Game of Thrones ended years ago, but the book series that it's based on — A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin — has been stalled since around the time the show premiered way back in 2011. That's also when Martin released A Dance With Dragons, the fifth book in his saga. Fans have been waiting for the sixth book, The Winds of Winter, ever since.
The fifth season of Game of Thrones adapted A Dance With Dragons, more or less. Highlights include Cersei Lannister being marched naked through the streets of King's Landing, Daernerys Targaryen flying Drogon for the first time, and Jon Snow being stabbed to death by the men of the Night's Watch. That's where readers have been for over 10 years. One fan on Reddit put together a map showing where all the characters will be at the start of The Winds of Winter, should that ever make it to print:
Where all the characters are at the beginning of The Winds of Winter pic.twitter.com/utedtf3sHx
— Winter is Coming (@WiCnet) April 29, 2025
For Game of Thrones fans, this map will take them back in time. A Song of Ice and Fire fans, just stay where you are. Over in Essos, Daenerys Targaryen has flown away on Drogon into the Dothraki Sea. She's trying to make her way back to Meereen, where Tyrion Lannister is participating in a battle for the fate of the city. In Westeros, Jon Snow lies dead at Castle Black, with Melisandre on hand. Bran Stark is north of the Wall learning the ways of the Three-Eyed Raven. And in the south, Cersei has just gone on her walk of shame in King's Landing, Jaime Lannister has just reunited with Brienne of Tarth in the Riverlands, Sam Tarly has made his way to Oldtown, and there are book-exclusive characters doing things in and around Dorne.
It's interesting that the map puts Arya and Sansa Stark in the south, since Arya is in Braavos and Sansa in the Vale. But early in The Winds of Winter, it looks like Arya will need to get out of dodge, and Sansa is on the move.
Technically, the fan made this map to illustrate how Martin could split The Winds of Winter into two books, much as he did with A Dance for Dragons and the preceding book, A Feast for Crows. But I remain hopeful we'll get the whole thing in one big gulp...someday...
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