INQUISITR.COM / Entertainment

‘Game Of Thrones’ Season 5 Will Be George R.R. Martin-less As He Finishes Book

By Scott Grill
Published on: 09:59 PST, Jul 28, 2014

Author George R.R. Martin has been involved with every season of HBO’s Game of Thrones to the point where he usually scripts at least one episode. That is, until Season 5 of the popular fantasy meets War of the Roses-type intrigue and backstabbing. In an interview released Monday, Martin revealed that he’s concentrating on finishing the next book in the Song of Ice and Fire series, The Winds of Winter.

Vulture asked Martin if he would an appearance on the set of Game of Thrones as has been his custom since the first season.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I might make it over there early next year, but I’ve got to finish the book ‘The Winds of Winter.’ So I’m making the trips I’m already obligated to make, but I’m not adding any new trips at this time. So I don’t think I’m going to do a set visit this year, sadly.”

When asked if he would write a Game of Thrones episode, Martin responded, “Not this year, no — once again because I have this book to finish.”

Book readers should be overjoyed to the hear this news, as the statement makes it sound like Martin will attempt to complete The Winds of Winter this year. The sixth book in the Song of Ice and Fire series has been anxiously awaited since A Dance with Dragons was published in 2011.

There have been concerns expressed by fans of the Game of Thrones fans and others over Martin being able to complete the sixth and seventh books in time for upcoming seasons of the TV show. The show’s producers are unconcerned but this plus concerns over Martin’s health caused the writer to infamously flip off and curse out those commenters in an interview.

Of course, the focus on completing the book didn’t deter him from attending Comic-Con this past weekend.

Martin also took a hands-off approach to the casting of all the new Game of Thrones actors that are being added for Season 5.

“This season, most of those cast members are new to me as well because I haven’t been involved in the process,” Martin explained. “I’ve been doing a lot of other stuff. In the earlier seasons I was much more involved with casting. I would review tapes and comment, but that’s a time-consuming process. And at this point, we’re five seasons in, we have the best casting director in the business in Nina Gold, David [Benioff], and Dan [Weiss] have been running the show, and it’s a well-oiled machine, so it really doesn’t need me down there with the oil can squeaking at the wheels.”

What do you think of Martin’s lack of involvement with Game of Thrones Season 5? Are you happy to hear that he’s now fully focused on The Winds of Winter?

[Image via Jason LaVeris/Getty Images]

Share this article: ‘Game Of Thrones’ Season 5 Will Be George R.R. Martin-less As He Finishes Book
hbo game of thrones George R. R. Martin
More from Inquisitr