GoT creator George R.R. Martin says fan reactions won't influence book ending

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ANI Hollywood
Last Updated : Jul 16 2019 | 11:35 AM IST

The insanely popular HBO show 'Game of Thrones' came to an end with its eighth season, which left many fans so disappointed that they created a petition seeking its remake. Creator George R.R. Martin, however, said that he won't let fans of the series dictate how he writes the book ending of his epic fantasy saga.

'GoT' fans obviously had a lot of strong feelings about the plot twists that took place in the show's final season, at least, some of which were inspired by Martin, who wrote the 'Song of Ice and Fire' book series on which the show is based.

However, Martin said that none of the outspoken reactions, positive or negative, will change anything that he has planned for his novels, reported Entertainment Weekly.

The 70-year-old author is still working on the final two installments of his 'A Song of Ice and Fire' series -- 'The Winds of Winter' and 'A Dream of Spring'. He said that he is sticking to his planned ending regardless of how fans reacted to the show, despite some lingering temptation.

"And there is a temptation to then change it in the upcoming books -- 'Oh my god, it's screwed up, I have to come up with something different,'" Martin told the outlet.

"But that's wrong. Because you've been planning for a certain ending and if you suddenly change direction just because somebody figured it out, or because they don't like it, then it screws up the whole structure," he added.

"I want to write the book I've always intended to write all along and when it comes out they can like it or they can not like it," he continued.

Many fans have earlier voiced their disappointment over the writing and character development of the final season. Some fans even created a petition urging the show's creators to "remake" the eighth season. Another campaign led by some disappointed fans aimed to have the series' creators, David Benioff, and D. B. Weiss, appear as the top Google result for "bad writers."

The author has previously said that while he gave the show writers an outline of events, they chose to follow certain ideas and change or leave out others.

"It's like two alternate realities existing side-by-side. I have to double down and do my version of it which is what I've been doing," Martin told the outlet of the books and the show.

Martin also revealed that he felt a tremendous amount of pressure to write his books to stay ahead of the show. Now that it has ended, he said he isn't racing to finish the series.

"There's no longer a race. The show is over. I'm writing the book. It will be done when it's done. I don't only want to finish it, I want to make it as good as I possibly can," he said.

The finale saw Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) descend into madness, only to be killed by her lover Jon Snow (Kit Harington). Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) became Queen in the North, newly liberated from the rest of the seven kingdoms. Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) sailed to explore what's west of Westeros. Jon Snow (Kit Harington) was sent to the Night's Watch but really was free to go live with the Wildlings and Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright) was crowned king of the six kingdoms (excluding Winterfell).

The final season of the show concluded with its last episode aired on May 19.

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First Published: Jul 16 2019 | 11:25 AM IST

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