The Winds of Winter: Everything We Know About the Next Game of Thrones Book

George R.R. Martin's The Winds of Winter, the highly anticipated sixth installment in A Song of Ice and Fire, remains shrouded in mystery regarding its release. This article summarizes everything currently known about the book, from its projected length and plot points to its differences from the HBO series Game of Thrones.

Release Date and Length:

No official release date exists. While Martin has offered various estimations in the past, none have materialized. In late 2023, he reported completing approximately 1,100 pages of a projected 1,500-page manuscript. He has also hinted that completion within his lifetime is uncertain.

Story Details:

The Winds of Winter will pick up where A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons left off, resolving cliffhangers from the previous books. Martin has indicated the book will open with significant battles: one at Winterfell and another in Slaver's Bay. Daenerys Targaryen and Tyrion Lannister's paths will converge, though they remain largely separated for much of the narrative. The Dothraki will feature prominently, and significant events will unfold at The Wall. Martin has also teased a unique portrayal of unicorns. He's described the overall tone as dark and bleak, reflecting the harsh realities of winter.

Book vs. TV Series:

Significant divergence from Game of Thrones is expected. Characters' fates will differ, with some surviving in the books who died in the show, and vice versa. New characters will be introduced, and existing characters, such as Victarion Greyjoy and Arianne Martell, who were absent from the show, will play crucial roles. Martin has emphasized that the book series is far more extensive and complex than the television adaptation. A major plot twist is promised, involving characters with differing fates in the book and show.

Characters:

Confirmed point-of-view characters include:

• 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

Daenerys Targaryen is highly likely to return as a POV character. Other potential POVs include Davos Seaworth, Samwell Tarly, and Melisandre. Jeyne Westerling's appearance is confirmed.

Future Works:

A Dream of Spring, the final book in the series, is also anticipated to be lengthy and is expected to have a bittersweet conclusion. Martin's other projects include a second volume of Blood & Fire, additional Dunk and Egg novellas, and continued work on Wild Cards. He remains a producer for House of the Dragon and Dark Winds.