obsession

My son and I both love fantasy fiction. I tend to like 'soft' fantasy--Ursela LaQuinn, Harry Potter, stuff like that. Josh tends toward the hard stuff. Gene Wolf and Donaldson, stuff like that. We agree on the Toilken and CS Lewis, but not much else.

So for years, Josh has been urging me to read George R. R. Martin's "Song of Fire and Ice" series. I resisted mightily, imagining it would be too weird for me.

Then the first book of that Series, A Game of Thrones, was made into an HBO series. Last time they were here, Josh set up his I-Pad and made me watch the first episode of the TV show.

Lordy, Lordy, I was hooked.

I borrowed the first book from him a few weeks later when we were in Baltimore. Then I bought the next three. There's only one next--Dances with Dragons--that is only in hard cover and will cost $30 probably, but I finished book four today and am already in withdrawal. I need those books! Each of them is over 800 pages, so I've read 3200 pages of the series and wish there were 3200 pages more.

I'll drive up to Waterbury tomorrow and buy the book and don't know what on earth I'll read tonight since I don't have Martin to read. And then, what a horrible thought, when I've read the 5th and final book, what will I do with my life then?

Maybe I should read a page a day for 800 days--over 2 years--just to satisfy my obsession but to drag it out.

Maybe I need "Song of Fire and Ice" rehab. "My name is Jim and I'm a Martinholic". I guess I could start at the beginning again, but there are other things I want to read and should read...but I need George R. R. Martin, do you understand? I've got to have it....I'm not sure I can live without it.....

Maybe the HBO series will do all 5 books, that could be a placebo of sorts, I suppose.

Have I made myself clear? These books are addicting.

Maybe I need an intervention and to read romance novels for a while....