Is A Song of Ice and Fire finished?
StalledA Song of Ice and Fire · George R. R. Martin
No, and honestly, it may never be. Five of a planned seven novels are out, the most recent, A Dance with Dragons, back in 2011. George R. R. Martin says he is still writing the sixth book, The Winds of Winter, but there is no release date after well over a decade of waiting. A new reader is best off treating the series as open-ended, and reading the five published books for what they are.
5
books
405
chapters tracked
2011
latest book
The books, in order
- 1. A Game of Thrones (1996)
- 2. A Clash of Kings (1999)
- 3. A Storm of Swords (2000)
- 4. A Feast for Crows (2005)
- 5. A Dance with Dragons (2011)
Read in publication order, A Game of Thrones through A Dance with Dragons. There is a companion history, Fire & Blood, that stands apart and can wait.
Where it stands
- George R. R. Martin has repeatedly said he intends to finish The Winds of Winter, and as recently as early 2026 said he was still writing it. No official release date has ever been announced.
- In April 2026 his publisher publicly shot down a fake leak and confirmed there was no 2026 release. The book is not cancelled. It simply has no date.
Read it without spoilers: set how far you are and every page filters to exactly that point.
Related questions
How many A Song of Ice and Fire books are there?
Five published, out of a planned seven. The sixth is The Winds of Winter. The seventh, A Dream of Spring, has not been started.
Is A Song of Ice and Fire finished?
No. The last book, A Dance with Dragons, came out in 2011, and there has been no new main-series novel since.
When is The Winds of Winter coming out?
There is no announced date. Martin says he is still writing it, but it has been in progress for over a decade.
Did George R. R. Martin cancel the series?
No. He has said he intends to finish it and, as recently as early 2026, that he is still writing. There is just no timeline.
Should I start it?
That is a personal call. The published books are widely loved, but there is no ending in sight, so go in knowing that.
Sources
- Winter Is Coming: Martin says he is not giving up on The Winds of Winter
- Collider: no 2026 release, fake-leak rumor debunked
- Wikipedia: A Song of Ice and Fire
- Without Spoilers: the A Song of Ice and Fire wiki
Facts last verified July 2026.