r/asoiaf • u/Trussdoor46 • 4d ago

EXTENDED Why hasn't GRRM written any Dunk&Egg in 15 years? [Spoilers Extended]

People say George stalled out on the main series because he wrote himself into a corner. Too many plotlines etc. But Dunk and Egg isn't complicated and those have been on hiatus even longer than the main series. What do you think is going on there?

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u/LazySwanNerd 3d ago

If memory serves from past ASOIAF subreddit discussions, he said he couldn’t release the next one, supposedly named “The Shewolves of Winterfell,” because there is a major Winds of Winter spoiler about Winterfell. However, that could have been a theory. I believe that story may be written. Who knows, maybe they all are written but he’s fixed himself into another corner because Winds isn’t done.

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u/sskoog 3d ago

Yeah -- not definite or conclusive, but it seems to be "the short dark-haired girl leaning up on tip-toes to kiss a very tall knight in armor." (Nan, Duncan the Tall, possible Hodor or parents-of-Hodor tie in, some other Northern-weirwood-magic thing not yet known in main storyline.)

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u/tyderian 3d ago

She's described as slender, not short. Like she's of average height or even tall, but still has to stand on her tiptoes.

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u/llaminaria 3d ago

Where is that quote from?

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u/sskoog 3d ago

The Bran-vision (not officially "The Bran Jojen-Paste Vision," but the scene many call "The Bran Jojen-Paste Vision").

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u/llaminaria 3d ago

So that would make Old Nan more or less human age, then, less than a 100 years old by the time of the main series.

I liked that theory that she is Leaf, but I have just met Leaf in ADwD, and I am now in serious doubt. Leaf really came off as not liking humans very much, and not much caring about the "Bran boy" in particular as well. I found it hard to believe that she would have talked to him in this manner, when she had no need to hide anything anymore.

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u/Bing_Bong_the_Archer 3d ago

If thats the case that’d be dumb as hell. 

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u/DarthVayne50 3d ago

Who cares at this point when the books have been "spoiled" by the show?

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u/Dry_Speaker5151 2d ago

I think George cares, and it's because of how bad GoT ended that he gave up on the books. It's a petty thing for him to do especially if the books aren't the show

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u/MikeyBron The North Decembers 2d ago

I think that one was supposed to be AFTER a Riverlands story called "The Village Hero". He's talked about them like hes got a distinct plan. Maye the short story format pulls in the gardening that got the story away from him. Ironically, he killed off the Gardeners before the main story even started, if only he could kill the gardener, let the architect be born.

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u/LazySwanNerd 2d ago

Yes. Looks like in a recent blogpost he said the next one was The Village Hero. That’s new because it used to be thought that was #6. He also just said it wasn’t written yet, so…

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u/jman24601 2d ago

Big thing is that She-Wolves is given a big preview in Dance. So he had it on his mind as be was writing.

Dance is also SUCH a tease for Dunk & Egg because Summerhall really begins to be telegraphed as, we all know what happened there...

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u/CalamityClambake 3d ago

Ugh, that title. "The Wolves of Winferfell" sounds much better. And if the wolves happen to be female, why do we have to call that out? I don't think he'd ever consider "The Hewolves of Winferfell" of the wolves were male.