The world of Game of Thrones is once again on top of the world, thanks to House of the Dragon. However, the source material that inspired both shows, A Song of Ice and Fire, remains incomplete. George R. R. Martin has been writing the sixth book in the series, The Winds of Winter, for over a decade, and it doesn’t seem like he’s anywhere close to finishing it.
Fans who have been waiting since 2011 are logically frustrated with the wait. Luckily, they channel their disappointment into humor, and these memes perfectly summarize their complicated feelings.
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Is This Enough?
George R. R. Martin has been writing The Winds of Winter for over a decade. He’s been very clear about his slow progress, but he also has his plate full of multiple projects, including House of the Dragon and the Dunk and Egg book series.
This hilarious meme pokes fun at the juxtaposition between Martin’s creativity with his new projects as opposed to The Winds of Winter. It’s hard to fault Martin because his career is expanding, but his inability to finish the book hints at something deeper than just having too many projects. It seems like he doesn’t know how to finish his story.
Slow As A Turtle
Martin has often described his writing style as “gardening.” His stories “grow and evolve” as he writes them, meaning he can’t go into the details and specifics of his story because he might not know them yet.
Knowing this fact, it’s easier to understand why his books take so long to finish. Martin’s approach to writing is ever-changing, and he’s often mentioned how he goes back and rewrites finished chapters more than once. Thus, this meme comparing him to a turtle is surprisingly accurate. Martin is not a fast writer, but his projects are worth the wait. Hopefully, he’ll pick up the pace, though.
The Perfect Team
Elden Ring premiered in 2022 with worldbuilding provided by Martin. The game received critical acclaim from critics and fans, with many considering it among the finest entries in the fantasy genre. Announced in 2017, Elden Ring took five years to come out, making fans anxious throughout the wait.
This meme from 2020 pokes fun at the wait fans of Elden Ring and The Winds of Winter had to endure. Some users claimed both projects would arrive in 2021, while others doubted that release date. Alas, Elden Ring came out in 2022, but The Winds of Winter is probably years away.
Do You Even Want To Be Here?
A few months ago, Martin announced he’d be creating a new series for Marvel Comics. His Wild Cards series received a comic book adaptation, expanding his literary reach beyond fantasy novels.
Fans reacted to the announcement with excitement and a simultaneous eye roll. They loved the idea of Wild Cards receiving a comic book but lamented Martin’s focus on everything but The Winds of Winter. This meme perfectly depicts their sentiment; it’s not anger or frustration but weariness and disappointment at a book that seems farther away than ever.
You Dirty Bird!
Annie Wilkes is one of the best villains in film history. Brilliantly played by the one and only Kathy Bates, who won an Oscar for her portrayal, Annie is a deranged former nurse who holds her favorite author captive and forces him to write a new novel.
This meme pokes fun at The Winds of Winter‘s delay by proposing Annie is holding the manuscript hostage until it’s to her liking. The prospect is ridiculous enough to be humorous, although it’s best not to over-analyze it because Annie is quite the deranged character and not someone who should be taken lightly.
The Winds Of Winter Moral Compass
The characters in Game of Thrones are famous for their moral ambiguity. They are neither good nor bad, but rather people in awful circumstances doing what they believe is necessary to win the game.
This Reddit meme uses four of the best characters in Game of Thrones — Varys, Margaery, Arya, and Samwell — to illustrate four perceptions fans might have about The Winds of Winter. It’s a great way to put it, especially because everyone has a different opinion about the book and its current state. And while many fans might have a negative opinion, others hope for the best.
A Taylor Song For Every Occasion
International popstar Taylor Swift has a song for every mood. As one of the most gifted songwriters in the business, Swift has a wide and iconic catalog of songs, including the famous 2012 hit “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.”
The Booktopia page on Facebook posted this bitterly funny meme about how fans “are never, ever, ever” getting The Winds of Winter. The wait seems endless, and Martin is no longer giving estimates on when the book will come out; thus, this pessimistic outlook seems safe for the fandom. The meme is funny, albeit painful, and perhaps too realistic.
Amateurs
A Song of Ice and Fire is far from the only franchise with an upcoming entry that’s taking longer than expected. Grand Theft Auto fans have been waiting for nine years for a sequel to 2013’s Grand Theft Auto Fans, and Elder Scrolls fans for eleven, the same amount as ASoIaF fans.
None of the franchises’ next entries have come out as of 2022, and fans are getting desperate. Studios and authors should absolutely take their time to deliver the best possible work, but they can’t blame the fans for growing restless with each new year. At least the three fandoms can suffer together, and this meme illustrates their predicament perfectly.
It’s Been 84 Years
James Cameron’s Titanic is one of the all-time highest-grossing movies and an indelible part of pop culture. Once the highest-grossing motion picture of all time, Titanic remains a beloved classic and groundbreaking cinematic achievement. In the age of memes, the film gained new life, especially by using the character of old Rose.
The Winter is Coming page on Twitter re-posted this hilarious meme highlighting the age difference of most fans from when they bought A Dance with Dragons until they get to buy The Winds of Winter. The meme is obviously an exaggeration, but, should The Winds of Wintercome out tomorrow, it would be eleven years between books, and it won’t come out tomorrow.
What Dream Of Spring?
Although most fans are understandably expecting The Winds of Winter, there’s still another book to come, A Dream of Spring. This last novel will supposedly finish the story, meaning fans will have to wait further, even after The Winds of Winter comes out.
This meme is a perfect and bittersweet way to illustrate the current state of A Dream of Spring. The idea that the World of Ice and Fire story won’t get a proper ending seems too dire to entertain; however, with The Winds of Winter delayed every year, it’s impossible not to be slightly pessimistic about the final novel’s eventual fate.