The Winds of Winter, the eagerly awaited sixth installment in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, stands as one of the most anticipated works of fiction. Since the release of the fifth book, A Dance with Dragons, in 2011, fans have been eagerly awaiting the continuation of this epic fantasy saga, which inspired HBO's Game of Thrones. In the intervening 13 years, HBO has aired Seasons 2-8 of Game of Thrones and Seasons 1 and 2 of its first spinoff, House of the Dragon.
As George R.R. Martin continues to craft the next chapter in the A Song of Ice and Fire saga, we've gathered all the latest information on The Winds of Winter. From insights into the book's length and expected release timeline to details about the story and its characters, as well as how it will differ from the TV series, this comprehensive overview will keep you up to date.
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 confirmed release date or window for The Winds of Winter. Initially, Martin and his publishers aimed to complete the manuscript by the end of 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. In January 2017, Martin expressed hope that the book would be out before the year's end, but this did not happen. By 2020, he aimed to finish the initial draft by 2021, a goal that also slipped by. The last public estimation from Martin came in October 2022, when he stated he was about 75% done with the manuscript. By November 2023, he reported having completed 1,100 pages, the same figure he mentioned in a December 2022 appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. In a December 2024 interview, Martin acknowledged the possibility that he may never finish The Winds of Winter in his lifetime.
Winds of Winter Length
The Winds of Winter is expected to be around 1,500 pages long. As of November 2023, Martin had written approximately 1,100 pages and indicated there were "hundreds more pages to go." He has also mentioned that the final two books in the A Song of Ice and Fire series will collectively exceed 3,000 pages. If The Winds of Winter reaches 1,500 pages, it will be the longest book in the series to date, 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, only 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 parallel narratives of these fourth and fifth books. Martin has promised a dramatic start, stating in a 2012 interview with Smarter Travel that the book will open with the resolution of the cliffhangers from A Dance with Dragons, including two major battles: one in the ice between Stannis Baratheon and Roose Bolton near Winterfell, and another at Meereen, known as the battle of Slaver's Bay, involving Daenerys Targaryen and the slavers of Yunkai.
In a 2014 interview with EW, Martin hinted that Daenerys Targaryen and Tyrion Lannister's paths will finally intersect "in a way," though they will remain apart for much of the book. Both characters will have significant roles, with Tyrion focusing on survival and Daenerys embracing her Targaryen heritage. Martin also confirmed the return of the Dothraki "in a big way" and noted that "a lot of stuff is happening at The Wall." Additionally, he teased an "interesting take on unicorns." Martin has warned that the book will be dark, reflecting the harshness of winter, and that things will "get worse before they get better."
Winds of Winter Characters
As of 2016, Martin had no plans to introduce new point-of-view characters in The Winds of Winter. The following characters are confirmed to have chapters from their perspectives, based on Martin's released preview chapters, blog posts, and public readings:
- 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 is highly likely that Daenerys Targaryen will also be a point-of-view character. Other potential POV characters include Davos Seaworth, Samwell Tarly, and Melisandre. Additionally, Robb Stark's wife, Jeyne Westerling, will appear in the prologue, though it's unclear if the section will be from her perspective.
Winds of Winter: Book vs. TV Show
The Winds of Winter will diverge significantly from the Game of Thrones TV series due to the broader scope and larger cast of the books. Martin has stated that characters who died in the series may survive in the books, and vice versa. New characters will be introduced, and those who never appeared on-screen will play crucial roles in the narrative.
In a 2022 blog post, Martin elaborated on these differences, noting that his "gardening" approach to writing has led the books further away from the TV series. He mentioned several characters unique to the books, such as Victarion Greyjoy, Arianne Martell, and Jon Connington, who will have significant impacts on the story. Martin also highlighted secondary characters like Lady Stoneheart and Young Griff, who will influence the plot. He emphasized that some characters in the show are different from their book counterparts, and new characters will be encountered by the major players.
Martin teased that not all characters who survived until the end of Game of Thrones will survive in the books, and not all who died in the series will die in the books. He also hinted at a major twist in The Winds of Winter involving characters, one of whom was dead in the show by the end of Season 5 but not in the books.
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 also expected to be around 1,500 pages or more. Martin has described the ending as likely to be "bittersweet as it is happy," but 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 additional stories in his Tales of Dunk and Egg series, which will serve as the basis for HBO's upcoming Game of Thrones spinoff, Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Martin 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.
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