It has long been speculated that author George R.R. Martin may be able to publish the sixth entry in his "A Song of Ice and Fire" book franchise prior to the premiere of "Game of Thrones" season 6. According to a report from iDigital Times, it is now rumored that this could very well happen and that the book may be out by Feb. 23, 2016.
Citing the blog Wars and Politics of Ice and Fire, it is speculated that the book's manuscript may already be done but the release could still be months away. It is explained that publishing houses often take roughly four to five months to get a book out, more so if it demands a large marketing campaign such as this.
That being said, accelerated publishing reportedly could get the book out a few months prior to the show's premiere. This is what most fans of the franchise are looking forward to, given that season 6 is primarily based on "The Winds of Winter" and many fans want to read the book before being spoiled by watching the events unfold in the series.
If this holds true then it would lineup perfectly with previous reports indicating Martin wanted to get "The Winds of Winter" on store shelves before the launch of the show's sixth season. Martin did skip out from attending several events and did not work on the show's screenplay this year in order to focus solely on the book.
According to iDigital Times, there are also reports that some members of the crew already have their copy of the book's manuscript. Unfortunately, no confirmations have yet been made but if it is true then there is a high chance the sixth season will be very faithful to the events that take place in the novel.
It would also signify that the book is indeed done and is merely awaiting publishing.
"Game of Thrones" season 6, on the other hand, has begun its marketing campaign and is set to premiere on HBO this April 2016.
