George R.R. Martin hasn't released The Winds of Winter. We know. Everyone knows. It’s been well over a decade since A Dance with Dragons hit shelves, and the wait has become a literal meme in the literary world. But here’s the thing that many casual readers actually miss: there are already hundreds of pages of the book out there. Not leaks. Not fan fiction. Actual, George-approved text. These Winds of Winter sample chapters aren't just scraps; they’re the connective tissue that proves the "Sullied" readers (those who read the books before the show) were right about how much the HBO adaptation left on the cutting room floor.
Honestly, if you’re just waiting for the finished hardcover to drop, you’re missing out on some of the best writing Martin has ever done.
The State of the Sample Chapters Today
The landscape of these previews is kinda messy. Some were read aloud at conventions like Balticon or Bubonicon. Others were posted on George’s official website and then taken down to make room for others. A few were even included in the back of the paperback editions of his earlier novels. If you tally them all up, we have roughly eleven chapters. That’s a significant chunk of a novel. We’re talking about perspective characters like Theon, Arianne Martell, Barristan Selmy, Tyrion Lannister, Mercy (Arya), and Alayne (Sansa).
It’s not just "more of the same." These chapters fundamentally shift what we thought we knew about the endgame of A Song of Ice and Fire.
The Battle in the Ice: Theon and Stannis
Let’s talk about "Theon I." This is arguably the most famous of the Winds of Winter sample chapters. In it, we find Stannis Baratheon campy, cold, and remarkably capable. Unlike the show, where Stannis sort of just marched to a pathetic death, the book version of the King in the Narrow Sea is preparing a tactical masterclass. He’s dealing with the treacherous Karstarks, he’s handling a miserable Theon Greyjoy, and he’s preparing to fight the Boltons on his own terms.
The atmosphere is thick. You can almost feel the frostbite. George uses Theon’s broken psyche to show us a man who has lost everything but is slowly, painfully, regaining some semblance of a self. The chapter ends on a cliffhanger that has kept fans theorizing for ten years: what is the "night's work" Stannis has planned for the Weirwood tree? It’s peak Martin. Gritty, tactical, and deeply character-driven.
Why These Previews Change the Narrative
If you only watched the show, you probably think the Dorne plot was a waste of time. You’re right—in the show, it was. But the Arianne Martell chapters in the Winds of Winter previews change the stakes entirely. Arianne is traveling through the Stormlands, and she’s seeing the wreckage left by "Young Griff" (Aegon VI Targaryen).
This is the huge "hidden" player. The show cut him entirely, but the books are leaning heavily into the idea that a second Targaryen pretender is already winning. Arianne’s internal monologue reveals the jealousy she feels toward Quentyn and her suspicion of Daenerys. It’s political maneuvering at its finest. It reminds us that the world is much bigger than just the Starks and the Lannisters.
Then you’ve got "Mercy." This Arya chapter is dark. Even for George. It’s set in Braavos, and Arya is deep undercover in a theater troupe. The way she lures a specific character from her past into a trap is chilling. It shows that her training with the Faceless Men isn't just about "cool assassin stuff"—it’s eroding her soul. It’s a very different vibe than the girl-power-warrior trope the TV series leaned into during the later seasons.
The Forsaken: A Horror Masterpiece
You can’t discuss Winds of Winter sample chapters without mentioning "The Forsaken." This is an Aeron Greyjoy chapter. Most people find the Damphair a bit boring in A Feast for Crows. This chapter changes that instantly. It is, without hyperbole, a horror story.
Aeron is being held captive by his brother, Euron Crow’s Eye. But this isn't the "finger-bumming pirate" from the show. This Euron is a terrifying warlock-king who is drinking shade-of-the-evening and potentially trying to summon krakens or ascend to godhood through a massive blood sacrifice. The imagery is hallucinogenic and terrifying.
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- Euron wearing armor made of Valyrian steel.
- Priests of a dozen religions mutilated and tied to the prows of ships.
- Nightmarish visions of the Iron Throne.
It’s the most metal thing George has ever written. It proves that the "magical" element of the books is ramping up to a level the TV budget could never have touched.
Where to Actually Find Them
Since Martin’s website (grrm.livejournal.com or his current "Not A Blog") doesn't always host these anymore, fans have had to become archivists. The most reliable place to find the text for these chapters is through fan-maintained sites like Westeros.org or the A Song of Ice and Fire subreddit. They have detailed transcripts of the chapters George read at conventions, which haven’t been officially "published" in text form yet.
Specifically, look for the "Barristan" chapters. These take place during the Siege of Meereen. While the show ended that conflict with a few dragons burning ships, the books describe a massive, multi-faceted land and sea battle involving sellsword companies flipping sides every five minutes. The sheer complexity is probably why George is taking so long to finish the book. He’s untying the "Meereenese Knot" by hand.
Don't Fall for the Fakes
There are a lot of "leaked" scripts and AI-generated chapters floating around. Honestly, they’re easy to spot. Martin has a very specific rhythm. He lingers on descriptions of food (leeks in butter, capons, etc.) and he uses specific heraldry that most AI models get wrong. If a chapter feels like it’s moving too fast or focusing too much on "epic" moments without the internal grit, it’s probably a fake.
Stick to the verified list:
- Theon I (The Stannis camp)
- Arianne I & II (The journey through the Stormlands)
- Alayne I (Sansa in the Vale, dealing with Harry the Heir)
- Mercy (Arya in Braavos)
- The Forsaken (Aeron Greyjoy’s nightmare)
- Tyrion I & II (The Second Sons and the battle at Meereen)
- Barristan I & II (Leading the charge out of Meereen)
- Victarion I (The Iron Fleet arriving at Slaver's Bay)
The Takeaway for Fans
The Winds of Winter sample chapters aren't just a teaser. They are the manual for how the story actually ends. They clarify that the "King Bran" ending or the "Mad Queen" arc might happen, but the path to get there is paved with a hundred subplots the show ignored.
If you want to stay ahead of the curve, stop waiting for the release date announcement. It’ll happen when it happens. Instead, go back and read these fragments. They remind you why you fell in love with this series in the first place. The prose is sharp. The stakes are high. And the world feels alive.
Practical Next Steps for Readers
If you want to dive in right now, start with "The Forsaken." It’s the most "complete" feeling chapter and it’ll immediately wash away any lingering disappointment from the show’s portrayal of the Ironborn. After that, hit the Alayne chapter. Seeing Sansa Stark actually learn to play the "game" under Littlefinger’s tutelage is infinitely more satisfying than her just being "smart" because the script said she was.
Search for the "Winds of Winter Spreadsheet" on Reddit. It’s a community-maintained doc that links to every known version of these chapters, including the ones that only exist as convention notes. It's the best resource for anyone who needs their Westeros fix while George works through the final stretch. Just don't expect a release date at the end of them; George is still "struggling" with the gargantuan size of the manuscript, but the quality of these samples suggests that whenever it does arrive, it’s going to be a monster.
Get reading. The North remembers, and so do the archives.