I think the big problem in all fantasy stories is drawing things to close. All the expansive world building slowly gets narrower and narrower and you are left moving the remaining chess pieces for their inevitable final battles. Narrowing the world is just not as exciting as every one of the payoffs you are looking for is more exciting in your own mind.
The plotting in 7 could have been better but chess pieces needed to be moved into certain spots for this season.
I think the reason Martin can’t finish is that he got stuck. He couldn’t deliver the same subversion in his final books and instead was left with cliches
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