George RR Martin has revealed that his next Game of Thrones book will include a twist which cannot be used in the television series.
Due to the show’s frequent deviations from the novel’s narrative, it is impossible to include the new twist as characters which are to be involved have already been killed off while still alive in the books.
After a few years of deliberation, Martin decided to go ahead with the twist, saying “I have decided to do it. Will you know it? I don’t know. It is fairly obvious because it is something that involves a couple of characters, one of which is dead on the show and not dead in the books.”
When asked if he ever felt he had to “beat the show”, Martin said: “If I did have that thought, I’ve lost – because the show has caught up and is in the process of passing me. Ideally, I would have liked to have finished all seven books and have the story complete, but the show moves at a faster pace than I do and that’s partly because I am a slow writer.”
Last month, Martin confirmed he had missed the last deadline which would have allowed the sixth novel to be released before the return of the show in April.
The author has now written on his blog that he is entirely focussed on the books, commenting “I am not writing anything until I deliver Winds of Winter. Teleplays, screenplays, short stories, introductions, forewords, nothing. And I’ve dropped all my editing projects but Wild Cards.”
Season six of Game of Thrones moves it further away from the main plot of the books, almost into new territory.
The new series begins 24th April, however, Martin has revealed that The Winds of Winter will not be able to be finished in time.
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