Television

Exactly. Imagine if season two started with Stannis's shadow murdering Renly. Then next episode Stannis attacks Kings Landing and Rob marries Talisa. Third episode is the Red Wedding. Fourth episode is the Purple Wedding. Fifth episode is Tyrion's trial and Oberyn's fight. Then we end with season short with the battle at the wall and Jon dies.

That would be an action packed but ultimately terribly confusing and paced season. All those events, when spread out over several episodes and seasons are excellent and exciting moments.

The first three books (roughly first four seasons) are the end of the first act of the story. The next two books are just the start of the second act of the story. The world grew. The world expanded. A time jump was added and then removed, and that's where the problems started. The show needed to start working towards an ending, but the story wasn't going that way.

I think in a world where the television series was never made, George would have likely finished the series by now. It's difficult to sit in your house and type out a story while everyone is outside your house having fun and yelling at you to come outside.

This isn't to absolve George. He's a professional, he should have finished, but I get it.