'The Winds Of Winter' Release Date & Updates: Will Backlash Hit GRRM Over 'TWOW?'; Bittersweet Ending Promised For 'ASOIAF?'

"The Winds Of Winter" by "Game Of Thrones" writer has warnings for "A Song Of Ice And Fire" saga fans on his sixth "ASOIAF" novel. Is a backlash inevitable over dark plans for "TWOW?" Although earlier projections placed Jon Snow, Sansa and Arya Stark, Daenerys Targaryen on the path of comeuppance, the end of that road is a longer way off.

George R.R. Martin is currently being widely cited on his latest pronouncements for "The Winds Of Winter." As Time reports, the "ASOIAF" author announced that his coming novel will be a very dark journey for his characters. Ominously, GRRM hints multiple deaths.

Rally the #LA realm.
Claim the sixth season and experience #GoTBehindTheScenes today. pic.twitter.com/nfcEWJ72Us

— Game Of Thrones (@GameOfThrones) December 9, 2016

Will "The Winds Of Winter" push the boundaries of dark cynicism and depressing twists of fate one time too many? Is "TWOW" the straw that breaks the camel's back and warrants a backlash against the fantasy author? Perhaps - but also likely not.

Fans of "A Song Of Ice And Fire" and "Game Of Thrones" never really signed on for peaches and light. The "ASOIAF" saga and the HBO series had, in fact, solidified their followings by playing on grey areas, sudden deaths and taking on a somewhat jaded perspective of heroes and humans in general.

Lucky then as The Teleraph reports that George R.R. Martin made no bones about things getting pretty heartbreaking in "The Winds Of Winter" before the silver lining shows up. His characters will finally get a kind of break in "A Dream Of Spring." Even then "ASOIAF" will end on a bittersweet note in the seventh and final book.

In the past, George R.R. Martin gave "ASOIAF" fans some hope that an eighth novel may be a possibility. Essentially, the novelist revealed that he never knows how his plots will develop until they do. However, things seem pretty clear for GRRM at this point and the popular book series will definitely conclude with "A Dream Of Spring.

"The Winds Of Winter" release date is yet to be announced. However, 2017 is without a doubt going to be a big year. The launch for the sixth "ASOIAF" may come in the last quarter of 2017 or the first quarter of 2018.