George R.R. Martin Is "Making Steady Progress" On The Latest Game Of Thrones Novel

For five seasons, Game of Thrones was an adaptation of George R.R. Martin's epic fantasy novel series. But by Season 6, the series has caught up with the books, so--for better or worse--the series' showrunners finished the story themselves, with some guidance from Martin. But that doesn't mean GoT fans aren't (eventually) going to get another installment of the books. Martin has been working on the next volume, titled The Winds of Winter, for several years, and has now provided a new update on its progress, saying he is making progress and that it could be finished in 2021.

In a new post on his blog, Martin explained that the COVID-19 pandemic has given him time to work on the book. "The enforced isolation has helped me write," he said. "I am spending long hours every day on The Winds of Winter, and making steady progress. I finished a new chapter yesterday, another one three days ago, another one the previous week."

However, Martin was careful to explain that fans wouldn't be able to read the book anytime soon. "This does not mean that the book will be finished tomorrow or published next week," he stated. "It’s going to be a huge book, and I still have a long way to go."

Nevertheless, Martin did give a small clue as to when he expected to finish. He stated that he was disappointed not to attend the sci-fi convention ConZealand in Wellington, New Zealand, which was due to take place next month. Then he added, "I can always visit Wellington next year, when I hope that both COVID-19 and The Winds of Winter will be done."

Although Game of Thrones finished last year on TV, there is a spin-off show in the works. House of the Dragon will be set 300 years before the events of the main show, and will focus on the rise of House Targaryen. The series will consist of 10 episodes, and HBO programming chief Casey Bloys previously stated that he was hopeful we would see it in 2022. For more check out Game Spot's guide to everything we know about House of the Dragon.