George RR Martin has reassured fans that he is still working on his long-anticipated book The Winds Of Winter – part of the hugely popular Game Of Thrones series. The US writer said the world of Westeros, where the books are set, is his “number one priority” and would remain so “until the story is told.”
He also added that a HBO spin-off series, House Of The Dragon, starring Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke and Rhys Ifans, parts of which were filmed in Cornwall, had now wrapped and was in post production. Providing updates on various projects on his website blog he said that being hounded by fans about his latest book was “wearisome”.
“I know, for many of you out there, only one of those projects matters,” he wrote. "I am sorry for you. They ALL matter to me.
“Yes, of course I am still working on The Winds Of Winter. I have stated that a hundred times in a hundred venues, having to restate it endlessly is just wearisome.
“I made a lot of progress on Winds in 2020, and less in 2021… but ‘less’ is not ‘none’. The world of Westeros, the world of A Song Of Ice And Fire, is my number one priority, and will remain so until the story is told.
“But Westeros has become bigger than The Winds Of Winter, or even A Song Of Ice And Fire.”
Game Of Thrones, which ended its hugely successful run in 2019, was mostly filmed on location and in studios in Northern Ireland. The spinoff series, House Of The Dragon, is based on Martin’s Fire & Blood novel which is set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones and tells the story of House Targaryen.
Of the project Martin added: “So far, I am very excited. House Of The Dragon has wrapped in London and is now in post-production. What I have seen, I have loved. I am eager to see more. I am dying to tell you all about them, but I am not supposed to, so.”
The last book in the planned six GoT novels, A Dance With Dragons, was published in 2011. The first novel was published in 1996.
