A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin takes notoriously long to get each book out in his extremely popular series, which is the source material for the HBO hit Game of Thrones. However, he has thrown fans a bone by releasing an entire chapter from the upcoming book, The Winds of Winter, titled "Mercy".
Martin posted the chapter on his blog with a brief explanation, explaining that "the new chapter is actually an old chapter." He says that though this chapter has not been seen by almost anybody, it was actually written a long time ago, though he has re-worked it "a dozen" times since then.
"It's not one I've published or posted before, and I don't even think I've read it at a con (could be wrong there, I've done readings at so many cons, it all tends to blur together)," Martin said. "So it's new in that it is material that no one but my editors (well, and Parris, and David and Dan, and a few others) have ever seen before, but it's old in that it was written a long time ago, predating any of the samples that you have seen. The first draft was, at any rate. I've rewritten it a dozen times since then."
Winds of Winter still doesn't have a release date, so hopefully the show doesn't catch up with him. The upcoming fourth season of the TV series focuses on the second half of book three and part of book four, and premiers April 6.
Below is an excerpt from the new chapter, so potential spoilers ahead, though I promise this portion really does not reveal much.
"She woke with a gasp, not knowing who she was, or where.
The smell of blood was heavy in her nostrils... or was that her nightmare, lingering? She had dreamed of wolves again, of running through some dark pine forest with a great pack at her hells, hard on the scent of prey.
Half-light filled the room, grey and gloomy. Shivering, she sat up in bed and ran a hand across her scalp. Stubble bristled against her palm. I need to shave before Izembaro sees. Mercy, I'm Mercy, and tonight I'll be raped and murdered. Her true name was Mercedene, but Mercy was all anyone ever called her..."
