Game Of Thrones TV Show Ending Might Differ From The Books, GRRM Says

The Game of Thrones series finale, "The Iron Throne," aired on Sunday, and its ending was divisive, as much of the past season had been. Not everyone enjoyed how writers/showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff wrapped things up for the show that began back in 2011.

The book series on which the show is based, George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire," however, might have a different ending. The author wrote on his blog today that the ending to his book series, which finishes with The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring, might be different than the TV show.

Or maybe not.

First off, he said he knows he's late with The Winds of Winter, but he promises that "it will be done." The last book in the series, A Dance With Dragons, was released in 2011. He isn't ready to commit to a release date for the next book, but he stressed that it will be finished, and then A Dream of Spring--the series' final book--will follow. But how will it all end?

"The same ending as the show? Different? Well… yes. And no. And yes. And no. And yes. And no. And yes," Martin said. "I am working in a very different medium than David and Dan, never forget. They had eight hours for this final season. I expect these last two books of mine will fill 3000 manuscript pages between them before I'm done… and if more pages and chapters and scenes are needed, I'll add them. And of course the butterfly effect will be at work as well; those of you who follow [my blog] will know that I've been talking about that since season one."

Martin added: "There are characters who never made it onto the screen at all, and others who died in the show but still live in the books… so if nothing else, the readers will learn what happened to Jeyne Poole, Lady Stoneheart, Penny and her pig, Skahaz Shavepate, Arianne Martell, Darkstar, Victarion Greyjoy, Ser Garlan the Gallant, Aegon VI, and a myriad of other characters both great and small that viewers of the show never had the chance to meet. And yes, there will be unicorns… of a sort…"

But what will be the "real" ending to Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire? Martin says that is a "silly question." Instead, Martin said fans should get comfortable, sit back, and buy his books to find out how it all ends.

"How about this? I'll write it. You read it. Then everyone can make up their own mind, and argue about it on the internet," he said.

Martin also teased his involvement with a Japanese video game, which reportedly could be made by Dark Souls studio From Software. The author recently denied reports that the final two books were already completed and waiting for the TV series to conclude before being released.