"Winds of Winter: Latest Updates on Game of Thrones Sequel"

The highly anticipated sixth book in George R.R. Martin's epic fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire, titled The Winds of Winter, has fans eagerly awaiting its release. Since the release of the fifth book, A Dance with Dragons, in 2011, HBO has completed its run of Game of Thrones from Season 2 to 8, and launched the first two seasons of the prequel series, House of the Dragon. As Martin diligently works on this next installment, we've gathered all the latest information about The Winds of Winter, including updates on its expected length, release timeline, story details, and how it will differ from the television 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

As of now, there is no confirmed release date or window for The Winds of Winter. Initially, Martin and his publishers aimed to have the manuscript ready by the end of October 2015 to publish the book in March 2016, ahead of Game of Thrones Season 6. However, this deadline was pushed to the end of 2015, and subsequently missed. In January 2017, Martin expressed hope that it would be released by the end of that year, which also did not happen. By 2020, he aimed to complete the initial work by 2021, but that timeline also did not materialize. The most recent update came in October 2022, when Martin mentioned being about 75% done with the manuscript. In November 2023, he reported having written 1,100 pages, a figure he had already mentioned in December 2022 on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. In a December 2024 interview, Martin acknowledged the possibility that he may never finish The Winds of Winter in his lifetime.

Winds of Winter Length

Martin has projected that The Winds of Winter will be approximately 1,500 pages long. By November 2023, he had completed around 1,100 pages and noted that there were "hundreds more pages to go." He has also mentioned that the final two books in the series will collectively exceed 3,000 pages. If The Winds of Winter reaches 1,500 pages, it will be the longest book in the series to date, surpassing A Dance with Dragons, which was just over 1,000 pages in its hardcover edition.

Winds of Winter Story

This section contains no spoilers beyond the mention of characters expected to appear in The Winds of Winter.

The narrative of The Winds of Winter will pick up from where A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons left off, continuing the parallel storylines from those books. Martin has promised an explosive start, resolving the cliffhangers from the previous book early on. He plans to open with two major battles: one in the ice between Stannis Baratheon and Roose Bolton near Winterfell, and another at Meereen, known as the battle of Slaver's Bay, involving Daenerys Targaryen and the slavers of Yunkai.

Martin has also teased that Daenerys Targaryen and Tyrion Lannister will finally cross paths "in a way," though much of the book will see them apart. Both characters will have significant roles, with Tyrion working to ensure his survival amidst the chaos of battle, and Daenerys embracing her Targaryen heritage. Additionally, the Dothraki will return prominently, and significant events will unfold at The Wall. Martin has also hinted at introducing his unique take on unicorns. He has warned readers to expect a darker tone, fitting the ominous title The Winds of Winter, with many characters facing grim challenges.

Winds of Winter Characters

As of 2016, Martin confirmed there would be no new point-of-view characters in The Winds of Winter. The 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
• Jon Connington

While not officially confirmed, Daenerys Targaryen is expected to continue as 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 have a POV chapter.

Winds of Winter: Book vs. TV Show

Due to the expansive nature of the book series, The Winds of Winter will diverge significantly from the Game of Thrones TV series. Martin has stated that characters who died in the show may survive in the books, and vice versa. New characters will be introduced, and those who never appeared on-screen will play crucial roles in the upcoming narrative.

In a 2022 blog post, Martin elaborated on these differences, noting that his writing process has taken the story further from the TV series. He mentioned several characters unique to the books, such as Victarion Greyjoy, Arianne Martell, and Jon Connington, who will influence the plot. He also highlighted secondary characters like Lady Stoneheart and Young Griff, who will impact the story. Martin emphasized that the books are more complex and detailed, promising significant deviations from the show's events and character arcs.

Martin also teased a major twist in The Winds of Winter that couldn't be included in the TV series, involving characters, one of whom was dead by the end of Season 5 but remains alive in the books.

A Dream of Spring and Other Future Works

The seventh and final book in the series, A Dream of Spring, is also expected to be around 1,500 pages or more. Martin has hinted that the ending will be bittersweet rather than purely happy. There is no estimated release date for this concluding volume.

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 adapted into HBO's Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Martin also continues his role as editor for the Wild Cards series and as a producer for House of the Dragon and AMC's Dark Winds.

For those eager to delve deeper into the world of A Song of Ice and Fire, our guide on how to read the Game of Thrones books in order is a valuable resource.