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The idea is morbid, but many articles and Reddit discussions have expressed concern the 65-year-old author won't live long enough to finish the books that started publication in 1996.
Of course, it's not a subject you would probably broach with the author himself.
But that's just what Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger did. The outlet came right out and asked Martin about fan concerns he won't finish the books.
He had a simple, brilliant response:
Martin said he found the question offensive before flipping off those who would even consider the possibility of the author's death.
You can watch the brief clip here.
In March, Martin told Vanity Fair he divulged the books' ending to HBO series creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. However, that wasn't a precaution. The author says it's so they can begin laying the groundwork for the show's final seasons.
There are currently five books in the "Game of Thrones" series that span more than 4,500 pages. At least two more are in the works.
The Wall Street Journal estimated, at his current pace, Martin's next works may not come out until 2017 and 2023.