Game of Thrones won't be over for me until George releases the last 2 books.

[Yavin4]

To me, the TV show is Bill Barr's summary.

[Moostache]

1. At current pace, Martin will die long before EITHER book is released...

He is far more into publicity tours and other projects now to ever bother finishing the book series...it is why he gave a synopsis of the intended ending to Weiss and Benioff to have THEM write an ending that he is too distracted to bother with...

The TV series may only be a spiritual cousin to the novels in many ways, but I fear that the TV series will be the only "complete" telling of the song of ice and fire...

[still_one]

2. I agree, but I have resigned myself to that won't happen.

[ProudLib72]

3. Why the hell did he release Fire and Blood instead of finishing GOT?

Biggest disappointment ever!

[Ron Obvious]

4. I have some hope that he's finished them already and is waiting for the TV finale before releasing

I suspect it's a forlorn hope...

I think it would make some sense, as I suspect the ending will be rather different than the TV version. The TV version has simply blown up (even literally) many of the major story lines and characters so as to concentrate on some of the major ones.