5 “Winds of Winter” Takeaways From GRRM’s Recent Reveals

George R.R. Martin, the author of Game of Thrones, recently shared an update about his highly anticipated next book. The Winds of Winter has become famous for its delay – fans have been waiting since 2011, when the previous book came out. Originally, Martin intended to finish the book series around the same time as the HBO show premiered that same year. Now, seven years after the show concluded, readers are still eager to read this next-to-last book in the series.

Martin recently gave a very insightful interview to The Hollywood Reporter, where he shared important updates on the highly anticipated next book in the series. He also discussed his thoughts on the book’s progress, his disagreements with House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal, the new series A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and even the potential for a movie about Aegon’s Conquest. Here’s a summary of the key information for fans waiting for the next book.

George R.R. Martin Has More Dunk and Egg Novellas in the Pipeline

HBO

Still waiting for The Winds of Winter? In the meantime, we have Dunk and Egg! But in all seriousness, George R.R. Martin has been wanting to write more of his shorter, sequel stories for a while. He was inspired to start working on two new novellas in 2025, likely because he enjoyed the new TV series based on these stories and the showrunner, Ira Parker, is committed to staying true to the source material, as the author explained.

As a huge fan, it’s always a bit nerve-wracking waiting for news from George R.R. Martin! Unlike Brandon Sanderson, who keeps us updated weekly on his progress, Martin’s updates are few and far between. He recently told The Hollywood Reporter that he has tons of stories about Dunk and Egg swirling around in his head, and he’s been working on getting two of them down on paper – one set in Winterfell and another in the Riverlands. Apparently, he’s already given Ira Parker outlines for a whopping 10-12 Dunk and Egg tales, which is amazing news for fans of those stories and means the show could run for years!

‘The Winds of Winter’ Will Have Jon Snow Chapters

HBO

George R.R. Martin described his writing method for Winds as jumping between chapters depending on how easily they’re coming along. He gave the example of switching from a Tyrion chapter to a Jon Snow chapter when he got stuck. It’s unclear if this was an accidental reveal, or if it simply confirmed what fans have long suspected, but it strongly suggests that Jon Snow will indeed be brought back to life in the books.

The last time readers saw Jon Snow in the books, he was fatally stabbed at the end of A Dance with Dragons. While the TV show brought him back to life, book fans have wondered what would happen next in the novels. Many believe that right before the attack, Jon transferred his consciousness into his direwolf, Ghost, and will begin the next book inhabiting the animal’s body. This Jon is expected to be a much more hardened and cynical character than the one readers previously knew.

GRRM Doesn’t “See a Happy Ending for Tyrion”

HBO

As a huge fan, I’ve always been fascinated by how George R.R. Martin’s books compare to the Game of Thrones show. He’s talked a lot about how things play out differently – some characters who die on screen will live in the books, and vice versa. He’s hinted that The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring will have a truly different conclusion, and he’s started to explain why. For example, he’s mentioned that he doesn’t envision a happy ending for Tyrion, pointing back to the darker side of the character we saw in A Dance with Dragons.

Peter Dinklage’s portrayal of Tyrion Lannister was incredibly popular on television, and the show’s creators deliberately presented him as a heroic figure, unlike some antiheroes. While the book version of Tyrion is already somewhat more moral than his sister Cersei, the TV show made him a clear champion of good. However, George R.R. Martin intends for Tyrion’s story in the books to be a tragedy, meaning he probably won’t achieve a position of power like Hand of the King in the upcoming Dream novel.

GRRM Originally Planned for Sansa to Die

Photograph by Helen Sloan/HBO

Considering the strong reactions to the Game of Thrones TV series, George R.R. Martin is undoubtedly rethinking parts of his original story. Early outlines for A Song of Ice and Fire from the 1990s showed a very different path – a planned trilogy where Jaime Lannister would become king, Jon and Arya would become a couple (which seems strange now), and many other ideas that were later abandoned. Martin has also revealed that he initially intended for Sansa Stark to die, another plan he ultimately changed.

I originally planned for Sansa to die, but Sophie Turner’s portrayal of the character has been so captivating that I’m reconsidering. The strong emotional response to Sansa, both from viewers and fans, has given me a fresh perspective on her. While it could be a deliberate attempt to mislead readers, it seems more likely that the TV show and the enthusiastic fan base have changed how I feel about my characters and their potential fates.

GRRM Could ‘The Winds of Winter’ Soon… If He Wants To

HBO

George R.R. Martin is currently struggling with motivation and enthusiasm for his work. He drew a parallel to Frank Herbert, the author of Dune, who lost some of his passion for that series later in life but continued writing it because his publisher didn’t want anything else. While Martin has many projects he enjoys, The Winds of Winter is clearly causing him a lot of stress and worry.

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During the interview, he explained that completing his book series is incredibly important to him – he feels like a failure if he doesn’t. Interestingly, he’s also called the next book in the series a major struggle. He still cares deeply about the world he created, and many readers believe that’s the core of the issue. Martin has spent years developing this intricate world, adding details and hints that inspire countless theories and predictions, but he hasn’t focused the story enough to move towards a clear conclusion.

I might be being overly optimistic, but when I read his statement, I immediately felt hopeful that he might actually finish The Winds of Winter. I know he only said it was possible, but I really want this book, and I’ll keep hoping for it as long as there’s still a chance.

2026-01-16 05:04