My take is the show shot it's wad by this point and since you say you would have bailed, I don't think anything moving forward is gonna change your mind. I'm not saying there isn't some good stuff to be had, just that, like all long running serials, it loses it's way at times. Yeah, winter is coming but it sure takes a long and circuitous route.
I wonder if they're going to go with the sword & sorcery route of the last season or tone it down. Is George R.R. Martin involved? Seeing as how a book doesn't look it's going to happen, I'd like to see him putting all his energy into making the show his 'last book'!
Update: Martin has yet to release "The Winds of Winter" the proposed six book of the "Song of Fire & Ice" series. Let alone the planned seventh final book "A Dream of Spring". After the fourth season HBO show runners were given an outline of the last two books. The sixth season of "Game of Thrones" was the last [partially] based on published books. So, again, everyone that was unhappy with the show runners finishing the HBO series would be waiting on Martin for season seven since season six ended over seven year ago. Yikes! Sure glad the show runners didn't wait. Personally it was difficult waiting for the each episode of the final two seasons. Not only enjoyed the scripts & acting; was enthralled with the production values as well!! Of course, those that would have preferred waiting nine, ten or however long it takes Martin to finish the last two books, that's certainly their prerogative.
I would like to read the books but since it is a not finished series, I think I'm going to skip them. Am I making a mistake by doing so?
no. The first few are great, then they get bogged down with billions of characters, and I seriously doubt the series will ever be finished. But if you don’t mind that, then yes the first 2 or 3 are great reads.
I agree totally. Took me forever to get through the last few, but the first three were hard to put down.
