HBO’s hit series A GAME OF THRONES is based on George RR Martin’s internationally bestselling series A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, the greatest fantasy epic of the modern age. THE WINDS OF WINTER book will be the sixth volume in the epic fantasy series.
We’ve been sitting on this book for a while, haven’t we? It’s felt like decades since we put down A Dance With Dragons and eagerly started waiting for The Winds of Winter. It seems like we’re almost there. In preparation, let’s have a look at what we can expect and let’s answer some of the most burning questions about this icy instalment.
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“I’m going to open with the two big battles that I was building up to, the battle in the ice and the battle at Meereen — the battle of Slaver’s Bay. And then take it from there.”
George R.R. Martin
What to Expect
It seems that “The Winds of Winter” will feature the resolution of several cliffhangers from the previous book, “A Dance with Dragons,” including the battle in the ice and the battle at Meereen. The story will also take place in a dark and wintery setting, and will follow the experiences of various characters who find themselves in difficult situations. It seems that the Others, a supernatural threat from the far north, will also play a role in the book.
“I’ve been telling you for 20 years that winter was coming. Winter is the time when things die, and cold and ice and darkness fill the world, so this is not going to be the happy feel-good that people may be hoping for. Some of the characters [are] in very dark places. …. Things get worse before they get better, so things are getting worse for a lot of people.”
George R.R Martin
That’s reassuring! We all know the book series isn’t known for being especially happy-go-lucky, but it looks like we’re expecting a lot of worrisome developments.
If we look at the final season of The Game of Theones, the 6-episode series which premiered in April 2019, we know that shit went down.
Without giving away any specific spoilers, the final season of “Game of Thrones” involved the bloody culmination of various plot threads, the resolution of long-running conflicts, and the ultimate fate of the main characters. The Night King and his army of the undead are finally defeated, and the survivors of the great houses of Westeros must decide who will rule the Seven Kingdoms. The final season also featured several significant battles, including the Battle of Winterfell and the Battle of King’s Landing.
Can we expect some twists involving fan-favorite Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen?
How Long Will The Winds of Winter Be?
Martin suggested in 2022 that The Winds of Winter could be bigger than A Storm of Swords or A Dance with Dragons. This led to publishers suggesting Martin split the novel into 2, as he had done with previous instalments. Martin rejected the idea.
Who Will We Be Following in The Winds of Winter?
Although we believe this information to be true at the time of writing, keep in mind that these may be subject to change.
Martin confirmed the following characters have POV chapters in The Winds of Winter (Note, this novel won’t follow the layout of A Feast for Crows, where the chapters and characters were separated by geography).
- Sansa Stark
- Arya Stark
- Arianne Martell
- Aeron Greyjoy
- Theon Greyjoy
- Victarion Greyjoy
- Tyrion Lannister
- Barristan Selmy
- Cersei Lannister
- Jaime Lannister
- Brienne of Tarth
- Areo Hotah
- Jon Connington
- Bran Stark
Martin has confirmed that there will be no new viewpoint characters in this novel.
Will We See Any Teasers?
Oh boy, will you!
Martin has already released a ton of preview chapters between 2012 – 2017. However, Martin has since stated it’s unlikely any more will be released.
Check them out! (Note, since the preview, it’s likely that a lot of these have already been rewritten).
- Alayne (Sansa I)
- Arianne I
- Arianna II
- Barristan I
- The Forsaken (Aeron I)
- Mercy (Arya I)
- Theon I
- Tyrion I
- Victarion I
(Credit to thehawke @ github for compiling these sources).
When Will Winds of Winter Be Released?
The intention was to have the book published before the sixth season of the Game of Thrones series, which aired in 2016.
In 2017, Martin believed that The Winds of Winter would be finished in 2017, but this was later pushed back until 2018. Some publishing demands took time away from his writing, with the publishers demanding Fire & Blood to be finished before The Winds of Winter.
Later in 2020, Martin confirmed he was still working on The Winds of Winter, but his primary focus was working on the TV adaption of Nnedi Okorafor’s scifi novel Who Fears Death as the executive producer.
The latest update was in October 25 2022, where Martin said in an episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert that The Winds of Winter is approximately 3/4 written. Watch below!
Frequently Asked Questions
Note: Our FAQ is shortened as we’ve addressed most questions above. If you have any questions feel free to comment below and we’ll fill you in 😉
What is the correct order of Game of Thrones Books?
The branching canons and miscellanies of genre fiction are commonplace to some fans but the unusual running order of A Song of Ice and Fire has been known to put off newcomers to the series. Have no fear though, the publishing order of the books is still the most sensible reading order.
Here are all the books in the A Song of Ice and Fire series in (publishing) order:
- A Game of Thrones (1996)
- A Clash of Kings (1999)
- A Storm of Swords (2000)
- A Feast for Crows (2005)
- A Dance with Dragons (2011)
- The Winds of Winter (unreleased)
- A Dream of Spring (unreleased)
Will winds of winter ever be released 2022?
The expected release date for The Winds Of Winter is expected to be sometime in 2023, so no we can’t expect to see The Winds Of Winter in 2022.
Is The Winds of Winter completed?
The Winds Of Winter is not completed, George RR Martin is still working on it and he has stated that he expects it is going to be a big book. At the moment the release date is expected to be sometime in 2023.
