george r r martin
“Game of Thrones” creator George R.R. Martin said the release of “Winds of Winter” might happen this year. In this photo, the famed author arrives at the season premiere of HBO's “Game of Thrones” in San Francisco on March 23, 2015. Reuters/Robert Galbraith

As fans across the world clamor for more of author George RR Martin’s writing, reports suggest that the brain behind HBO’s blockbuster series “Game of Thrones” may be releasing the latest installment of his “A Song of Fire and Ice” series — titled “The Winds of Winter” — in 2017.

The last book of the series to be released was “A Dance with Dragons,” which was released in 2011. “The Winds of Winter” — which is the Book 6 of the series — has faced a number of delays and Martin maintains that he is still hundreds of pages away from finishing the book.

However, reports have surfaced that Martin has already finished the book which is currently being proofread. According to rumors, the official copy will launch in 2017. Fans have also speculated that the delay could be attributed to the author working on more projects than one with some saying that Book 6 may become available at the same time as Book 7 — “A Dream of Spring.” Martin has apologized for the delay.

The rumors were set in motion when an Amazon France website listed the book’s release date as March 9, 2017. The page, however, has since been taken down, the Independent reported. Random House, Voyager/Harper Collins Books — the publishers — denied that a release date has been set and reportedly said that the public will be informed immediately once the decision was made.

As fans eagerly wait for the seventh season of “Game of Thrones,” which is slated for a mid-2017 release, the release of the book may be scheduled for early 2017 but some reports also say that a delay could be expected. Such a delay may also affect the production of the show.

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