The eagerly awaited sixth installment in George R.R. Martin's epic fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire, titled *The Winds of Winter*, has fans on the edge of their seats. Since the release of the fifth book, *A Dance with Dragons*, in 2011, the anticipation has only grown, especially as HBO's *Game of Thrones* series concluded its run and launched its spinoff, *House of the Dragon*. While Martin continues to craft the next chapter in this beloved saga, let's delve into what we know about *The Winds of Winter*, from its expected length and release timeline to key story details and differences 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
As of now, there is no confirmed release date or window for The Winds of Winter. Initially, Martin and his publishers aimed to complete the manuscript by October 2015 for a release the following March, ahead of Game of Thrones: Season 6. However, this deadline was not met, and subsequent hopeful dates in 2015, 2017, and 2021 also passed without a finished book. In October 2022, Martin reported being about 75% done, and by November 2023, he had written 1,100 pages. Despite this progress, a December 2024 interview saw Martin acknowledging the possibility that he might not complete The Winds of Winter within his lifetime.
Winds of Winter Length
The Winds of Winter is projected to be around 1,500 pages long. Martin mentioned in November 2023 that he had completed roughly 1,100 pages and still had "hundreds more pages to go." The final two books in the series are expected to total over 3,000 pages, making The Winds of Winter the longest book in the series to date, surpassing A Dance with Dragons, which was just over 1,000 pages in its original hardcover release.
Winds of Winter Story
There are no spoilers in this section, save for the names of characters who will 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, resolving the cliffhangers from the previous books and opening with two major battles: one in the ice between Stannis Baratheon and Roose Bolton near Winterfell, and the other at Meereen in Slaver's Bay involving Daenerys Targaryen and the slavers of Yunkai. Martin has promised a dynamic start to the book.
Daenerys Targaryen and Tyrion Lannister's paths will converge "in a way," though they will remain largely separate for much of the book. Both characters will have significant roles, with Tyrion focusing on survival amidst the chaos of battle, and Daenerys embracing her Targaryen heritage. The Dothraki will play a substantial part, and significant events will unfold at The Wall. Martin has also teased an "interesting take on unicorns."
Overall, Martin has warned readers to expect a darker narrative, fitting the ominous title The Winds of Winter. He has emphasized that winter, a time of death and darkness, will bring challenging times for the characters, and the story will not be a "happy feel-good."
Winds of Winter Characters
As of 2016, Martin confirmed that there would be no new point-of-view (POV) 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, and Jon Connington. While not officially confirmed, Daenerys Targaryen is expected to be a POV character, with other potential POVs including Davos Seaworth, Samwell Tarly, and Melisandre. Jeyne Westerling, Robb Stark's wife, will appear in the prologue, though it's unclear if she will be a POV character.
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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 larger scope and cast of the book series. Martin has confirmed that characters who died in the series may live in the books, and vice versa. New characters not seen on the show will have pivotal roles, and the narrative will explore different paths for characters like Victarion Greyjoy, Arianne Martell, and others.
In a 2022 blog post, Martin elaborated on these differences, noting that the complexity of the novels has led to significant deviations from the TV show. He mentioned that while some events from the show will appear in the book, many will be altered or entirely new. He also teased a major twist involving characters, one of whom died in the show but remains alive in the books.
A Dream of Spring and Other Future Works
The seventh and final book in the series, A Dream of Spring, is also expected to be around 1,500 pages. Martin has hinted at a bittersweet ending, but no release date has been announced.
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 is the basis for HBO's upcoming spinoff, 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 those eager to dive deeper into the world of A Song of Ice and Fire, check out our guide on how to read the Game of Thrones books in order.
