George RR Martin is facing a backlash from Game of Thrones fans following his latest announcement.
Book readers have been waiting for The Winds of Winter – the next book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series – for years now, but the author, 71, has been hard at work on another book that serves as inspiration for the brand new HBO spin-off show, House of the Dragon.
“Happy to announce that Fire & Blood, the inspiration behind the upcoming House of the Dragon, will release in paperback on 5 May in the US, Canada, and UK,” he wrote, adding: “This paperback edition will include 5 brand new illustrations. Pre-orders begin soon!”
Instead of receiving an excited response from fans, though, people are furious that he has delayed work on The Winds of Winter once again.
“Happy to announce? At this point you’re trolling,” one frustrated fan wrote, with another adding: “Wow, an update no one was waiting for! You won’t get a cent from me until Winds of Winter is published.”
Despite the concern, Martin recently told readers of his blog that he won’t be involved in any writing on the brand new HBO show.
“I expect to be involved in [the production of House of the Dragon. But… let me make this perfectly clear… I am not taking on any scripts until I have finished and delivered Winds Of Winter,” he wrote. “Winter is still coming – and Winds remains my priority, as much as I’d love to write an [episode] of House.”
