've actively been avoiding reading this series because ADWD has been so delayed... Is it the last book, or are there going to be more?

Also, how explicit are the rape/sex scenes in these books? I'm not a huge fan of reading those things but I do love a good fantasy series and don't want to never read this series because my imagination is blowing scenes out of proportion.

Most of the rape, sex, etc., while not exactly glossed over, is never (as far as I can remember) excruciatingly detailed. A bit of detail, but nothing really pornographic. It shouldn't keep you from enjoying the series.

Thanks. I recently read Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, which also had me worried, fortunately all of the scenes are easily skipped or... I guess 'clinical' in their descriptions. It is nice to know that authors don't always try to be erotic with their sex scenes.

 

[Erja_Perttu]

Uh...is that Boromir in that trailer up there? Because I think that is.

Aye that's Ser Sean Bean it is! Dunno about you, but he fits in those medieval roles extremely well.

Also, just finished watching Legend of the Seeker Season 2. Guess I know what to spend my time on now

Boromir? Sean Bean? I think you'll find that's Sharpe there!

I've never been so excited for a TV show, it looks to have combined all my favourite things in one great big shiny package and tied it up with the ribbon of brilliant casting. Here's waiting on April 17th!

 

[littlewisp]

China Mieville is indeed awesome. Perdido Street Station is one of the greatest books i've ever read. wasn't quite as thrilled with Kraken though, and i thought the allegory in The City & the City was a bit heavy-handed.

The Scar hit me deep, more than any of the others. While yes, I agree that not all of his books are um. . .on the level, the fact that he is experimenting and branching out and trying new things makes me squee all over. edit - I read somewhere on one of his many fan-stalkers pages that he's doing a sci fi next. Cannot wait.

And that trilogy, oh man, it made me spill creative juices all over the place. mmm.

I actually experienced this exact same thing with The Wheel of Time series. By the time book 12 came out I had forgotten the majority of the first 11 books, and did not want to slog through them again. I'll probably do it after the final trilogy has been released though.

I never finished Wheel of Time either, though I did always feel it was inferior to Martin's work.

 

[Mr Thin]

*eyes glaze over*

*frothes at mouth*

*falls to ground convulsing*

If he fails to meet this release date as well, I'm gonna find him, and, and... cut off his epic beard! Hahah!

 

[RandallJohn]

Absolutely cannot wait for both. I'm loving the casting for the HBO series (notably Tyrion, Arya, Joffrey, Cersei, and Jaime.)