The interesting thing about fans of the Game of Thrones TV series, is that so many of them cross over as fans of the original book series by George RR Martin.
The final season 8 of the all-encompassing show is set to arrive next April on HBO, with Martin at the helm of writing, but the same cannot be said for the A Song of Ice and Fire series, which has stagnated for seven years.
Not anymore.
The 70-year-old writer wants the world to know that the long-awaited sixth book in the series titled The Winds of Winter, is on its slow, meandering way.
Taking to his blog, Martin wrote:
‘I know you want WINDS, and I am going to give it to you… but I am delighted that you stayed with me for this one as well. Your patience and unflagging support means the world to me.
‘Enjoy the read. Me, I am back in my fortress of solitude, and back in Westeros.’
Though it’s not likely to be any time in the immediate future, Martin wants his fans to know that the novel will be with them soon enough.
‘It won’t be tomorrow, and it won’t be next week, but you will get the end of A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE. Meanwhile, you have the final season of GAME OF THRONES coming, and the new show that is not yet officially called THE LONG NIGHT being cast, and a couple more shows still being scripted… and a few other cool things in the works as well.
‘Winter is not the only thing that is coming.’
Fans will be relieved to know the Westeros book is on its way. Earlier this year the author admitted struggling with the pressure to finish the sixth book.
He told The Guardian: ‘The show has achieved such popularity around the world, the books have been so popular and so well reviewed, that every time I sit down I’m very conscious I have to do something great, and trying to do something great is a considerable weight to bear.’
According to whispers in the book world, a seventh book, titled A Dream of Spring is set to follow The Winds of Winter, though information about that story remains ever scarce.
Though the GoT creator has slowed his novel writing down, the same cannot be said about his show. Speaking to the New York Times, he teased fans with the possibility of a HBO series based on some of the secondary characters in the show. He said:
‘I wanted to do a show called Spear Carriers, which would actually be set during the events of Game of Thrones, but it wouldn’t be following Dany, Tyrion and Jaime.
‘They would all be there in the background, like Hamlet, and it would be more like, “Here’s a story about a guy in the City Watch; here’s a story about a prostitute at one of Littlefinger’s brothels; here’s a story about a mummer who’s in town to do juggling and tricks.”’
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