The Winds of Winter: Release date speculation, characters and news

❚ We may earn commission from links on this page. Our editorial is always independent (learn more)

The TV series Game of Thrones surpassed the events of the books in its sixth season, meaning the showrunners were writing original material with some idea of major plot points from Martin.

However, when will readers get Martin's full version of the story?

The Winds of Winter release date speculation

The Winds of Winter has still yet to be published.

More like this

George RR Martin confirmed in October 2022 that he had written three-quarters of the book.

He revealed in a live stream: "[A] Dance with Dragons and Storm of Swords are the two largest books in the series, they were both about 1,500 manuscript pages. I think this one is going to be longer than that by the time I’m finished with it and I think I’m around three-quarters of the way done, maybe."

Considering that A Dance with Dragons was released in 2011, this means Martin has written three-quarters of The Winds of Winter across 11 years. At this current rate, he is therefore likely to finish writing in 2025, with some extra room for editing.

So, perhaps we can expect the book by then or earlier.

The Winds of Winter point-of-view characters

Kit Harington as a dead Jon Snow in Game of Thrones HBO

The following A Song of Ice and Fire point-of-view characters have been confirmed to have their own chapters in The Winds of Winter.

Sansa Stark
Arya Stark
Tyrion Lannister
Queen Dowager Cersei Lannister
Prince Theon Greyjoy
Aeron Greyjoy
Prince Victarion Greyjoy
Princess Arianne Martell
Ser Barristan Selmy
Areo Hotah
Lord Jon Connington

Other point-of-view characters who could also feature with their own chapters include Jon Snow, Queen Daenerys Targaryen, Ser Jaime Lannister, Brienne of Tarth, Princess Asha Greyjoy, Ser Davos Seaworth, Samwell Tarly, and Melisandre of Asshai.

Other characters who have been confirmed to be returning include Robb Stark's widow Lady Jeyne Westerling, the masked enigma Quaithe, Rickon Stark, and King Euron Greyjoy.

Also, despite being omitted from the television series, Lady Stoneheart - the horrific resurrected Lady Catelyn Stark - will also put in an appearance.

The Winds of Winter plot

The Winds of Winter will serve as the penultimate novel in the book series A Song of Ice and Fire and will continue the plot lines from the previous two novels, A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons.

Despite the television series Game of Thrones concluding prior to the novel's release, there are expected to be some major differences between how events will go.

We shall break down where we left off the characters at each of the locations.

Beyond the Wall

Isaac Hempstead-Wright as Bran Stark and Max von Sydow as the Three-Eyed Raven — Isaac Hempstead Wright as Bran Stark and Max von Sydow as the Three-Eyed Raven in Game of Thrones. HBO

Bran Stark remains an apprentice of the Three-Eyed Crow - an all-seeing man of Targaryen lineage - and is attended by the ancient Children of the Forest.

At Bran's side throughout his training are the siblings Jojen and Meera Reed, Hodor and Bran's direwolf, Summer.

Elsewhere at Hardhome, the Wildling communities face attacks by the dreaded Others.

Castle Black, The Wall

A mutiny in the Night's Watch saw Lord Commander Jon Snow apparently murdered after many grew angry with his relationship with the Wildlings, their traditional enemies.

However, King Stannis Baratheon left his wife Queen Selyse Florent, daughter Princess Shireen Baratheon and religious advisor and sorceress Melisandre of Asshai at the Wall.

The North

Stephen Dillane as King Stannis Baratheon in Game of Thrones. HBO

In a bid to shore up the support of the North, King Stannis Baratheon is marching on Winterfell to defeat the treacherous Lord Roose Bolton and his evil son Ramsay Bolton.

Having defeated the Ironborn troops led by Asha Greyjoy who he has taken prisoner, Stannis's army becomes stranded in snowy weather conditions.

All are shocked when a much-changed Theon Greyjoy emerges with Ramsay's wife Jeyne Poole - who had been forced to pose as Arya Stark - after escaping by leaping from the battlements at Winterfell. Stannis plans to execute Theon for his previous treacheries against House Stark.

Meanwhile, Ser Davos Seaworth secured the support of House Manderly of White Harbour to aid Stannis against House Bolton. However, first he must rescue young Rickon Stark who was last seen with the willing Osha on the cannibal-infested island of Skagos.

The Iron Islands

Following a Kingsmoot to vote for their new monarch after the death of King Balon Greyjoy, the Iron Islands elected the pirate Euron Greyjoy as their new King.

Euron sent his brother Victarion to capture Daenerys Targaryen, as Euron plans to control her dragons with a magic horn.

Meanwhile, Princess Asha Greyjoy fled the Iron Islands to continue her missions in the North - only to be captured by King Stannis Baratheon at Moat Cailin.

The Vale of Arryn

Sophie Turner as Sansa Stark and Aidan Gillen as Lord Petyr Baelish in Game of Thrones. HBO

Sansa Stark is hiding in the Vale and posing as Lord Petyr 'Littlefinger' Baelish's bastard daughter Alayne Stone, acting as Lady of the Eeyrie and caring for her cousin Lord Robert Arryn.

Littlefinger manoeuvres his way into becoming Lord Protector of the Vale and begins touring the land with Sansa at his side, who watches his political games.

Baelish reveals that he plans to marry her to Ser Harrald Hardyng, Robert Arryn's cousin and heir, and when Robert dies, Sansa's true identity will be made public and Harrald will claim Winterfell in her name.

