Game of Thrones author George RR Martin weighs in on controversial finale: ‘Show had 8 hours, last two books have 3000 pages’

Game of Thrones author George RR Martin took to his personal blog to share some feelings about the series finale of the hit HBO show, which concluded its eight-season run on Monday with its largest viewership, but most polarising reactions. The show overtook Martin’s novels a couple of seasons ago, and the writer intends on concluding his Song of Ice and Fire novels with two more books.

Answering one of the biggest questions on fans’ minds - if the ending of the show matches Martin’s intended ending in the books - the author wrote, “How will it all end? The same ending as the show? Different? Well… yes. And no. And yes. And no. And yes. And no. And yes.”

In the series finale, Daenerys Targaryen is killed by her lover/nephew Jon Snow after her sudden and dramatic transformation into a villainous tyrant. Jon is sent into exile and his brother, Bran Stark is elected king.

Martin, who has closely collaborated with showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss on previous seasons, and has even written certain episodes, was not involved with season eight. Seemingly commenting on an ongoing point of contention among fans - the final season’s rushed narrative - Martin reminded them that while Benioff and Weiss had just six episodes to wrap up the story, the manuscripts of his final two novels will have roughly 3000 pages.

He wrote, “I am working in a very different medium than David and Dan, never forget. They had eight hours for this final season. I expect these last two books of mine will fill 3000 manuscript pages between them before I’m done… and if more pages and chapters and scenes are needed, I’ll add them.”

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As to which ending will be the ‘real’ ending, Martin recalled an analogy he has made before. “It’s a silly question,” he wrote. “How many children did Scarlett O’Hara have?” He’d previously explained the logic of this statement thus: “Three, in the novel. One, in the movie. None, in real life: she was a fictional character, she never existed. The show is the show, the books are the books; two different tellings of the same story.”

Martin had earlier expressed frustrations with the show, implying that creative differences crept in between the studio and himself. “The series has been... not completely faithful. Otherwise, it would have to run another five seasons.” He continued, “You know, it’s complex. I’m a little sad, actually. I wish we had a few more seasons.”

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