The upcoming release of “Winds of Winter”, the last installment in George R. R. Martin’s famous book series, has been quite confusing for everyone involved – not just fans, but also Martin himself, from what it seems. While the author’s publisher recently announced that he’s not going to make it for a 2015 release with his new book, new information has now surfaced that seems to contradict these claims. So what’s going on – are we going to see the epic conclusion to a major part of the saga this year, or not?
Martin took to his blog to explain that he’s been in talks with his publishers for quite some time now regarding his release dates. According to him, he has an issue with the idea of publishers setting specific release dates for his books, as when they have to be pushed back, this annoys people. Martin is very careful in the writing of his books and always prepares every release meticulously to ensure that it meets the high standards of his fans, so it’s not that surprising that he’s needed more time to complete “Winds of Winter”.
It’s also worth noting that his books are usually quite long, unlike novels written by most authors, something which he himself made sure to point out. All in all, whenever “Winds of Winter” does come out, it should definitely be the culmination to so many parts of the plot that all fans have been looking for.
In the end, his post does not say whether the book is coming in 2015 or not. Martin does, however, say that his publisher should not make any claims about release dates before consulting Martin himself, which would indicate that he has a problem with the claim that the book is not coming this year. Whether or not that’s because he actually expects to be able to finish it, or simply a matter of principle, we don’t know.
The book’s release has been surrounded by a lot of speculation and even some controversy, as some of Martin’s fans have been getting impatient waiting for the new release. At the same time, everyone seems to agree that waiting a little longer for a properly polished book definitely beats getting a rushed one “on time”.
At the same time, producers of “Game of Thrones” ran into a problem as they needed access to the new book in order to develop their show further, so they had to privately consult the author and get an idea about his plans for the future of the plot. Of course, the TV show does take some liberties with the story, but it still has to follow the general plot as closely as possible, so it’s clear why they needed to see the material.