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 works of fiction in recent history. Since the release of the fifth book, A Dance with Dragons, in 2011, fans have been on the edge of their seats awaiting the continuation of this gripping fantasy saga, which inspired HBO's iconic series, Game of Thrones. In the 13 years since, HBO has not only completed Game of Thrones with Seasons 2-8 but also launched the first two seasons of its prequel series, House of the Dragon.
As Martin diligently works on The Winds of Winter, we've gathered everything known about the novel, from its expected length and publication timeline to insights on its characters and how it diverges from the television 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
There is currently no set release date for The Winds of Winter. Originally, Martin and his publishers aimed to finish the manuscript by October 2015, with a planned release in March 2016 ahead of Game of Thrones: Season 6. However, this deadline was not met, and subsequent targets at the end of 2015 and before the end of 2017 also passed without completion. In 2020, Martin expressed hope to finish the initial draft by 2021, which also did not materialize. His last public estimation came in October 2022, when he stated he was about 75% done. By November 2023, the manuscript stood at 1,100 pages, unchanged from his mention in December 2022 on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. In a December 2024 interview, Martin acknowledged the possibility that he may never complete The Winds of Winter in his lifetime.
Winds of Winter Length
The Winds of Winter is projected to span around 1,500 pages. As of November 2023, Martin reported having written 1,100 pages with "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 A Song of Ice and Fire series, surpassing A Dance with Dragons, which was just over 1,000 pages in its original hardcover edition.
Winds of Winter Story
This section contains no spoilers beyond character names 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 their intertwined narratives. Martin has promised a dramatic start, resolving the cliffhangers from A Dance with Dragons with two major battles: one in the ice between Stannis Baratheon and Roose Bolton around Winterfell, and the other at Meereen, known as the battle of Slaver’s Bay, between Daenerys Targaryen's forces and the slavers of Yunkai.
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 now determined to survive and Daenerys embracing her Targaryen heritage. The Dothraki are set to return prominently, and significant events are expected at The Wall. Additionally, Martin has teased an "interesting take on unicorns." He has warned readers to expect darker times ahead, reflecting the theme of winter's harshness and the series' title, The Winds of Winter.
Winds of Winter Characters
As of 2016, Martin had no plans to introduce new point-of-view 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
- Jon Connington
While not officially confirmed, it's highly likely Daenerys Targaryen will continue as a POV character. Other potential POVs include Davos Seaworth, Samwell Tarly, and Melisandre. The prologue will feature Robb Stark's wife, Jeyne Westerling, though her role as a POV character remains unconfirmed.
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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 its broader scope and larger cast. Martin has confirmed that characters who died on the show will live in the books, and vice versa. New characters will be introduced, and those who did not appear on screen will have important roles. In a 2022 blog post, Martin detailed these differences, emphasizing the complexity and size of the novels compared to the TV series. He also mentioned a major twist involving characters, one of whom died in the show by the end of Season 5 but remains alive in the books.
Martin's comments should reassure fans disappointed by the accelerated pace of Game of Thrones' final season, suggesting a richer, more detailed narrative in the upcoming book.
A Dream of Spring and Other Future Works
A Dream of Spring, the seventh and final book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, is expected to be at least 1,500 pages long. Martin has hinted at a bittersweet ending, though no release timeline has been set.
In addition to The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring, Martin is working on a second volume of his Targaryen history, potentially titled Blood & Fire, and more stories in his Tales of Dunk and Egg series, which will be adapted into HBO's Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. He also continues to edit 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, check out our guide on how to read the Game of Thrones books in order.
