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

The highly anticipated sixth installment in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, The Winds of Winter, remains one of the most eagerly awaited books in fantasy literature. Its creation began after the release of A Dance with Dragons in 2011, a period encompassing the airing of Game of Thrones seasons 2-8 and House of the Dragon seasons 1-2.

While Martin continues his work, we've compiled a summary of everything known about The Winds of Winter, encompassing his comments on its length, publishing timeline, characters, and divergence from the television series.

Key Points:

• Release Date: No official release date has been announced. Martin's past estimations have consistently proven inaccurate. In a recent interview, he acknowledged the possibility of never completing the book.

• Length: Martin estimates the book will be approximately 1,500 pages, surpassing the length of previous books in the series. He stated in November 2023 that he had completed roughly 1,100 pages.

• Story Details: The novel will resolve cliffhangers from A Dance with Dragons and A Feast for Crows, beginning with significant battles in the ice and at Meereen. Daenerys Targaryen and Tyrion Lannister's paths will converge, and the Dothraki will play a crucial role. The Wall will also feature prominently. Martin promises a darker tone, stating that "things will get worse before they get better."

• Characters: Returning point-of-view characters include Tyrion, Cersei, Jaime (and potentially Brienne), Arya, Sansa, Bran, Theon, Asha, Victarion, Aeron, Barristan Selmy, Arianne Martell, Areo Hotah, and Jon Connington. Daenerys Targaryen is also highly likely to return as a POV character. Other potential POV characters include Davos Seaworth, Samwell Tarly, and Melisandre. Jeyne Westerling will appear in the prologue. New characters will be introduced, though no new POV characters are planned.

• Book vs. TV Series: Significant differences exist between the book and the television series. Characters' fates will diverge, with some surviving in the books who died in the show and vice versa. The inclusion of characters unseen in the show, such as Victarion Greyjoy, Arianne Martell, and Areo Hotah, will significantly impact the narrative.

• A Dream of Spring: The final book in the series, A Dream of Spring, is also anticipated to be around 1,500 pages or more. Martin hints at a bittersweet ending.

Beyond The Winds of Winter, Martin is working on A Dream of Spring, a second volume of Blood & Fire, additional Dunk and Egg stories, and continues his involvement with Wild Cards, House of the Dragon, and Dark Winds.