When it comes toThe Winds of Winter, the biggest focus, understandably, is on when it will arrive. It’s been 14 years since A Dance with Dragons and, an entire TV show - plus a Targaryen history book thatalsobecame a TV show - later, there’s still no sign of it.The Winds of Winteris taking a long timedue to a variety of factors, from George R.R. Martin’s other projects to the sheer scale and complexity of the narrative. The author, though, remains positive, and ensuring the novel is right isn’t a bad thing.
But what about when it does arrive? Beyond the release, there is so much to happen in the book, which makes it less surprising Martin is struggling.Jon Snow will be resurrected, Daenerys Targaryen will meet Tyrion Lannister and may finally make it to Westeros, and dozens and dozens of other plot lines, big and small, will unfold. There are a few things we can expect, thanks toGame of Thrones' ending(and the seasons before it), as well Martin’s own comments, which include an exciting tease of how the book will begin.
George R.R. Martin Promised Two Big Battles To Open The Winds Of Winter
There’s Already A Clear Idea Of What They’ll Be
Martin has revealed various details about the nextA Song of Ice and Firebook over the years, and one intriguing tease came from an interview withEntertainment Weeklyback in 2014. Discussing his plans for the novel (which, at that point, he still hoped to finish before the show ended), he said:
“I think we’regonna start out with a big smash with the two enormous battles.”
The two battles in question both occurred, at different points, inGame of Thrones. The first is the Battle of Ice, which is Stannis Baratheon’s forces going up against those of Ramsay Bolton.It’s a little wild to think that somethingThronesdid in season 5 (that’s 10 years ago!) hasn’t actually happened on the page yet, but here we are. Whilethe pink letter inA Dance with Dragonsclaims Stannis has died, he’s alive and preparing for battle asThe Winds of Winterbegins.
The other battle will be the Battle of Slaver’s Bay or, to pair it with Stannis' battle, the Battle of Fire. Indeed,The Winds of Winter’s preview chapters actually kicked this off, with Tyrion Lannister witnessing the events taking place in Slaver’s Bay, where the Yunkish are laying siege to Meereen against forces commanded by Ser Barristan Selmy, while there’s also the not-so-small matter of Victarion Greyjoy and the Iron Fleet’s arrival.
The Winds Of Winter’s Battles Will Ensure It Hits The Ground Running
The Differences From Game Of Thrones Are Also Exciting
The battles to beginThe Winds of Winterare exciting for a couple of different reasons. First is how they’ll be different fromGame of Thrones.With the Battle of Ice, there’s actually a good chance Stannis will win and take Winterfell, rather than being swiftly defeated as in the TV show.
Similarly, the Battle of Meereen will be different to how it played out inGame of Thrones, where Daenerys and her dragons defeated the slavers. Barristan being alive, the presence of Victarion, and a much more complex and detailed political landscape in Slaver’s Bay can make this unpredictable even after the events of the show.
Differences aside, the combination of these two events should be a thrilling way to begin The Winds of Winter.
Differences aside, the combination of these two events should be a thrilling way to beginThe Winds of Winter. After so many delays and such a long gap, it’s important the book hits the ground running and thrusts readers right back into the thick of the action. There’s a lot to love about Martin’s worldbuilding, attention to detail, and page-after-page describing great feasts, butreally ramping it up with a"big smash"can help make it feel like a bigger reward after waiting so long.
“I have to finish the books. That’s the one thing I’m completely in control of. There’s no budget limitations. There’s no other executives on the studio side that I have to please, or other writers with different views. The books are what I’m going to make them. And, I think the one I’m writing is coming pretty well, but I wish it would come faster."- Martin in an interview withColliderin March 2025.
Importantly, this is also likely to be the longest book inA Song of Ice and Fire, given the amount it has to cover.The Winds of Wintercan’t afford to waste any time, because so much has to happen, and so diving straight into these battles, which have already been so well set up, can really help it avoid that, and makes it an even more exciting prospect, if that’s possible at this point.
The Winds of Winter
Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones is a multimedia franchise created by George R.R. Martin. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire is the basis for the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones, which lasted for eight seasons. After the incredibly divisive final season of Game of Thrones, the series was followed up by the prequel series House of the Dragon, which also received critical acclaim.
