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 captivated the attention of fans worldwide. Since the release of the fifth book, *A Dance with Dragons*, in 2011, anticipation has been building. In the intervening 13 years, HBO has produced Seasons 2-8 of *Game of Thrones* and Seasons 1 and 2 of the spinoff series *House of the Dragon*. As fans eagerly await the next chapter in this beloved saga, we've gathered all the latest details on *The Winds of Winter*, including insights from Martin on its length, projected timeline, story elements, 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

Currently, there is no confirmed release date or window for The Winds of Winter. Originally, Martin and his publishers aimed to complete the manuscript by October 2015 for a March 2016 release, ahead of Game of Thrones Season 6. This deadline was pushed back to the end of 2015, and later to the end of 2016, but the manuscript remained unfinished. In January 2017, Martin expressed hope that it would be completed by the end of that year, and in 2020, he targeted finishing the initial work by 2021, which did not happen. The most recent update came in October 2022, when Martin stated he was about 75% done. By November 2023, he reported having completed 1,100 pages, the same number he had mentioned in December 2022 on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. In a December 2024 interview, Martin acknowledged the possibility that he might never finish The Winds of Winter in his lifetime.

Winds of Winter Length

The Winds of Winter is expected to span approximately 1,500 pages. As of November 2023, Martin had written around 1,100 pages and indicated that there were "hundreds more pages to go." The final two books in the A Song of Ice and Fire series are projected to total over 3,000 pages combined. 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 except for the names of characters expected to appear in the book.

The Winds of Winter will pick up where A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons left off, continuing the parallel narratives of various characters. Martin has promised a dramatic start, opening with two significant battles: one in the ice between the forces of Stannis Baratheon and Roose Bolton near Winterfell, and another at Meereen in Slaver's Bay, involving Daenerys Targaryen's forces against the slavers of Yunkai.

Martin has teased that Daenerys Targaryen and Tyrion Lannister's paths will intersect "in a way," but they will spend much of the book apart. Both characters will have significant roles, with Tyrion now focused on survival and Daenerys embracing her Targaryen heritage. The Dothraki are set to return "in a big way," and significant events will unfold at The Wall. Additionally, Martin has hinted at an "interesting take on unicorns." He has warned fans that the narrative will take a darker turn, reflecting the ominous title The Winds of Winter, as winter brings death, cold, and darkness.

Winds of Winter Characters

As of 2016, Martin confirmed he would not introduce new point-of-view (POV) characters in The Winds of Winter. The list of characters with confirmed POV chapters includes:

• 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 POV character. Other potential POV characters include Davos Seaworth, Samwell Tarly, and Melisandre. Additionally, Jeyne Westerling, Robb Stark's wife from the books, is set to 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 books' broader scope and larger cast. Martin has stated that some characters who died in the show will live in the books, and vice versa. New characters will be introduced, and those who never appeared on screen will play crucial roles. In a 2022 blog post, Martin emphasized that his storytelling process, likened to gardening, has led him further from the TV series' path. He highlighted differences such as the inclusion of POV characters like Victarion Greyjoy and Arianne Martell, who were not featured in the show, and secondary characters like Lady Stoneheart and Young Griff, who will influence the plot. Martin also teased a major twist in The Winds of Winter that couldn't be adapted for the show, involving characters, one of whom died in the series by the end of Season 5 but remains alive in the books.

A Dream of Spring and Other Future Works

A Dream of Spring, the planned seventh and final book in the series, is also expected to be around 1,500 pages. Martin has described its ending as likely to be "bittersweet." There is currently no timetable for its release.

In addition to The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring, Martin is working on a second volume of his Targaryen history, tentatively titled Blood & Fire, and further stories in his Tales of Dunk and Egg series, which is the basis for the upcoming HBO spinoff Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Martin continues to edit the Wild Cards sci-fi series and serves as a producer for House of the Dragon and AMC's Dark Winds.

For those eager to delve deeper into A Song of Ice and Fire, check out our guide on how to read the Game of Thrones books in order.