With Game of Thrones having finished two books ahead of George RR Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, fans have been speculating over just how different The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring will be. Well, now a Game of Thrones expert reckons that the White Walkers’ fate will be “drastically different” in the remaining novels compared to the TV show. Fans will remember The Night King was slaughtered by Arya Stark, and so the whole army of White Walkers with him.

But did you know that in the books there is no Night King?

Yes, Bran Stark mentions how there was once a commander of the Night’s Watch called the Night’s King.

But we’re not talking the same character as in the TV show.

Now Insider’s Kim Renfro, author of The Unofficial Guide to Game of Thrones, has weighed in her prediction for the White Walkers in the remainder of Martin’s books.

READ MORE: The Winds of Winter theory: Lady Stoneheart is HUNTING Jaime Lannister

And the 71-year-old author’s latest blog update may feature a teaser that The Winds of Winter’s release isn’t far off.

Martin’s post this weekend concerned his movie theatre, the Jean Cocteau Cinema in New Mexico, which has been closed since the lockdown began.

He wrote of how he’s kept his staff on, working virtually on the JCC YouTube channel.

And just before signing off, he cryptically teased: “We hope to keep adding content to the JCC… including new book events… once we reopen.”

So just what new book events followed by a “dot dot dot” could the author be teasing but The Winds of Winter’s release later this year?

Earlier during the lockdown he addressed his personal deadline of July, in time for WorldCon, New Zealand – which has since been cancelled for a virtual convention.

Martin wrote: “If there is a silver lining in these clouds, this will give me more time to finish WINDS OF WINTER.

“I continue to write every day, up here in my mountain fastness.”