In a recent interview with Metro , the Song of Fire and Ice author admitted that although he as been working on the next book in the series, The Winds of Winter, for six years, he still doesn't have a date for when it will be finished. Before you scream at your computer screen in frustration, though, listen to this. Martin also explained in the interview that because the HBO show has now forged ahead of the books, there will be some differences in how things play out, and specifically, which characters we'll see more of. He said, "The book series and TV adaptation go their separate ways. On the screen characters are killed right and left . About twenty of them have died already, which are quite alive to me and will appear in a new book." Twenty?! That's a lot.