George R.R. Martin’s Ongoing Journey: The Long Wait for the Next A Song of Ice and Fire Installment

Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin is uncertain if he will ever complete The Winds of Winter, the next novel in the A Song of Ice and Fire epic saga.

The 13-year wait for The Winds of Winter has increasingly weighed heavily on fans, with infrequent updates from Martin ranging from optimistic to contrite to starkly pessimistic, as reflected in this latest communication.

In an interview with THR, Martin openly expressed concern that he might never finish the upcoming installment in the series.

“Regrettably, I am 13 years behind schedule,” he stated. “Every time I think about it, I’m like, ‘How could I be 13 years behind?’ I truly don’t know; it accumulates one day at a time.”

He further remarked, “But it remains a priority. Many individuals are writing my eulogies. [They’re suggesting] ‘Oh, he’ll never complete it.’ Perhaps they are correct. I can’t say for sure. I’m still here! I feel quite functional!”

Luckily, Martin offered a small glimmer of hope by proclaiming he will never retire, humorously adding that he’s “not a golfer.”

There is some speculation regarding the impact the negative reception of HBO’s Game of Thrones series finale has had on Martin’s creative process. The author revealed a couple of years ago that the novels are veering “further and further away” from the television adaptation, making it plausible that the lengthy delay is associated with that.

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