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 of fiction in recent years. Since the release of the fifth book, A Dance with Dragons, in 2011, fans have been eagerly awaiting the continuation of this beloved fantasy saga, which served as the inspiration for HBO's Game of Thrones. In the 13 years since, HBO has released Seasons 2-8 of Game of Thrones and Seasons 1 and 2 of its spinoff series, House of the Dragon, while Martin has been hard at work on the next A Song of Ice and Fire novel.

This article provides a comprehensive overview of everything known about The Winds of Winter, from Martin's insights on the book's length and publishing timeline to the anticipated story elements and differences from the TV 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

There is currently no set release date or window for The Winds of Winter. Initially, Martin and his publishers hoped to have the manuscript ready by October 2015 for a release the following March, ahead of Game of Thrones: Season 6. However, this deadline was missed, as were subsequent targets at the end of 2015 and by the end of 2017. In 2020, Martin aimed to finish the initial draft by 2021, but this timeline also did not materialize. The most recent update came in October 2022, when Martin stated he was about 75% done with the manuscript. By November 2023, he reported having completed 1,100 pages, the same number mentioned in December 2022. 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." The final two books in the A Song of Ice and Fire series are projected to exceed 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 release.

Winds of Winter Story

This section contains no spoilers beyond 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 different characters. Martin has promised a dramatic opening, resolving the cliffhangers from A Dance with Dragons by starting with two significant battles: one in the ice between Stannis Baratheon and Roose Bolton near Winterfell, and another in Meereen, dubbed the battle of Slaver's Bay, involving Daenerys Targaryen and the slavers of Yunkai.

Martin has hinted that Daenerys Targaryen and Tyrion Lannister will finally cross paths "in a way," though they will remain apart for much of the book. Both characters will play significant roles, with Tyrion seeking survival and Daenerys embracing her Targaryen heritage. The Dothraki will return prominently, and significant events will unfold at The Wall. Additionally, Martin has teased an "interesting take on unicorns."

Martin has warned readers to expect a darker narrative, fitting the book's title, The Winds of Winter, as he has long promised that winter would bring death, cold, ice, and darkness to the world.

Winds of Winter Characters

As of 2016, Martin confirmed that no new point-of-view (POV) characters would be introduced in The Winds of Winter. The following characters are confirmed to have chapters told from their perspective, 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 POV character. Other potential POV characters include Davos Seaworth, Samwell Tarly, and Melisandre. Jeyne Westerling, Robb Stark's wife (replaced in the TV series by Talisa Maegyr), will appear in the prologue, though it is unclear if her perspective will be used.

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Winds of Winter: Book vs. TV Show

Due to the larger scope and more complex narrative of the book series, The Winds of Winter will diverge significantly from the Game of Thrones TV series. Martin has indicated that some characters who died in the show will survive in the books, and vice versa. Additionally, new characters not seen in the series will play crucial roles.

In a 2022 blog post, Martin elaborated on these differences, stating that his "gardening" approach to writing has led him further from the TV series. He highlighted that many events in the books will not occur in the same way as they did on HBO, and new characters like Victarion Greyjoy, Arianne Martell, and Jon Connington will have significant impacts. Martin also noted that secondary characters like Lady Stoneheart and Young Griff will influence the plot, and some characters will be portrayed differently in the books compared to the show.

Martin has teased a major twist in The Winds of Winter that could not be included in the TV series, involving characters, one of whom was dead by the end of Season 5 in the show but remains alive 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 anticipated to be over 1,500 pages. Martin has hinted that the ending will be bittersweet rather than purely happy. There is no set release date for this concluding volume.

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

For more information on A Song of Ice and Fire, explore our guide on how to read the Game of Thrones books in order.