Sooo…. word is, the next installment of George R. R. Martins record-breaking A Song of Ice and Fire series – The Winds of Winter – won’t be out in 2014. All the more reason, I assume, for George R. R. Martin to torment his fans.
Tuesday, he released a preview-chapter from the book, titled “Mercy” (which he never has).
From George R. R. Martin’s Livejournal
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. So I will shortly be posting a new sample chapter there.
The new chapter is actually an old chapter. But no, it’s not one I’ve published or posted before, and I don’t even think I’ve read it at a con (could be wrong there, I’ve done readings at so many cons, it all tends to blur together). So it’s new in that it is material that no one but my editors (well, and Parris, and David and Dan, and a few others) have ever seen before, but it’s old in that it was written a long time ago, predating any of the samples that you have seen. The first draft was, at any rate. I’ve rewritten it a dozen times since then.
Anyway, I’ve blathered on about it long enough, I will let the text speak for itself.
Chapter title is “Mercy.”
You can read the chapter here (if the website isn’t down due to masses of people there).
“Mercy, Mercy, Mercy,” she sang as she descended the wooden stair to the street. The handrail was splintery, the steps steep, and there were five flights, but that was why she’d gotten the room so cheap. That, and Mercy’s smile. She might be bald and skinny, but Mercy had a pretty smile, and a certain grace. Even Izembaro agreed that she was graceful. She was not far from the Gate as the crows flies, but for girls with feet instead of wings the way was longer. Braavos was a crooked city. The streets were crooked, the alleys were crookeder, and the canals were crookedest of all.
Be warned… The Winds of Winter is a “George R. R. Martin”-book and this chapter is no different. Don’t read it, if you’re easily offended.
Also, don’t read it, if you’re following the story on TV, rather than in the books, because … well … spoilers. Should be obvious, but hey.
Z.
Zweischneid
@pinsofwar
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