Yes, I'm definitely concerned. Especially since he can't even fit all the POV characters into one book anymore, and the next book won't be progressing so much as "meanwhile, back at the ranch Wall..."

I thought the same thing too, and was totally boggled once I realized how big it actually had to be. How exactly has this place been unified once the dragons died out, exactly? Though I suppose the degree of unification isn't all that high, actually. Still. And perhaps the constant warfare has artificially reduced the population. Maybe the original dragon conquest killed off so many people that the population still hasn't recovered. I dunno, just making things up at this point.

And as much as I enjoyed the Dornish scheming, I really started getting irked at the stereotype of "sensual, sexually available, and not-coincidentally-darker-skinned southerners" by this point. First the Summer Islanders and now the Dornish too? Then there's Dany the Great White Queen and her many brown servants. I'd like my fantasy tropes overturned a little more thoroughly, GRRM, and "I meant to get to that part in Book 2 but now it's going to be book 6" doesn't cut it.