George R.R. Martin Fires Back at ‘GoT’ Fans Over ‘Winds of Winter’ Delays

Game of Thrones scribe, George R.R. Martin, might be the most simultaneously loved and loathed author currently working. His flagship dark fantasy series is one of the best-selling fantasy series of all time, and that was before HBO adapted it into the hit series, Game of Thrones, and the spin-off, House of the Dragon. But, as his attention has turned to the Game of Thrones TV universe, Martin’s next novel in the series, Winds of Winter, has taken a backseat… for 13 years! Because of the long delay, fans have formed their own, often aggravated opinions about why the book has been delayed, with some believing that George R.R. Martin has given up on the novels altogether. But the author is here to set the record straight, while simultaneously taking a cheeky jab at the overly disgruntled fans.

George R.R. Martin recently posted on his popular Not a Blog online blog and addressed the decade-plus-long delays to Winds of Winter, as fans’ frustrations become even more exhausted. The blog began by promoting his upcoming animated movie, A Dozen Tough Jobs, adapted from the Howard Waldrop novella of the same name. The author then quickly and sarcastically addressed how some fans will be upset that he’s taken on yet another project in favor of Winds of Winter. He wrote:

“I know, I know. Some of you will just be pissed off by this, as you are by everything I announce here that is not about Westeros or THE WINDS OF WINTER. You have given up on me, or on the book. I will never finish WINDS. If I do, I will never finish A DREAM OF SPRING. If I do, it won’t be any good. I ought to get some other writer to pinch hit for me…”

“Thing is, I do care about them,” he continued. “And I care about Westeros and WINDS as well. The Starks and Lannisters and Targaryens, Tyrion and Asha, Dany and Daenerys, the dragons and the direwolves, I care about them all. More than you can ever imagine.” However, George R.R. Martin said that he also loves the work of Howard Waldrop and didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to work on A Dozen Tough Jobs.

At Least ‘Game of Thrones’ TV Fans Will Be Happy

Many of George R.R. Martin’s readers may have given up on the long-gestating Winds of Winter after even more delays caused by A Dozen Tough Jobs. But those who know Martin best for his TV adaptations are going to be very happy over the next few years.

The second season of House of the Dragon was released last year, and although it wasn’t as popular as Season 1, fans are still eager for Season 3 to dive into the Dance of the Dragons civil war. Season 3 is currently in the works. No release date has been announced. As well as House of the Dragon, several more spin-offs are also in development. The next to hit our screens will be A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, starring Peter Claffey. Although the project was recently pushed back from its prospective 2025 release window to early 2026.