WINTER IS COMING

Read ‘The Winds of Winter,’ George R.R. Martin's New 'Game of Thrones' Chapter

<p>The man behind <i>Game of Thrones</i> has something for you to read.<br> </p>

“Hiya kids, hiya hiya hiya.

With season 4 of HBO's GAME OF THRONES almost upon us, I thought the time was ripe for me to give my readers another taste of WINDS OF WINTER.”

And with that proclamation, George R.R. Martin, the mind behind A Song of Ice and Fire, released upon the Internet an unread chapter in his sixth book, The Winds of Winter. Titled “Mercy,” this may hint that HBO’s Game of Thrones will not get ahead of Martin’s stories. But who really knows.

The entire chapter can be read here. (If it’s not loading for you, that’s probably because the billions of rabid Game of Thrones fans are trying to access the page at the same time, clicking away, hungry for more from Westeros, blissfully unaware that they may have to wait a while.)

For those who would just like a taste:

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…

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