"Winds of Winter: Latest Updates on Next Game of Thrones Book"

The highly anticipated sixth installment of George R.R. Martin's epic fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire, titled **The Winds of Winter**, has been eagerly awaited since the release of the fifth book, A Dance with Dragons, in 2011. Over the past 13 years, HBO has completed Seasons 2-8 of Game of Thrones and launched two seasons of its prequel series, House of the Dragon. As fans await the continuation of this beloved saga, we've gathered all the latest updates on The Winds of Winter, including insights on its length, release timeline, narrative details, and how it will differ from the TV adaptation.

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 or window for The Winds of Winter. Initially, Martin and his publishers aimed to have the manuscript ready by October 2015 for a March 2016 release, ahead of Game of Thrones Season 6. However, that deadline passed without completion, and subsequent targets for the end of 2015 and 2017 also slipped by. In 2020, Martin set a goal to finish the initial draft by 2021, which did not materialize. The last public estimation from Martin came in October 2022, when he reported being about 75% done with the manuscript. By November 2023, he had completed 1,100 pages, a figure unchanged from his mention in December 2022 on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. In a December 2024 interview, Martin candidly acknowledged the possibility that he may not complete The Winds of Winter in his lifetime.

Winds of Winter Length

The Winds of Winter is expected to be approximately 1,500 pages long. As of November 2023, Martin had written about 1,100 pages and indicated that he had "hundreds more pages to go." The final two books in the A Song of Ice and Fire series are projected to total over 3,000 pages. If The Winds of Winter reaches 1,500 pages, it will surpass A Dance with Dragons as the longest book in the series, which was just over 1,000 pages in its initial hardcover edition.

Winds of Winter Story

This section contains no spoilers, except for 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, resolving the cliffhangers from the fifth book with dramatic openings. Martin has promised to start with two major battles: one in the ice between Stannis Baratheon and Roose Bolton near Winterfell, and another in Slaver's Bay involving Daenerys Targaryen and the slavers of Yunkai.

In a 2014 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Martin hinted that Daenerys and Tyrion Lannister's paths will converge "in a way," though they will spend much of the book apart. Both characters are set to play significant roles, with Tyrion focused on survival and Daenerys embracing her Targaryen heritage. The Dothraki are expected to make a significant return, and Martin has teased an "interesting take on unicorns." He has also warned fans to expect darker chapters, fitting the ominous title, The Winds of Winter, where things will "get worse before they get better."

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Winds of Winter Characters

As of 2016, Martin confirmed there would be no new point-of-view (POV) characters in The Winds of Winter. The following characters are expected to have chapters from their perspectives based on released preview chapters, blog posts, and public readings:

• 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 highly likely to return 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 it will be from her perspective.

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Winds of Winter: Book vs. TV Show

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 stated that some characters who died in the show will live in the books, and vice versa. New characters and those absent from the TV series will play crucial roles in the story.

In a 2022 blog post, Martin elaborated on these differences, noting that his "gardening" approach to writing has led the books further away from the TV series. He mentioned characters like Victarion Greyjoy, Arianne Martell, and Jon Connington, who are not featured in the show but will have significant impacts on the narrative. Other secondary characters such as Lady Stoneheart and Young Griff will also figure prominently. Martin emphasized that the books will include events and characters that the show could not cover, promising a unique experience for readers.

Martin also hinted at a major twist in The Winds of Winter that was not possible in the TV series, involving characters, one of whom was dead by the end of Season 5 but is still alive in the books.

A Dream of Spring and Other Future Works

The seventh and final book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, A Dream of Spring, is also expected to be around 1,500 pages or more. Martin has described the ending as "bittersweet," but there is no set timeline for its release.

In addition to working on The Winds of Winter and preparing for A Dream of Spring, Martin is writing a second volume of his Targaryen history, tentatively titled Blood & Fire, and continuing his Tales of Dunk and Egg series, which will be adapted into HBO's upcoming series, Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. He remains involved with the Wild Cards series and serves as a producer for House of the Dragon and AMC's 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.