Part 7/10:
In the latest updates, Martin admits that he may be "13 years late" on The Winds of Winter. While he has fluctuated between confidence and uncertainty, the cumulative setbacks suggest that completion is uncertain. Some fans speculate that Martin might never finish, choosing instead to leave the series unresolved, a phenomenon that has become an unwelcome staple of the saga.
He has publicly expressed frustration about the situation, sometimes describing the book as a personal "curse" or lamenting that the project has become more than he can handle. Meanwhile, the TV adaptations—such as Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon—have carried on, further diverging from the source material, which only heightens the sense of an unfinished legacy.