In a preview chapter for The Winds of Winter, Sansa meets the arrogant Harrald for the first time but soon learns to manipulate him.

The Riverlands

After the War of the Five Kings, the Riverlands are in utter disarray.

Ser Jaime Lannister set about capturing Riverland territory from the remnants of House Tully, led by Ser Brynden 'Blackfish' Tully. While the Blackfish escapes, Jaime captures much in the name of King Tommen Baratheon.

Brienne of Tarth continued her quest to find both Sansa and Arya Stark to honour her oath to the late Lady Catelyn Stark. Accompanied by Podrick Payne, Brienne comes across a number of figures on her journey through war-devastated lands, including Lord Randyll Tarly and Septon Meribald.

Eventually, Brienne and Podrick are captured by the Brotherhood Without Banners and learn that the often-resurrected Ser Beric Dondarrion had exchanged his life to bring back Lady Catelyn Stark - now a horrific zombified figure known as Lady Stoneheart.

Feeling that Brienne betrayed her for the treacherous Ser Jaime Lannister, Stoneheart orders Brienne to kill Jaime or be hanged. Brienne initially won't choose and she and Podrick are hung until she cries out.

Later, after Jaime burns a letter from his desperate sister Cersei Lannister in King's Landing, he is approached by Brienne who lies that she needs his help in rescuing Sansa Stark from The Hound.

King's Landing

The Mountain holds Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) in Game of Thrones. HBO

Queen Dowager Cersei Lannister has been released from captivity after completing a humiliating walk of penance through King's Landing at the insistence of the High Sparrow and his Faith Militant.

Cersei plans on a trial by combat to free her from the charges against her, planning to use Ser Robert Strong - a zombified version of the Mountain who has been stitched together by her advisor Qyburn.

After being rejected by her brother-lover Jaime, Cersei plots revenge on the Faith Militant and House Tyrell.

Meanwhile, Queen Margaery Tyrell has been released into the custody of Lord Randyll Tarly as she awaits a trial by faith after being framed for adultery by Cersei.

Finally, Lord Regent Ser Kevan Lannister and Grand Maester Pycelle are murdered by the "spiders" who work for Varys in a bid to destabilise the kingdom and create more distrust between Cersei and her enemies, enabling the boy believed to be Prince Aegon Targaryen to take the throne.

The Stormlands

The boy believed to be Prince Aegon Targaryen, the legitimate son of Crown Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and Princess Elia Martell, has landed in Westeros with his surrogate father Lord Jon Connington.

The pair plan to reclaim the Seven Kingdoms in the name of House Targaryen and eventually unite with Queen Daenerys Targaryen.

Unbeknownst to others, Lord Connington has contracted the disease Greyscale.

Dorne

Prince Doran Martell plans to marry his heir and daughter Princess Arianne Martell to Prince Aegon Targaryen and unite House Martell to House Targaryen once more and conquer Westeros.

Despite the advice of passivity from his late brother Prince Oberyn's paramour Ellaria Sand, Prince Doran sends Oberyn's bastard daughters on secret missions: Obara Sand to avenge the wounds sustained to Princess Myrcella Baratheon; Nymeria Sand to take up her father's seat on the Small Council in King's Landing; and Tyene Sand to also visit King's Landing disguised as a septa and gain the confidence of the High Sparrow.

Oldtown

Samwell Tarly arrives in Oldtown with Gilly and the smuggled child of Mance Rayder, the former King Beyond the Wall, who was saved in the place of Gilly's own son.

Arriving at the Citadel to learn to be a Maester, Samwell crosses paths with a Faceless Man who is posing his way into the Citadel.

Braavos

Maisie Williams as Arya Stark in Game of Thrones. HBO

Arya Stark has been training with the Faceless Men at the House of Black and White.

Now having mastered some of their abilities, Arya goes undercover with a theatre company as the actress Mercedene.

There she takes revenge on Raff the Sweetling, after he arrives accompanying Westerosi treasurer Harys Swyft who is visiting the Iron Bank of Braavos.

Slaver's Bay

Queen Daenerys Targaryen has faced enemies on all fronts as she tries to reform and rule over the city of Meereen in Slaver's Bay.

A mixture of enemies from neighbouring cities and conservative factions inside the city walls saw a confrontation in the Great Pit of Daznak that culminated in Daenerys being flown away atop her largest dragon, Drogon.

In her absence, Ser Barristan Selmy plans to protect the city as Hand of the Queen.

Meanwhile, the fugitive Tyrion Lannister and Ser Jorah Mormont who had been sold into slavery just manage to miss Daenerys in the fighting pits.

In the aftermath, the pair and their companion Penny attempt to grow closer to the sellswords readying for the Liberation of Slaver's Bay.

Elsewhere, Prince Victarion Greyjoy arrives in Slaver's Bay to capture Daenerys for his brother King Euron. However, Victarion hopes to take Daenerys for himself.

The Dothraki Sea

Queen Daenerys Targaryen wanders the desolate Dothraki Sea after being taken to a distant cave by Drogon.
Struggling to survive, experiencing painful health symptoms and being disturbed by visions, Daenerys is shocked to be approached by a Khalasar of Dothraki warriors.

Where will the Dothraki take her now?

Read more:

House of the Dragon is available to stream on Sky and NOW. Find out more about how to sign up for Sky TV. Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.

The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe now and get the next 12 issues for only £1. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times View From My Sofa podcast.