George R. R. Martin issues huge The Winds of Winter release update as he hints at major plot point - before revealing how much he has written so far
Fantasy author George R. R. Martin has issued a massive update for the long-awaited The Winds of Winter installment in the Game of Thrones book series.
Fans have been patiently waiting for the new book in the popular fantasy series for an astonishing 15 years, with the continuation of the Game of Thrones series in the balance.
We’ve already had the Game of Thrones TV series begin and end in the time that it has taken for Martin to publish the penultimate book in the series, as well as the launch of spin-off shows such as House Of The Dragon and A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms.
However, loyal fans are still eagerly awaiting Martin’s next tale in the saga - and he’s opened up about the his process so far in a new interview.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Martin broke the news that he is still some time away from finishing his manuscript. He told the outlet that he has around 1,100 pages done but still has some time to go towards meeting his end with the new installment, with multiple projects (including his producing roles on the HBO shows) distracting him from finishing the book.
While not revealing how much longer he has to go, Martin said said: “If I wound up doing everything in my head, this could be the longest book in the series.”
However, Martin has revealed that he will not be handing down the series to a successor in the event of his death, explaining that a terse interaction with a fan who asked about his progress with the new book because “you’re not going to be around for much longer” had left a sour taste in his mouth.
The 77-year-old said, making reference to Charles Dickens’ infamous unfinished final novel: “If that happens, my work won’t be finished. It’ll be like The Mystery of Edwin Drood.”
He also hinted towards a major plot point in the new book. Fan-favourite character Jon Snow was killed at the end of A Dance With Dragons, the most recent release in the series, after being stabbed to death in a mutiny led by his Night’s Watch officers. Martin has hinted that Jon could make a return to the story despite his death, similar to the plot point seen in the television adaption.
He said: “I will open the last chapter I was working on and I’ll say, ‘Oh f***, this is not very good.’ And I’ll go in and I’ll rewrite it. Or I’ll decide, ‘This Tyrion chapter is not coming along, let me write a Jon Snow chapter.’ If I’m not interrupted though, what happens — at least in the past — is sooner or later, I do get into it.”
Martin also looked ahead to the conclusion of the series, revealing which characters he had marked for death. He explained: “I was going to kill more people. Not the ones they killed [in the show]. They made it more of a happy ending. I don’t see a happy ending for Tyrion. His whole arc has been tragic from the first. I was going to have Sansa die, but she’s been so appealing in the show, maybe I’ll let her live …”
The beloved author’s Dunk and Egg novella series has just been adapted into a brand new HBO series titled A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms. The show hit screens on January 18 (January 19 in the UK), with Martin aiming to write more tales of Dunk and Egg.