It's not going to be released while he lives. Depending on how much of it is finished by the time he dies, the publisher might be able to get away with editing together a semi-coherent book, but that's as close as it will get. He's simply biding his time until then and he knows it.
It's never coming out and after his death the wife will say that she burned everything according to his wishes (but actually there was nothing to burn because the fat frick never even started writing).
His publisher will just release what ever has been written so far, but it will be incomplete. Whether that's 50% of what the book was supposed to be or 75%, that's when it will be published. So within ten years at least, because he's not going to make it probably much past five more years. No way his publisher is just going to sit on his manuscript, even if it's unfinished, because it's going to bring in lots of sales.
So, I doubt we will ever get a complete Winds of Winter. Just a chunk of it at best.
At this point I have zero faith that the fat guy will ever finish, so i'm unironically waiting for him to die so that somebody else can. Will probably happen within the next 5 years or so.
Once and once only, Martin did say at a convention that if he was in the Pratchett/Jordan situation of being told he was on his way out he would ensure that fans would get an ending. I could see him writing a Fire & Blood-style detailed conclusion to the books and arrange for that to be published alongside whatever completed chapters he had at the time. He said he didn't want anyone to finish his work for him but that was like 10+ years ago. Maybe there would also be a possibility for some of his author friends to finish his work for him, like James S. A. Corey. But whatever the case we're not getting a conclusion to the series unless it's in a situation that I or others in this thread have mentioned.
I used to believe it would eventually release even though we were unlikely to see the next novel. I now believe it simply won't release. He's in his twilight years and all actions point to him being either terrified of completing his work, incapable, or plain unwilling. If I had to guess, I think the reason he has not completed it is because like Rothfuss he has realized that he cannot complete it adequately in the way in which he desires. The story is nowhere near its tail end, in fact it feels like it has only recently passed its middle. It would require probably another four books for the story to be satisfactorily brought to a close, and George knows that he doesn't have the time or ability to complete that many books nor the desire to drag it out that far. Whatever the case, it's safe to conclude it's never coming out.
At least a fortnight away
On the morrow
In Two Years.
Either Martin will be dead or the book will be out.
You can preorder it now so probably soon
I too expect it this year. I rolled a d100 and it tells me it’s only 78 days away now.
Two weeks, mayhaps.
When winter comes.
In 2013, it was expected for 2014/2015
https://www.reddit.com/r/asoiaf/comments/15tzlp/no_spoilers_winds_of_winter_release_date/
Here is someone using mathematics to reach a 2014 release
https://www.reddit.com/r/asoiaf/comments/1lhjlu/spoilers_alls_a_mathematical_proof_which/
In 2016, the expectation was a 2017/2018 release
https://www.reddit.com/r/asoiaf/comments/55g8pa/no_spoilers_the_results_are_in_yesterday_i_asked/
Picture unrelated
It's not going to be released while he lives. Depending on how much of it is finished by the time he dies, the publisher might be able to get away with editing together a semi-coherent book, but that's as close as it will get. He's simply biding his time until then and he knows it.
When the sun rises in the west and sets in the east...
2016 to coincide with the premiere of season 6 of Game of Thrones!
About 3 fiddy
It's never coming out and after his death the wife will say that she burned everything according to his wishes (but actually there was nothing to burn because the fat frick never even started writing).
Watch the fat bastard tweet about not releasing TWOW until Israel's safe or whatever.
I could actually see that shitlib boomer do that.
What's tragic is that this could equally be satire or completely true
When George dies.
His publisher will just release what ever has been written so far, but it will be incomplete. Whether that's 50% of what the book was supposed to be or 75%, that's when it will be published. So within ten years at least, because he's not going to make it probably much past five more years. No way his publisher is just going to sit on his manuscript, even if it's unfinished, because it's going to bring in lots of sales.
So, I doubt we will ever get a complete Winds of Winter. Just a chunk of it at best.
As soon as GRRM dies, and the publisher hires somebody else to make a book out of his leftover manuscripts.
At this point I have zero faith that the fat guy will ever finish, so i'm unironically waiting for him to die so that somebody else can. Will probably happen within the next 5 years or so.
Hasn't he prohibited anyone from finishing it in his stead? Not that he can stop the millions of fan fiction endings that'll emerge
He said that like a decade ago, who knows what will happen.
Once and once only, Martin did say at a convention that if he was in the Pratchett/Jordan situation of being told he was on his way out he would ensure that fans would get an ending. I could see him writing a Fire & Blood-style detailed conclusion to the books and arrange for that to be published alongside whatever completed chapters he had at the time. He said he didn't want anyone to finish his work for him but that was like 10+ years ago. Maybe there would also be a possibility for some of his author friends to finish his work for him, like James S. A. Corey. But whatever the case we're not getting a conclusion to the series unless it's in a situation that I or others in this thread have mentioned.
I used to believe it would eventually release even though we were unlikely to see the next novel. I now believe it simply won't release. He's in his twilight years and all actions point to him being either terrified of completing his work, incapable, or plain unwilling. If I had to guess, I think the reason he has not completed it is because like Rothfuss he has realized that he cannot complete it adequately in the way in which he desires. The story is nowhere near its tail end, in fact it feels like it has only recently passed its middle. It would require probably another four books for the story to be satisfactorily brought to a close, and George knows that he doesn't have the time or ability to complete that many books nor the desire to drag it out that far. Whatever the case, it's safe to conclude it's never coming out.
Never.
I don't care anymore. I went through the stages of grief and moved on.