'Winds of Winter' release date, plot spoilers: George R.R. Martin reveals plans for 'bittersweet' conclusion

George R. R. Martin at the 2013 San Diego Comic Con International in San Diego, California.Wikimedia Commons/ Gage Skidmore

While best-selling author George R.R. Martin remains silent about the actual release date of "The Winds of Winter," the sixth book in his "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, he is now beginning to make some noise about how he wants the series to end. 

Last month, the 66-year-old novelist/ screenwriter talked to Observer and revealed how he wants to conclude the epic saga. Although Martin admitted that he still has not written the ending of the series, he revealed that he already knows what will not happen in the story. 

According to the novelist, he would not want to see the end of the story in a horrific apocalypse despite the ongoing tragedies.

"I've said before that the tone of the ending that I'm going for is bittersweet," Martin said.

The author explained that he would like to follow the footsteps of his favorite author JRR Tolkien who concluded "The Lord of the Rings" saga in a pleasurably sad note.

"I mean, it's no secret that Tolkien has been a huge influence on me, and I love the way he ended Lord of the Rings. It ends with victory, but it's a bittersweet victory," Martin said. 

But before the ending of the series comes out, fans of both the books and its TV adaptation from HBO are still waiting to get hold of the sixth book from the "ASOIAF" saga. "A Dance with Dragons," published in 2011, ended in a cliffhanger and a lot of people are now clamoring to learn where the characters stand after their fate in the fifth novel. 

It has been reported that Martin is planning to finish the book before the sixth season of HBO's "Game of Thrones" premieres next year. But while cameras already began to roll for the episodes of "GoT" season six, Martin is still mum about the progress of "The Winds of Winter."