Recently, a lot of behind the scenes news has also been appearing. It revolves around the series and some information regarding season five itself, as well as news on Martin’s recent plans. In a recent interview with the American Broadcast Corporation (ABC), Kristian Nairn, the actor who plays Hodor in Game of Thrones, who is also a DJ currently on a tour called “Rave of Thrones”, confirmed that he will not be appearing in season five, saying that, “We’re not actually in season five … We have a season off.” Nairn noted that the reason for this is “solely because, I imagine, our storyline is up to the end of the books”.
It seems, however, that things could be even worse for book fans. According to The Guardian, Martin’s publisher Jane Johnson confirmed that his next novel, The Winds of Winter, will not be arriving this year and that a date of publication is still to be set. However, all is not lost. Johnson also informed fans that three novellas will be out in October focusing on a hedge knight, during a time before The Ice and Fire series when the Targaryens still held the throne.
With all this news, things seem somewhat grim for fans of the book series. Martin, however, confirmed on his blog that he won’t be writing a script this year as he tries to focus on The Winds of Winter, saying, “Writing a season six script would cost me a month’s work on Winds, and maybe as much as six weeks, and I cannot afford that.”
Whether winter is coming for fans of the book series or not, the new season looks to be another massive hit. If you still aren’t satisfied with this news, there are always excerpts from The Winds of Winter available to read on Martin’s site to tide you over until the next book.
Houses of the Game of Thrones series. Image: Faith Honey
