Winds of Winter progress latest 7 years on from Game of Thrones ending | Books | Entertainment

It was 7 years ago today when the final episode of Game of Thrones aired on HBO. For the last few seasons, the showrunners had to rely on George RR Martin’s planned plot points for his last two unwritten novels in A Song of Ice and Fire.

You’d have thought that seven years on from the season finale, fans would have at least the penultimate book in their hands by now, but no. So what’s the latest on The Winds of Winter?

Back in January, Martin confirmed that he’s written about 1,100 pages of The Winds of Winter so far. Considering 2011’s A Dance with Dragons was around that length, suggesting the next novel will be the longest to date. We can probably assume he’s at least over halfway.

As for why the book is taking so long, the author blamed his increased celebrity and all the other distractions like producing Game of Thrones spin-offs. Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter at the time, the 77-year-old admitted: “I’m rewriting. I’m struggling… if I can just get some of these other things off my back, I could finish The Winds of Winter pretty soon. [It’s been] made clear to me that Winds is the priority.”

Martin has also confirmed that the end of A Song of Ice and Fire will differ from the Game of Thrones TV show. But also said that if he dies before A Dream of Spring is completed, the series will remain incomplete and not be finished by another author like Brandon Sanderson did for Robert Jordan. Then, in April, a false leak claimed a 2026 release date for The Winds of Winter was imminent, but this was soon shot down by Martin’s US publisher, Bantam Books.

The Winds of Winter may be published one day, but fans should be prepared that it may never come.