The Winds of Winter: Everything We Know About the Next Game of Thrones Book

George R.R. Martin's "The Winds of Winter," the highly anticipated sixth installment in the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, remains shrouded in mystery regarding its release date. While initially projected for completion by late 2015, followed by several subsequent, unfulfilled deadlines, Martin last publicly stated in December 2024 that he might not finish it in his lifetime.

Release Date and Length:

Currently, there's no confirmed release date. As of November 2023, Martin reported completing approximately 1,100 pages of a projected 1,500-page manuscript. This would make it the longest book in the series. Martin has indicated the final two books will collectively exceed 3,000 pages.

Story Details:

"The Winds of Winter" will pick up where "A Feast for Crows" and "A Dance with Dragons" left off, resolving cliffhangers from the previous books. Key events include the battles at Winterfell and Meereen. Daenerys Targaryen and Tyrion Lannister's paths will converge, though they remain largely separated for much of the narrative. The Dothraki will play a significant role, and considerable action will unfold at The Wall. Martin promises a unique take on unicorns and warns that the story will become darker before it ultimately brightens.

Characters:

Confirmed point-of-view 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

Daenerys Targaryen is also highly likely to return as a POV character, along with potential appearances from Davos Seaworth, Samwell Tarly, and Melisandre. Jeyne Westerling will appear in the prologue.

Book vs. TV Series:

Significant differences exist between the books and the HBO series "Game of Thrones." Characters' fates will diverge; some who died in the show will live in the books, and vice versa. New characters will be introduced, and characters absent from the show will have crucial roles. Martin explicitly states that the pacing and plot points will differ considerably.

"A Dream of Spring" and Future Projects:

"A Dream of Spring," the planned final book, is also anticipated to be lengthy and offer a bittersweet conclusion. Martin is also working on a second volume of his Targaryen history, additional "Dunk and Egg" novellas, and continues his involvement with various other projects.

The future of "The Winds of Winter" remains uncertain, but the substantial differences from the television adaptation promise a unique and potentially richer conclusion to the "A Song of Ice and Fire" saga.