George R.R. Martin, the author of the ‘A Song of Ice and Fire,’ book series that inspired HBO’s award-winning drama Game of Thrones, has revealed that the book will have a different ending.
Martin’s announcement came as good news for fans who were dissatisfied with the show’s finale.
Martin penned his thoughts on his website, Not A Blog. He wrote, “How will it all end? I hear people asking. The same ending as the show? Different? Well… yes.”
However, after his answer, the author also added, “And no. And yes. And no. And yes. And no. And yes.”
The season eight finale on HBO saw Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) descend into madness, only to be killed by her lover Jon Snow (Kit Harington).
The Stark children each went their separate ways: Sansa (Sophie Turner) became Queen in the North, newly liberated from the rest of the Seven Kingdoms.
Arya (Maisie Williams) boarded a boat to discover what is west of Westeros; and Bran the Broken (Isaac Hempstead Wright) was crowned king of the (now) six Kingdoms.
Martin promised that all of the characters in the books that didn’t make it on to the show will receive attention in the upcoming novels ‘Winds of Winter’ and ‘A Dream of Spring’.
He wrote, “There are characters who never made it onto the screen at all, and others who died in the show but still live in the books.
“So if nothing else, the readers will learn what happened to Jeyne Poole, Lady Stoneheart, Penny and her pig, Skahaz Shavepate, Arianne Martell, Darkstar.
“Also, Victarion Greyjoy, Ser Garlan the Gallant, Aegon VI, and a myriad of other characters both great and small that viewers of the show never had the chance to meet.”
Martin also reminded fans that he works “in a very different medium than [showrunners] David [Benioff] and Dan [Weiss],” hinting that he has more time to flesh out every character’s ending.
Martin added, “They had six hours for this final season. I expect these last two books of mine will fill 3000 manuscript pages between them before I’m done and if more pages and chapters and scenes are needed, I’ll add them.”
The most recent book in the ASOIAF series, ‘A Dance with Dragons’, was released in 2011. The book series debuted with A Game of Thrones in 1996.
Martin acknowledged that fans have been waiting for a long time to see where the story goes next.
He wrote, “And I’m writing. Winter is coming, I told you, long ago… and so it is. ‘The Winds Of Winter’ is very late, I know, I know, but it will be done.
“I won’t say when, I’ve tried that before, only to burn you all and jinx myself… but I will finish it, and then will come ‘A Dream Of Spring.”
