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Update 8/24/2017 1:00pm: George R.R. Martin’s remarks about not watching Game Of Thrones came from his agent. The author has since clarified that these comments were also just about the show’s seventh season.

Original — Game Of Thrones is currently the most popular show on television. But while fans are eagerly anticipating the finale of its seventh season, and each episode is watched by over 30 million people, George R.R. Martin isn’t among them. That’s because, despite creating the books upon which they’re based, the author does not watch the hugely popular series. The 68-year-old insists he just doesn’t have the time because of writing and “touring”.

Of course, Martin is still roundly recognized for his work on Game Of Thrones. In fact, the most popular question Martin receives from fans is, ‘When will the next book, entitled “The Winds of Winter”be released?’ He has been working on it for six years already. During this time the Game of Thrones television series actually moved ahead of the books. But the author still doesn’t have an answer.

“The book series and TV adaptation go their separate ways,” Martin told Metro. “On the screen characters are killed right and left. About twenty of them have died already, which are quite alive to me and will appear in a new book.”

The latest rumor is that “The Winds of Winter” will be completed next year, but George R.R. Martin is in no rush to hit a particular deadline.

“I did not start to write slower over the years,” the American author explained. “I was working on the first book for six year and four years on the second one. Fantasists who release their novels every year, do not offer books of large volume. These are not 1.5k pages like mine, but, for example, 500. In addition, I have not become younger. Age does not add enthusiasm.”

Simple gardener

Martin divides writers into two types: architects who create their worlds, thinking about the smallest details before starting to write; and gardeners, who advocate for improvisation. He attributes himself to the second type.

“This approach, of course, has its side effects,” Martin stated. “Several times the plot has led me to a dead end, from where there is no way out. I had to go back and rewrite everything again.”

No politics

George Martin doesn’t want readers to project the events from “Game of Thrones” to reality. There is no connection.

“Seven kingdoms are trying to unite against a common enemy –White Walkers, but this is not an allegory,” author said. “If I wanted to write about the real world, I would have done it.”

Why “Thrones”?

The popularity of “Game of Thrones” is not only due to the plot, Martin noted:

“Epic fantasy was born with the advent of “The Lord of the Rings” by Tolkien. After that, there were very popular book series – for example, made by Robert Jordan and Terry Brooks. Nevertheless, they remained being made for teenagers. And if they were made a series, then it would be a story for children about magic and dragons. HBO, which launched the “Game of Thrones,”pushed through all these conventions. They left a complicated plot, sex and violence.”

That’s why be believes that, despite the success of “Game of Thrones,” there was never a boom of similar series based on other books of the genre.

Martin does not accept ideas from fans

The American novelist likes to chat with fans about his work, but he never uses their ideas in his future works.

“I have enough (ideas. –Ed.) of my own,” Martin smiled. “Sometimes fan theories of the development of events look very grotesque, sometimes stunningly thought through. But in any case, they do not lead anywhere. I will not say in response to the reader’s version: yes, I assumed to do this. But I like to meet with fans.”

“Game of Thrones” could have become a film

Hollywood studios first drew attention to “A Song of Ice and Fire” after the success of “Lord of the Rings” by Peter Jackson.

“They asked me about a possible adaptation,” George Martin said. “But at that time it was only about the big screen. It could have been a movie or three.”

Who does Martin look like?

During the interview Martin repeatedly insists that from all of the characters of his story he feels closest to Tyrion Lannister, a dwarf and member of House Lannister.

“But actually, I’m more like Samwell Tarly,” Martin admitted.

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FACTBOX:

Facts about George R. R. Martin:

Age: 68

Country: the U.S.

In the 1970s and 1980s, he became famous for his stories and novels in the genre of science fiction and horror.

The first novel from the book series “The Song of Ice and Fire” was released in 1996. Work on the screen version was launched in 2007. The first season of the TV series was released in 2011.

In 2011, Time Magazine included George R. R. Martin in list of the most influential people in the world.