[xianshou]

On the basis of regression to the mean (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regression_toward_the_mean), or what we might call the "J.K. Rowling effect," it would be far too much to hope that the sequel will match the original. Nonetheless, this has got to set some sort of record for the gap between a novel and its sequel.

Interestingly, there is a list of gaps between film sequels (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_longest_gaps_betwee...), and the longest gap is over 63 years, but there is no such list for books!

[tjr]

The article shares though that she originally wrote the book around the same time as To Kill a Mockingbird, or more precisely, she wrote this book first, and was advised by her editor to expound upon some segments of it to write To Kill a Mockingbird instead.

So a huge gap between publications, but I would expect the writing to be similar.

[wpietri]

For the impact to be similar, it will take a lot more than similar writing. I will read this -- I would read Harper Lee's grocery lists with interest -- but I expect that it will be a minor literary footnote, not another beloved landmark book.

[celticninja]

But is that because of the expectation due to the preceding piece of work or can it be judged on its own merit?

[cryptoz]

Isaac Asimov took a 30ish year break between the original Foundation trilogy and the sequels/prequels. And I thought that was a long break!

[puranjay]

In between, he probably put out 200 odd books. The man wrote like his life depended on it.

As far as gaps go, I'm still hoping GRRM won't break any records

[venomsnake]

Judging by Leviathan Wakes and the others from the expanse we are safe in the unfortunate case of "a jordan". It is written by his assistant and a friend of him. They are also the people that are his "hit by a bus" insurance.

And I think that he will progress faster nowadays with the show. Not that I have high hopes for the series after book four and five.

[SoftwareMaven]

I'm trying to understand why you brought Leviathan Wakes into this. One of the authors of The Expanse is GMMR's assistant, as I understand it, but I'm not clear how either GMMR would affect The Expanse or how The Expanse would affect Game of Thrones.

I ask as a fan of The Expanse who has not jumped into GoT, and who wouldn't like to see The Expanse side-tracked because of it. Is there some piece of this relationship I'm not seeing, or is Ty Franck more involved in GoT writing than I would have expected?

[venomsnake]

The other author of the Expanse is Daniel Abraham who is BFF with GRRM. And since the Expanse is an awesome series, they are more than capable of continuing his work in GoT if something nasty happens.

[ta75757]

I'm pretty sure he has said that he does not want his work continued in the event of his death.

http://www.tor.com/blogs/2013/11/george-rr-martin-no-more-ga...

[puranjay]

The show creators have apparently been already told about the ending, lest something unfortunate happen to GRRM. As things stand, I don't see him wrapping up the series even by Book 7, which, I hope to read before my kids go to college (I'm 26)