The second episode of Game of Thrones season 8 airs tonight, in what is the fifth last series of the whole show. However, A Song of Ice and Fire author Martin has lamented over the show ending where it is. Speaking with the Hollywood Reporter, the 70-year-old said: “I don't think it should be the final season. But here we are. It seems to me we just started last week. Has it been longer than that?”

Martin continued: “The time has passed by in a blur. But it's exciting. “I know it's an end, but it's not much of an end for me. I'm still deep in writing the books. “We saw five other sequel shows in development. I think I'm going to be hanging around Westeros while everyone else has left.” In fact, the author has previously said he wanted Game of Thrones to go on for up to 13 seasons because of the huge amount of material in his books.

Game of Thrones: ‘This should NOT be final season’ laments George RR Martin – Here's why

George RR Martin is still writing The Winds of Winter

Asked by Variety why the show was ending, he replied: “I don’t know! Ask [showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss] when they come through. “We could have gone to 11, 12, 13 seasons, but I guess they wanted a life/ “You know, if you’ve read my novels, you know there was enough material for more seasons. They made certain cuts, but that’s fine.” Perhaps another reason Martin would have liked the show to continue is that its narrative overtook his books, something he said was a blow to him.

George RR Martin would have liked Game of Thrones to go on for up to 13 seasons