It looks like George RR Martin's The Winds of Winter has been delayed AGAIN. We're wondering if we are ever going to read it at this rate?

The notoriously slow writer has hinted that the penultimate chapter in the A Song of Ice and Fire series won't be out this year, despite previous hints that 2018 would be the year.

Responding to a fan asking about his writing plans for this year, Martin revealed that he was working on his Fire & Blood series, a history of the Targaryen family.

Bantam Books

However, it clearly is taking priority as he also revealed that it will be released in two volumes – one to be released before Winds, and one after.

"F&B will be in two volumes. Vol 1 before, vol 2 after," he wrote on his blog.

If the author is focusing on that first, it suggests we still have a long wait to go until we get our hands on The Winds of Winter.

Martin said last year that whatever happens, we will be getting at least one Westeros-based book in 2018.

Getty Images

"I do think you will have a Westeros book from me in 2018... and who knows, maybe two," he said. C'mon George, get those fingers typing!

The wait has been long, after all, with the TV show overtaking the books a while ago – season six, which is partly based on Winds, came out nearly two years ago.

Meanwhile, theories as to what will happen in season eight of Game of Thrones have gone into overdrive this week, with speculation as to how the Night King will invade Westeros as well as a possible dark end for the Seven Kingdoms.

Game of Thrones season 8 will premiere in 2019. The show airs on HBO in the US and Sky Atlantic and NOW TV in the UK. Season 7 is now available to buy on DVD, Blu-ray or digital download.

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