I think you're reading more into my comment than intended. Someone said, there is an implied promise of a conclusion when you start telling a story. Someone r

I think you're reading more into my comment than intended. Someone said, there is an implied promise of a conclusion when you start telling a story. Someone responded, well, that's not true with shaggy dog stories. My response to that person is, on the contrary -- shaggy dog stories are what they are because there is an implicit promise, which they break. That there is an implicit promise was my only point; I didn't mean to comment at all on the situation w/ Game of Thrones. Perhaps "promise" is too strong of a word; "intention"? I certainly don't think Martin, when he started writing Game of Thrones, was planning on leaving his work unfinished. If he had, then he'd certainly deserve some annoyance, just as the teller of shaggy dog stories does. Nor do I even think that Martin got to a certain point and then said, "Welp, I'm rich now, I can just sit back and relax; no need to do that pesky writing stuff any more." And if that was his attitude, then I think he deserves some annoyance. Presumably there's a part of him that would like to finish them off, but finds it difficult for whatever reason. I think that's unfortunate, naturally, but as long as he has, within himself, made a good-faith attempt to move things towards completion, then I think he's held up his end of the bargain. And I agree that the expectation of anything more is toxic entitlement.