After waiting for nearly 2 years, fans got to watch the premiere of last season of Game of Thrones this Sunday and it was everything we hoped for. The show is already ahead of the novel series, which begs the question, is GoT season 8 based on Winds of Winter?
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In a recent interview, George RR Martin has said that he has hoped he would stay ahead of the show since he had a five books lead when he started. He expressed disappointment and anger at himself for taking so long to finish the next book, Winds of Winter. Martin released the last book in 2011 when the show was just getting started.
Martin talks about books affecting the Game of Thrones show
On being asked how he wanted the Game of Thrones season 8 to shape up, he said,
“Obviously we’re talking here about several days of story conferences taking place in my home. But there’s no way to get in all the details, all the minor characters, all the secondary characters.”
“The series has been extremely faithful compared to 97 per cent of all television and movie adaptations of literary properties, but it’s not completely faithful, and it can’t be, otherwise we’d have to run another five seasons.”
Fansite editor reveals similarities between Games of Thrones season 8 and Winds of Winter
So it is clear that this installment of GoT is not completely based on the upcoming book. John Jasmin, who is the co-founder and editor of a popular Game of Thrones fansite, Tower of the Hand, said, “We have seen some excerpts from The Winds of Winter, which have made their way into the show.”
He then went on to list all the storylines in the show that were similar to the ones in books. The play that Arya watches in Braavos, Hodor’s death were the major ones.
He also said that the previous season of Game of Thrones was perhaps when the storyline started getting separated from the books (or more accurately, Winds of Winter),
“Season seven featured a lot of reunions from characters who hadn’t seen each other in years. I suppose it’s inevitable that the books do this, too, but so far Martin has defied expectations, preferring to pair up characters who don’t already have an established relationship rather than allow them to catch up with their long-lost friends and family.”
Watch the second episode of season 8 of Game of Thrones on April 21. The Winds of Winter doesn’t have a confirmed release date just yet.
