Man, waiting for George R.R. Martin's next book feels like waiting for winter in 'Game of Thrones'—it’s always coming, but never quite here. The last we heard, 'The Winds of Winter' is still in progress, and fans are oscillating between hope and despair. Martin’s blog posts occasionally drop hints, but he’s famously meticulous, and distractions like the 'House of the Dragon' TV series don’t help. I’ve resigned myself to rereading 'A Dance with Dragons' for the third time while secretly hoping his publisher surprises us with a release date out of nowhere.
That said, Martin’s side projects are everywhere—anthologies, TV consulting, even Wild Cards updates. It’s hard not to feel torn between wanting him to take his time and wishing he’d just lock himself in a cabin until it’s done. The man’s a legend, but at this point, I’d trade a dozen spin-offs for one solid update on Westeros.