George RR Martin made winds of winter unfinishable

[richardmurray]

from magenemirare

He claims three things lead to the song of ice and fire being unfinishable

Postmodern deconstruction, out of control complexity, subversion of mythological essence

 

postmodern deconstruction

He says Martin deconstructs the past, ala lord of the rings. Martin has said: where are the orc babies, where are the taxes. Martin has publicly said he questions the absence of living detail in tolkiens work, which is allows many to escape into lord of the rings. The reviewer calls is cynicism. Martin simply despises the smiling lies. In the USA of MArtin's youth many smiling lies existed and Martin finds in smiling lies a disgust. The former empire isn't acceptable because it has people of its former dominion in it. The ruler isn't worth idolizing cause they have betrayed what they said in public. The martyr's are worth praising cause their rigidity got them killed. Martin simply doesn't like the english/statian culture of narratives that hide the lies.

 

out of control complexity

The reviewer says there are two types of authors, an architect and a gardener. He calls Martin a gardener. I concur that the multiple narratives use is good for complexity. I concur that complexity is dangerous and clearly martin didn't have a control over the destination of the books. An architected designs the whole then place in. A gardener can lose control of the garden as it's plants may be beyond their control. I argue the problem is readers in the anglophone who are infatuated with endings, the happily ever after, the end, the good times end nature of storytelling is the problem. Just think what you want going forward. Why does an author have to end a story to make a reader feel satisfied.

 

subversion of mythological essence

What he suggests is that Martin started a book based on the fall of humanity, while tolkien made lord of the rings with the duality of forces. I think Martin didn't subvert mythological essence. The concept of universalism in storytelling, the heroes journey is always present, or the judeochristian, heaven hell dichotomy embrace or demand from all stories , are the real problems. Whenever a story doesn't fit the judeo christian narrative people addicted to it feel an essence is missing but they are wrong. A great point, is in Dungeons and Dragons movie, when people were angered the character, the most powerful, just walks off. The judeo christian narrative suggest a character of power is obligated if they are "good' to do "good" and by not doing "good" they are guilty or criminal or erroneous. But Martin is from the 60s child mentality, the same old same old. 

It isn't that the song of ice and fire isn't ending, but it doesn't have a true end. Cause the same old will always be. People of power will always exist. Each of the people of power will do cruel things and help friends, save lives and burn villages. Poor people will rise through ranks and be cut off a the head by wealthy while others will survive and thrive from under the halls of power. 

 

in conclusion

In the books there is an inn at the forks, that goes from a positive to negative to positive to negative state. That explains his true timeline. The book series doesn't have an end cause it isn't a story based on ending. The destination isn't a good defeats evil, but a continuation of evil side good. As it was at the beginning with Eddard stark cutting off the head of a criminal.