George R.R. Martin Opens Up About Depression; Fans Vent: 'That Book Ain’t Never Coming Out'
A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin has published a new blog post — so why are fans bristling?
On his personal site, George R.R. Martin resurfaced after months away with a starkly personal update, saying the past year has been marked by loss and a struggle with depression. The author reflected on aging and the toll it has taken, noting he recently turned 77.
“I have lost friends. Battled sadness and depression. The worst may be yet to come. I turned 77 last September, and I tell you, getting old is no fun. But there have been amazing times as well.”
His post didn’t mention progress on The Winds of Winter, the long-awaited sixth installment in A Song of Ice and Fire, and that silence quickly became the flashpoint among readers reacting on social media.
Fan reaction
Responses ran the gamut from sympathy to impatience, with many zeroing in on the years since the last book. On X (formerly Twitter), several commenters voiced their frustration directly.
“And not one word about finishing The Winds of Winter.”
— one reply to the blog link shared on X
“This dude is never finishing the book I’m telling you he has it finished but the ending he wrote was just like the show and he saw how much people hated it so he’s been rewriting all this time.”
— another user speculated
“Is he really implying that we wouldn't know about DEATH if we didn't read his books? ”
— a reader wrote
“This guy will do anything other than finish the Game of Thrones books.”
— a frustrated comment
“That book ain’t never coming out - absolutely the last thing on his mind.”
— another response on X
Where the books stand
The first A Song of Ice and Fire novel arrived in 1996, and HBO ’s Game of Thrones brought Westeros to TV in 2011. That same year saw the release of the fifth book, A Dance with Dragons. There hasn’t been a new novel in the main series since, which is fueling much of the latest backlash.
- 1996 — A Game of Thrones (Book 1)
- 2011 — A Dance with Dragons (Book 5)
- TBA — The Winds of Winter (Book 6)
Martin has long said two more novels will close the saga. Beyond the main series, he’s also expected to continue the Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas set in the same world.