For more than a decade, fans have been asking George R.R. Martin about the progress of The Winds of Winter, the penultimate novel in the A Song of Ice and Fire series (aka Game of Thrones). Martin has stated many times that he has written about 1,200 pages of this novel and has about 500 pages left, but there is still no sign of publication, let alone the final volume of the series, "The Dream of Spring Dawn".
Nevertheless, Martin once again chose to "take a detour." "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" showrunner Ella Parker revealed in an interview with "The Hollywood Reporter" that Martin is currently writing the fourth "Dunk and Egg" story to provide more material for future adaptations of the series.
"The fourth story that George is writing takes place in a really cool place," Parker said, "and the fifth one is Egg's last story point as a boy. So it's a very natural break for us to come back when Dexter is older. Then we can tell the story of Prince Egg, get into some politics, have some interesting drama in Summerhall and King's Landing, and create a different atmosphere, rather than having them on the road all the time."
It is true that the "Dunk and Egg" series is much shorter than any of the "Song of Ice and Fire" sequels, each only 110 to 160 pages, but since the publication of the last main sequel, "Game of Thrones" has been broadcast for eight seasons, and "The Winds of Winter" is still far away. It's a bit frustrating to see spin-offs take center stage, but then again, I sympathize with Martin - every new project he announces is drowned out by calls for The Winds of Winter, and he's openly talked about how frustrated he is with the delays.
This novel has carried readers' expectations for 15 years, and also bears tremendous pressure to "make up for" the controversial ending of the series. It’s clear from Martin’s interviews and candid blog posts that he is truly bearing every ounce of this pressure, which is by no means an ideal state of mind when writing a grand fantasy novel with so many intricate threads that must now be woven together to deliver a satisfying ending.
What makes this expectation even heavier is the sheer impatience of the entire fan base waiting for nothing. At the World Science Fiction Convention, one fan even told him to his face: "Your days on this earth are numbered." Whenever a new project is announced, countless fans will make similar remarks online without thinking. These words clearly touched Martin deeply, especially after he lost close friends and fellow science fiction writers such as Howard Waldrop.
The length of 1,200 pages should not be underestimated, even if this number has been stagnant for several years: "The Winds of Winter" is gradually shaping into a masterpiece, even surpassing "A Dance with Dragons" which was split into two parts. It's a little discouraging to hear that Martin is stepping back to write another "Dunk and Egg" story, but it's also worth considering the climate in which A Song of Ice and Fire is being written today. This is really not an enviable situation.