When it comes to "Game of Thrones," fans love the books and the television series just as much. As for the books written by George RR Martin, the author may have just dropped a clue regarding the release date for the sixth installment titled "The Winds of Winter." 

The wait has been incredibly long, but the possible release date for "The Winds of Winter" might mean that fans will not have to wait much longer for the book to come out. Six years after "A Dance With Dragons" was released, could "The Winds of Winter" hit shelves this year?

Perhaps, according to Martin. The author took to Twitter to share a photo of the city of Valyria with the caption that read, "Alas, alas, the great city Valyria, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come." Fans were quick to analzye what the caption and the photo meant. The line apparently is from the Bible in the book of Revelations 18:10, and this led to speculation that the release date for the sixth book might be on Oct. 18. 

Previously, Martin tweeted about how he got recognized by people in the streets of New York when he came in to visit. He added that the only place where he was not recognized was at his publisher's office, which was when the security stopped him to check his ID. 

Last July, after countless reports about the release date of "The Winds of Winter," the author also took to his LiveJournal blog to shed some light on the speculation. However, Martin is still tight-lipped about the actual release date of the sixth book. He did, on the other hand, say that it is possible that fans might see the first book of his other work titled "Fire and Blood," before "The Winds of Winter" comes out. 

Fortunately, Martin shared that he thinks one or maybe even two books in his "Game of Thrones" series will come out in 2018. Fans can only wait and see.