It has long been official — George R.R. Martin loves to troll his fans.
The mind behind the "Song of Ice and Fire" saga has once again stirred the pot, causing much excitement to fans who have been fervently waiting for the next book in his epic series when he hinted that "The Winds of Winter" might be published this year.
The Author posted a tweet last week where said "I thought 2016 was a bad year, but 2017 was even worse, if not so much for me personally, then certainly for a lot of my friends and loved ones, and for the nation and the world as a whole. I hope better times are ahead for all of us."
The greeting came with an image showing the silhouette of Santa Claus riding his sleigh while being pulled aloft by a dragon, flying in front of a close up view the moon, E.T. style.
The tweet could have been a simple greeting, and Martin could just have wanted to wish the world a prosperous 2018, but with the Television adaptation already overtaking the events of the books, fans cannot help but read into his message as many people are already becoming more desperate for any news that might tell them when the sixth book will hit the shelves.
Martin has also said last August that "The Winds of Winter" might be released in 2018, so there might be a bit of something actually hidden in his message. Still, it would be better to take everything with a grain of salt to avoid disappointment.
It should also be taken into consideration the fact that the author has a habit of taking many side projects along the way. His announcement regarding "Fire and Blood," which is a historical account of the Targaryen lineage, is also planned for a 2018 release, leaving fans worried that the 69-year-old Martin may already have a lot on his plate.
In the end, "The Winds of Winter" may or may not be released this year and fans shouldn't be holding their breath, but with the recent announcement from HBO confirming that the show won't officially be premiering until 2019, perhaps waiting a few months for the book isn't such a bad idea.
