George RR Martin has finally shared a major update on upcoming Game Of Thrones book The Winds Of Winter.
The author, who we have to thank for the great tales of Westeros and beyond, has been keeping us on tenterhooks recently as to the status of the next release.
And seeing as we have no more Game Of Thrones TV on the horizon (and a sour taste in our mouths from the final season) just yet, the books are all we have in giving us closure on the story.
Sharing a blog update this week, the 71-year-old author, who has been writing from a cabin these past few months, revealed he was making some ‘steady progress’ on the sixth book in the A Song Ice And Fire series.
Martin got specific on his writing routine, as he shared: ‘I finished a new chapter yesterday, another one three days ago, another one the previous week.’
Still, he was quick to warn us not to get too excited, as he insisted it was a ‘huge book’ and wouldn’t be released anytime soon – despite the scribe having been working on the tale for 10 years now.
Back in our box we go…
‘But no, this does not mean that the book will be finished tomorrow or published next week,’ he went on. ‘It’s going to be a huge book, and I still have a long way to go.’
He said at one stage, when he was writing A Storm Of Swords in 1999, he was averaging 150 pages a month – but those days are long gone.
Martin added: ‘I have bad days, which get me down, and good days, which lift me up, but all in all I am pleased with the way things are going.’
Voicing his sadness he wasn’t able to head to New Zealand for the 78th World Science Fiction Convention, which was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, the author went on to say he will hopefully return next year when ‘both Covid-19 and The Winds of Winter will be done’.
And for any fans wanting an update on the GOT prequel, The House of the Dragon, he said that one was ‘flying along wonderfully’.
He concluded his message: ‘Now you will have to excuse me. Arya is calling. I think she means to kill someone.’
Martin has been sure to share updates with us all as he continued to plug away on the upcoming novel, previously teasing an alternative ending was on its way, after fans were left shocked by the TV show, which saw Bran Stark take the Iron Throne.
It’s been a tough 12 months for Game of Thrones fans. After the final season was universally panned and sparked demands for a re-write, the highly-anticipated prequel starring Naomi Watts was axed midway through filming.
Thankfully, another series is on the way but the creator of Westeros stuck his quill into the hearts of his following further when he previously stressed in his blog: ‘I expect to be involved in [the production of House of the Dragon]. But… let me make this perfectly clear… I am not taking on any scripts until I have finished and delivered Winds Of Winter.’
‘Winter is still coming,’ he warned. ‘And Winds remains my priority, as much as I’d love to write an [episode] of House.’
Anyway, we’ll just be here. Waiting. No rush. Take your time.
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