If there's one reason to be thankful for the quarantine we find ourselves in, it's the fact that Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin has been forced to stay at home to finish writing The Winds of Winter. He's been penning the novel for close to a decade, and it seems he's finally making some real progress based on his latest blog post.
"If nothing else, the enforced isolation has helped me write," he admits. "I am spending long hours every day on The Winds of Winter and making steady progress. I finished a new chapter yesterday, another one three days ago, another one the previous week."
The prolific author added that this will be a "huge book," and noted that he believes it could be released in 2021. He indicated that many parts are now finished, specifically those revolving around "Cersei, Asha, Tyrion, Ser Barristan, and Areo Hotah."
He added: "I will be dropping back into Braavos next week. I have bad days, which get me down, and good days, which lift me up, but all in all I am pleased with the way things are going."
It's a real shame that it's taken this long for The Winds of Winter to near completion, but it seems we're finally getting there - although you have to hope it doesn't take quite this long for the seventh and final volume, especially as fans remain anxious to see how Martin intends to end the story (the hope is that it won't be quite as underwhelming as the TV series).
What are your thoughts on this latest update?