Next Game of Thrones book The Winds of Winter won't be out until 2016

[Imran Siddiqui]

So the entire surviving family then?

Spoiler:

There are at least 3 alive

[Nikolai]

Spoiler:

There are at least 3 alive

Spoiler:

I count four: Bran, the little brother, Arya and Sansa.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Hence, "at least". There also may be more.

Spoiler:

Rickon, the "little brother", is rumored to be on Skagos, where the cannibals live. No telling if he's alive or dead at this point

[Elok]

Given the screwiness of a world where seasons vary wildly and essentially a small ice age hits every decade or so, the permanently medieval aspect is actually rather understandable. Strictly speaking, it's not credible that life can survive in such a hellish place at all. How can a plant store up energy for a winter that arrives at random intervals and lasts for an unknown duration? How can any lifeform plan around such insanity?

[pchang]

Given the screwiness of a world where seasons vary wildly and essentially a small ice age hits every decade or so, the permanently medieval aspect is actually rather understandable. Strictly speaking, it's not credible that life can survive in such a hellish place at all. How can a plant store up energy for a winter that arrives at random intervals and lasts for an unknown duration? How can any lifeform plan around such insanity?

Luckily, seeds and spores can survive for years until conditions are right and then sprout. Briny shrimp can last many years waiting for water. Even some larger hibernating species can survive a few years.

[Dinner]

I have seen people argue the SW universe has reached a technological saturation point.

An interesting idea which would explain the lack of progress but I don't believe there is such a point where people just throw their hands up and say "well, I guess everything has all been done before, we couldn't ever improve anything, and there is absolutely no new ways to recombine old ideas or approach old problems in a new way."

[Dinner]

The whole seasons lasting for years thing is interesting and different but ultimately unrealistic. I bet there would be some interesting biology on such a planet if one did exist though.

[Dauphin]

The planet would probably have some strange Milankovitch cycles.

[Guynemer]

Oh come now, you made that word up.

Don't you try that stuff. We're not impressed.

[Cort Haus]

The fantasy cliche he uses which bugs me the most is how technology gets stalled for an unreasonably long period of time. Star Wars does the same thing. Thousands of years go by but nothing new is ever invented, not much seems to change, and it is the same families with the same lands, in the same castles give or take a few minor details.

They're playing in Marathon Mode, I expect.

[DaShi]

I wanted to write a Harry Potter sequel where Harry's great grandson attends a muggle school where--thanks to advancements in muggle technology and the obvious stagnation of the wizarding world--is more amazing than Hogwarts.

[Dinner]

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/the.winds.of.winter.news.book.reportedly.already.in.publishing.house.awaiting.release/69474.htm

Winds of Winter, the next Game of Thrones book and the second to last one in the series is reportedly now at the publisher and copies are being printed as we speak. The book will officially be released this month! :happy:

[Dinner]

http://www.australianetworknews.com/winds-winter-release-date-january-2016-publishing-soon-begin/

I am funding conflicting dates some saying late Oct while that link says early Jan 2016. It also says the next season of Got tv show has been pushed back several months in order to give GRRM time to publish the new book.

[EPW]

http://www.australianetworknews.com/...ng-soon-begin/

I am funding conflicting dates some saying late Oct while that link says early Jan 2016. It also says the next season of Got tv show has been pushed back several months in order to give GRRM time to publish the new book.

Late October seems unlikely.

[Dinner]

Amazon doesn't even have a pre-order page for it.