The Winds of Winter is the upcoming book from George RR Martin, which will become the sixth book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series. Fans have been waiting for this book for years – but will it actually be released in 2021?
Judging by George RR Martin’s comments on his Not A Blog website, it seems he will not be finished this year.
In fact, it looks as though he has seemingly confirmed the book will be out by a certain time in 2021.
Speaking on his progress back in June, he said: “If nothing else, the enforced isolation has helped me write. I am spending long hours every day on The Winds of Winter, and making steady progress.
“I finished a new chapter yesterday, another one three days ago, another one the previous week.
He continued: “I was heartbroken when CoNZealand was forced to go virtual due to the pandemic and I had to cancel my plans (exciting plans) for a long trip down to Wellington with Parris and my minions… but there is definitely a silver lining in that cloud.
“The last thing I need right now is a long interruption that might cost me all the momentum I have built up.
“I can always visit Wellington next year, when I hope that both Covid-19 and The Winds of Winter will be done.”
The convention he speaks of, known as WorldCon, was expected to take place in New Zealand in July, but was instead forced to ‘go virtual’ due to COVID-19.
As a result, his new protestations may suggest he will be wrapped up with The Winds of Winter by the 2021 convention, likely to take place in the summer.
However, this has happened once before, as Martin previously promised to have the book ready for this year’s WorldCon, which did not happen at all.
Back in 2019, Martin said ahead of this year’s convention: “If I don’t have The Winds of Winter in hand when I arrive in New Zealand for Worldcon 2020, you have here my formal written permission to imprison me in a small cabin on White Island, overlooking that lake of sulfuric acid, until I’m done.
“Just so long as the acrid fumes do not screw up my old DOS word processor, I’ll be fine.”
His intentions may have been to have it finished by now, but sadly his promise did not follow through as he is still writing to this day.
With the coronavirus providing an ‘enforced isolation’ in which to write, maybe Martin will be able to keep his promise for the 2021 convention.