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 in modern fiction. Since the release of the fifth book, A Dance with Dragons, in 2011, fans have been on tenterhooks waiting for this next chapter in the fantasy saga that inspired HBO's Game of Thrones. In the interim, HBO has not only completed Seasons 2-8 of Game of Thrones but also launched Seasons 1 and 2 of its first spinoff, House of the Dragon.

While George R.R. Martin diligently works on The Winds of Winter, we've gathered all the latest information on its development, including insights into its length, expected release timeline, story details, and how it will diverge from the television series.

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 to release the book in March 2016, ahead of Game of Thrones Season 6. However, this deadline was pushed back to the end of 2015, and then to the end of 2016, both of which passed without completion. In January 2017, Martin expressed hope that the book would be out before the end of that year. By 2020, he targeted finishing the initial draft by 2021, a goal that also slipped by. The most recent public update came in October 2022, when Martin reported being about 75% done with the manuscript. By November 2023, he had completed 1,100 pages, a figure unchanged from his December 2022 mention on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. In a December 2024 interview, Martin acknowledged the possibility that he might not complete The Winds of Winter in his lifetime.

Winds of Winter Length

The Winds of Winter is projected to be around 1,500 pages long. As of November 2023, Martin had written approximately 1,100 pages and mentioned having "hundreds more pages to go." The final two books of A Song of Ice and Fire are expected to total over 3,000 pages. At 1,500 pages, The Winds of Winter would surpass A Dance with Dragons, the current longest book in the series at just over 1,000 pages in its hardcover edition.

Winds of Winter Story

The Winds of Winter will pick up where A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons left off, resolving the cliffhangers from the fifth book. Martin has promised an explosive start with two major battles: one at the ice between Stannis Baratheon and Roose Bolton near Winterfell, and the other at Meereen, dubbed the battle of Slaver's Bay, between Daenerys Targaryen and the slavers of Yunkai. Martin has hinted that Daenerys and Tyrion Lannister's paths will cross "in a way," but they will remain apart for much of the book, each playing significant roles. The Dothraki are set to return "in a big way," and significant events are expected at The Wall. Martin has also teased an "interesting take on unicorns." Fans should brace for a darker narrative, as Martin has warned that "things will get worse before they get better."

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Winds of Winter Characters

Martin has confirmed that The Winds of Winter will not introduce new point-of-view characters. The following characters are expected to have chapters from their perspectives:

• 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 that Daenerys Targaryen will continue as a point-of-view character. Other potential POV characters include Davos Seaworth, Samwell Tarly, and Melisandre. The prologue will feature Robb Stark's wife, Jeyne Westerling, though it's unclear if it will be from her perspective.

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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 complexity of the books. Martin has stated that characters who died in the show may survive in the books, and vice versa. New characters will appear, and those not featured on-screen will have crucial roles. Martin's 2022 blog post elaborated on these differences, emphasizing the impact of new and secondary characters and the varied fates of major characters. He also teased a major twist in The Winds of Winter that was impossible to include in the show, involving characters, one of whom was dead in the series by the end of Season 5 but still 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. Besides A Song of Ice and Fire, Martin is working on the second volume of his Targaryen history, tentatively titled Blood & Fire, and more stories in his Tales of Dunk and Egg series, which is being adapted into HBO's upcoming 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.