The eagerly awaited sixth installment of George R.R. Martin's epic fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire, titled "The Winds of Winter," has fans on the edge of their seats. Since the release of the fifth book, "A Dance with Dragons," in 2011, readers have been eagerly anticipating the continuation of this beloved saga. In the intervening years, HBO has released Seasons 2-8 of "Game of Thrones," along with Seasons 1 and 2 of its spinoff series, "House of the Dragon." As Martin diligently works on the next novel, we've gathered all the latest updates and insights regarding "The Winds of Winter," including its anticipated length, potential release timeline, key story elements, and how it might diverge from the TV series.
Jump to:
- When will it come out?
- How long will it be?
- Story details
- Book vs. TV series
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Winds of Winter Release Date
Currently, there is no confirmed release date for "The Winds of Winter." Initially, Martin and his publishers aimed to have the manuscript ready by the end of October 2015, with hopes of releasing the book in March 2016, ahead of "Game of Thrones: Season 6." However, this deadline was not met, and subsequent targets set for the end of 2015 and the end of 2017 also passed without completion. In 2020, Martin aimed to finish the initial work by 2021, but this too did not materialize. The last public estimation from Martin came in October 2022, when he stated he was about 75% done with the manuscript. By November 2023, he reported having completed 1,100 pages, the same figure mentioned in a December 2022 appearance on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." In a December 2024 interview, Martin acknowledged the possibility that he might not complete "The Winds of Winter" in his lifetime.
Winds of Winter Length
"The Winds of Winter" is projected to be around 1,500 pages long. As of November 2023, Martin had written approximately 1,100 pages and indicated that he still had "hundreds more pages to go." The final two books of the series, including "The Winds of Winter," are expected to collectively exceed 3,000 pages. If "The Winds of Winter" reaches 1,500 pages, it will be the longest book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, surpassing the fifth book, "A Dance with Dragons," which was just over 1,000 pages in its original hardcover edition.
Winds of Winter Story
*Note: This section contains no spoilers, only mentions of characters expected to appear in "The Winds of Winter."*
"The Winds of Winter" will pick up where the fourth and fifth books, "A Feast for Crows" and "A Dance with Dragons," left off, continuing their parallel narratives. Martin has promised a dramatic opening, resolving the cliffhangers from "A Dance with Dragons" early on. He plans to start with two major battles: one in the ice between the forces of Stannis Baratheon and Roose Bolton around Winterfell, and another at Meereen, known as the battle of Slaver’s Bay, between Daenerys Targaryen and the slavers of Yunkai.
Martin has also teased that Daenerys Targaryen and Tyrion Lannister's paths will intersect "in a way," though they will remain apart for much of the book. Both characters will play significant roles, with Tyrion striving to survive the unfolding battle and Daenerys embracing her Targaryen heritage. The Dothraki are set to return "in a big way," and significant developments are expected at The Wall. Additionally, Martin has hinted at an "interesting take on unicorns." He has warned readers to expect a darker tone, reflecting the harshness of winter in the story.
Winds of Winter Characters
As of 2016, Martin had no plans to introduce new point-of-view (POV) characters in "The Winds of Winter." Confirmed POV characters include Tyrion Lannister, Cersei Lannister, Jaime Lannister and/or Brienne of Tarth, Arya Stark, Sansa Stark, Bran Stark, Theon Greyjoy, Asha Greyjoy, Victarion Greyjoy, Aeron Greyjoy/Damphair, Barristan Selmy, Arianne Martell, Areo Hotah, and Jon Connington. While not officially confirmed, it's highly likely that Daenerys Targaryen will also be a POV character. Other potential POVs include Davos Seaworth, Samwell Tarly, and Melisandre. Additionally, Robb Stark's wife, Jeyne Westerling, will appear in the prologue, though it's unclear if she will be a POV character.
Winds of Winter: Book vs. TV Show
The narrative of "The Winds of Winter" will diverge significantly from the "Game of Thrones" TV series due to the books' larger scope and more extensive cast. Martin has confirmed that some characters who died in the show will survive in the books, and vice versa. New characters and those not featured in the TV series will play crucial roles in the unfolding story. Martin's approach to storytelling, described as "gardening," has led the book's plot to deviate further from the series, introducing unique elements and character developments not seen on screen.
Martin has teased a major twist in "The Winds of Winter" involving characters, one of whom was dead by the end of Season 5 of the TV series but remains alive in the books. This twist, along with other divergences, should provide a fresh and compelling continuation for fans of the book series.
A Dream of Spring and Other Future Works
"A Dream of Spring," the planned seventh and final book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, is also expected to be around 1,500 pages. Martin has hinted at a bittersweet ending for the series. There is currently no release timetable for "A Dream of Spring."
In addition to "The Winds of Winter" and "A Dream of Spring," Martin is working on a second volume of his Targaryen history, tentatively titled "Blood & Fire," and further stories in his "Tales of Dunk and Egg" series, which will be the basis for HBO's upcoming "Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" series. Martin also continues to edit the "Wild Cards" series and serves as a producer for "House of the Dragon" and "Dark Winds."
For more on A Song of Ice and Fire, explore our guide on how to read the "Game of Thrones" books in order.
