The Winds of Winter release date possibly in 2016; George R.R . Martin Busy Working on the Sixth Novel in the Song of Ice and Fire series

By Kara Michelle Aug 11, 2014 07:55 AM EDT

Game of Thrones fans, watch out for The Winds of Winter release date, which is set for 2016. This is the sixth novel in the popular A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy series. It's still quite a wait, but series creator George R.R. Martin assures everyone that it will be worth it.

In his upcoming novel, the author plans to resolve storylines left hanging in the previous installment, A Dance with Dragons.

In an interview, Martin says "I'm going to open with the two big battles that I was building up to, the battle in the ice and the battle at Meereen-the battle of Slaver's Bay. And then take it from there."

The last two novels in the saga - The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring - will be told from the point of view of Sansa and Arya Stark, Arianne Martell, Aeron, Theon, and Victarion Greyjoy, Tyrion Lannister, and Barristan Selmy. The books will take readers farther north, and the Others will make their presence felt.

Asked if there will be more deaths in The Winds of Winter, such as that of the enigmatic Tyrion Lannister, Martin said that death is and always will be a constant element in his books. He has hinted that popular characters will not be exempted.

Meanwhile, Martin has admitted that there has been pressure to set The Winds of Winter release date earlier as Game of Thrones Season 5 will air in April 2015. In fact, he is skipping episode-writing duties for the series to focus on finishing the book.