George RR Martin: ‘I know how it all ends’

MANILA, Philippines – “Game of Thrones” author George R.R. Martin expressed amusement at horrified reactions from viewers who watched the graphic “Red Wedding” scene from season 3 episode 9, “Rains of Castamere.”

A video compilation of shocked reactions from viewers was shown to Martin in an interview with talk show host Conan O’Brien on June 5 (June 6 MNL), to which the author responded with a chuckle.

“All of those clips were set up by people who had read the books 13 years ago and knew what was coming,” Martin said, explaining how those who took the video wanted to document their friends and family’s shocked reactions.

[SPOILER WARNING] ‘Game of Thrones’ episode 9 shocks viewers

The best-selling novelist, who has killed main characters in the past, said he is most thrilled by the unexpected and wants his audience to truly fear for the characters.

“As a reader or as a viewer of television and film, I always like unexpected things and I always like the suspense to be real,” he said.

“I want my readers, I want my viewers to be afraid when my characters are in danger. I want them to be afraid of turning the next page because the next character may not survive it.”

Martin, however, shared that he occasionally feels guilt, especially when real actors are involved.

“I feel very, very, very guilty. It’s one thing to kill these characters when they’re just people on paper, but when you actually meet the actors who portray them, you know you’re making people unemployed and it does bring around a certain amount of guilty feelings.”

Now in the process of completing the series’ 6th novel, “Winds of Winter,” Martin disclosed he has envisioned an ending for the epic.

“I know how it all ends. In broad strokes, I know how it all ends. I discover a certain amount of it as it goes.”

He was quick to add, however, that there is no telling whether the television show will go on the same path, seeing as screen writers David Benoiff and Dan Weiss have been known to bring his novel to another level.

“I already had a scene that many people considered extremely brutal and as bad as anything and they (screen writers David Benoiff and Dan Weiss) turned it up to 11 by including even more deaths than I had in books,” Martin explained.

“There are at least 4 characters who are dead on the TV show who were alive in the books.”

Watch the interview here:

– Rappler.com

Photo of George R.R. Martin at “An Evening with The Game of Thrones” by s_buckley from Shutterstock