The sixth installment of the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series of novels, titled "The Winds of Winter," is due to be released next year. While no official word had been released by author George R.R. Martin yet, it has been rumored to be launched before "Game of Thrones" Season 7, and Jon Snow may ultimately face his demise.
All Characters Must Die
In a previous interview with George R.R. Martin, he had claimed that after "The Winds of Winter" installment, there would be no characters surviving the events. This would then mean that even the most beloved characters have a fair chance of meeting their deaths before the seventh book, "A Dream of Spring."
However, as heartbreaking as this news may come, this is far from surprising, as Martin is notorious for killing off characters that fans love. In "The Winds of Winter," however, all major characters bound to meet at some point.
It has also been reported, however, that the story of "The Winds of Winter" will see many changes as compared to what Martin had originally planned. This may then spark hope to the fans of the "A Song of Ice and Fire" franchise, as the lives of some characters may then be spared.
These changes could then be the reason behind the multiple delays that "The Winds of Winter" has seen. For context, the last book in the franchise, "A Dance with Dragons," had been out since in 2011, so it would have been six years before the sequel is released in 2017. Fans are hoping that the changes brought by Martin in "The Winds of Winter" would mean that fan favorites Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen survive the ensuing epic battle and ultimately rule the Westeros together.
Rickon-Dead or Alive?
While the Stark children in "Game of Thrones" has been met with nothing but bad luck, fans are still eager to see what has become of Rickon Stark in the novels. It has been speculated that in "The Winds of Winter," the youngest Stark son has been hiding in a mysterious island to survive.
In "Game of Thrones" Season 6 though, Rickon has already been killed by Ramsay Bolton, before eventually being defeated by Jon Snow and Sansa Stark to reclaim Winterfell. Fans are hoping that "The Winds of Winter" will give a more favorable fate to Rickon.
