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

George R.R. Martin's The Winds of Winter, the sixth book in the highly anticipated A Song of Ice and Fire series, remains one of the most eagerly awaited works of fiction. Following the 2011 release of A Dance with Dragons (Book 5), its creation has spanned the entire run of HBO's Game of Thrones (Seasons 2-8) and the first two seasons of its prequel, House of the Dragon. This overview details everything currently known about The Winds of Winter, encompassing Martin's comments on its length, publishing timeline, characters, and key differences from the television adaptation.

Jump to:

• Release Date
• Length
• Story Details
• Book vs. TV Series

Winds of Winter Release Date

There is currently no confirmed release date or even a projected window for The Winds of Winter. Initial hopes for completion by October 2015, aiming for a March 2016 release, proved unrealistic. Subsequent optimistic predictions (end of 2015, end of 2017, completion of initial work by 2021) also failed to materialize. Martin's last public estimate was in 2022, claiming approximately 75% completion. In November 2023, he reported completing 1,100 pages, a figure unchanged since December 2022. A December 2024 interview hinted at the possibility that the book may never be completed within his lifetime.

Winds of Winter Length

The Winds of Winter is anticipated to be approximately 1,500 pages. As of November 2023, Martin stated he had written roughly 1,100 pages, with "hundreds more pages to go." He previously indicated that the final two books in the series will collectively exceed 3,000 pages. A 1,500-page Winds of Winter would surpass the current longest book in the series, A Dance with Dragons (slightly over 1,000 pages in its original hardcover edition).

Winds of Winter Story

(This section avoids spoilers beyond character names.)

The Winds of Winter will directly follow the events of A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons (Books 4 and 5), which featured parallel storylines. Martin has stated the book will open with two major battles: the conflict between Stannis Baratheon and Roose Bolton near Winterfell, and the battle in Meereen between Daenerys Targaryen and the slavers.

Daenerys Targaryen and Tyrion Lannister's paths will intersect, although they remain largely separated for much of the narrative. The Dothraki will play a significant role, and substantial events are expected at The Wall. Martin has also mentioned an "interesting take on unicorns." Overall, the author has described the book as having "dark chapters" and a tone that will "get worse before it gets better."

Winds of Winter Characters

As of 2016, Martin planned to avoid introducing new point-of-view characters. Confirmed POV 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 almost certainly another POV character. Other potential POV characters include Davos Seaworth, Samwell Tarly, and Melisandre. Jeyne Westerling will appear in the prologue.

Winds of Winter: Book vs. TV Show

Due to the expanded scope of the books, The Winds of Winter will significantly diverge from Game of Thrones. Martin has confirmed that characters who died in the show may live in the books, and vice versa. New characters will be introduced, and existing characters who did not appear in the show will play crucial roles. He highlighted differences in character portrayals (e.g., Yarra Greyjoy vs. Asha Greyjoy, Euron Greyjoy's differing depictions), the inclusion of characters absent from the show (Victarion Greyjoy, Arianne Martell, etc.), and the introduction of new characters. The ending will also differ substantially. Martin has also teased a major plot twist involving a character deceased in the show but alive in the books.

A Dream of Spring and Other Future Works

A Dream of Spring, the planned seventh and final book, is also expected to be 1,500 pages or more. Martin anticipates a bittersweet ending. Alongside completing Winds of Winter and preparing for A Dream of Spring, he is working on a second volume of his Targaryen history, additional Dunk and Egg stories, and continues his involvement with Wild Cards, House of the Dragon, and Dark Winds.