The Winds of Winter, the eagerly awaited sixth installment in George R.R. Martin's epic A Song of Ice and Fire series, stands as one of the most anticipated novels in contemporary fiction. Since the release of the fifth book, A Dance with Dragons, in 2011, fans have been eagerly awaiting the next chapter in this fantasy saga, which inspired HBO's iconic series, Game of Thrones. In the intervening years, HBO has not only concluded Game of Thrones with Seasons 2-8 but also launched its first spinoff, House of the Dragon, with two seasons under its belt.
As George R.R. Martin continues to craft The Winds of Winter, we've gathered all the essential details about this forthcoming novel. From insights into its expected length and tentative publishing timeline to the rich tapestry of its characters and the divergences it promises from the TV adaptation, this guide aims to keep fans informed and excited about what's to come.
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, no official release date or window has been set for The Winds of Winter. Initially, Martin and his publishers aimed to complete the manuscript by October 2015, with a planned release in March 2016, ahead of Game of Thrones: Season 6. However, this soft deadline was pushed back to the end of 2015, and then to the end of 2016, neither of which were met. By January 2017, Martin expressed hope for a release before the year's end, which did not materialize. In 2020, he set a goal to finish the initial draft by 2021, a target that also slipped by. The most recent update on the book's progress came in October 2022 when Martin reported being about 75% done with the manuscript. However, by November 2023, he had completed 1,100 pages, the same figure he mentioned in December 2022 on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. In a December 2024 interview, Martin candidly acknowledged the possibility that he might not complete The Winds of Winter in his lifetime.
Winds of Winter Length
The Winds of Winter is expected to span approximately 1,500 pages. As of November 2023, Martin had written around 1,100 pages and anticipated writing "hundreds more pages" to complete it. He has stated that the final two books in the series, The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring, will 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 A Dance with Dragons, which clocked in at just over 1,000 pages in its original hardcover edition.
Winds of Winter Story
*This section contains no spoilers, except for the names of characters expected to appear in The Winds of Winter.*
The Winds of Winter will pick up where A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons left off, continuing the intertwined narratives of these parallel-running books. 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 Stannis Baratheon and Roose Bolton at Winterfell, and the other at Meereen, known as the battle of Slaver's Bay, involving Daenerys Targaryen and the Yunkai slavers across the Narrow Sea.
Martin has hinted at the convergence of Daenerys Targaryen and Tyrion Lannister's paths, though they will remain apart for much of the book. Both characters will play significant roles, with Tyrion seeking survival amidst the chaos and Daenerys embracing her Targaryen heritage. The Dothraki will feature prominently, and significant events will unfold at The Wall. Martin has also teased an "interesting take on unicorns." He has warned that the tone will be dark, reflecting the series' theme of impending winter, where "things die, and cold and ice and darkness fill the world."
Winds of Winter Characters
As of 2016, Martin confirmed he would not introduce new point-of-view characters in The Winds of Winter. The list of confirmed POV characters includes:
- 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 almost certain 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 her perspective will be used.
Winds of Winter: Book vs. TV Show
The Winds of Winter will diverge significantly from the Game of Thrones TV series due to its broader scope and larger cast. Martin has emphasized that the fates of characters will differ between the books and the show; some who died on screen will live in the books, and vice versa. New characters absent from the series will play crucial roles, and existing characters will have different arcs and outcomes.
In a 2022 blog post, Martin detailed how his "gardening" approach to writing has led the narrative away from the TV adaptation. He highlighted the inclusion of book-only POV characters like Victarion Greyjoy, Arianne Martell, and others, and the impact of secondary characters like Lady Stoneheart and Young Griff. Martin also noted that the books would feature new characters and significant plot differences, including a major twist involving characters whose fates diverged from the show by the end of Season 5.
These revelations should reassure fans who felt the accelerated pace of Game of Thrones' final season compromised the depth of character development and narrative complexity.
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 or more. Martin has hinted at a bittersweet ending for the series, though no release timeline has been set.
Beyond 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 additional stories in his Tales of Dunk and Egg series, which will serve as the basis for HBO's upcoming spinoff, Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. He continues to edit the Wild Cards series and serves as a producer for House of the Dragon and AMC's Dark Winds.
For more insights into the A Song of Ice and Fire universe, explore our guide on how to read the Game of Thrones books in order.
