Winds of Winter Release Date: Game of Thrones Season 6 Could Bypass Books, George R.R. Martin Reacts

By Dondi Tiples, Christian Post Contributor Monday, March 30, 2015

In the midst of discouraging news author George R.R. Martin's sixth book may be released well beyond the time period expected by fans, rumors have emerged HBO's "Game of Thrones" may bypass the books it is based on.

With "The Winds of Winter" completion still hanging in the balance, speculations have arisen that HBO's "Game of Thrones," the multi-awarded fantasy miniseries, based on George R.R. Martin's books, may move forward despite the absence of the sixth novel.

"A Song of Fire and Ice" author, Martin, has stated he is not privy to that information and remains adamant on completing the sixth book in his epic fantasy series with the same unhurried pace he has maintained.

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"I don't know. I mean, that'll be up to the fans. The show is going forward, I'm going forward. We'll see," the 66-year-old novelist told Access Hollywood.

"Game of Thrones" long-awaited season five is scheduled to premiere on April 12, and with much of the storyline of the fifth book, "A Dance with Dragons" already in play for the season, the following year may see a dearth of source material for season six.

The departure from the original novels has already began, with Martin announcing spoilers earlier this year, saying the show's creators, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, were killing off several major characters in season five that were still alive where the fifth book left off in 2011.

Reports have slowly been trickling in about the show eventually outpacing the books and creating its own material independent of the book series.

Martin himself has confirmed on his LiveJournal that he hasn't been responsible for writing any of the "Game of Thrones" season five episodes, and neither will he pen any for the sixth season, either. He explained he made the decision to steer clear of writing for the show to focus more of his time in finishing the sixth book.

Earlier this month, he had announced he was cancelling appearances to two of his annual haunts, the Comic-Con in San Diego in July, and the World Fantasy Convention in Saratoga Springs in November, to devote his energies to completing "The Winds of Winter."

With the pressure coming in from fans of the books, viewers of the show, and the show's executives and producers, Martin is continuing to shrug off entreaties to finish his 1,500-page tome, and is focusing on creating a memorable read for his audiences instead.