Although the release date of the long-awaited "Winds of Winter" has yet to be revealed, fans of the George R.R. Martin-penned book series cannot help but worry about the death of one of their favorite characters.

Based on reports, Martin will write Tyrion Lannister's death in the upcoming novel.

Those who love both the books from the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series and the episodes of the hit HBO series "Game of Thrones" adores Tyrion's character, played by Peter Dinklage, in the TV adaptation. Killing him in both series will definitely disappoint the entire fan base.

Yet knowing GRRM's writing style, anyone cannot be spared from death if that is where the plot leads him. For those who are not familiar with the books and the TV series, the author had already killed off several fan favorite main characters like Ned, Caitlyn, and Rob Stark.

However, the rumors about Tyrion's impending death is still unverified, after the author himself revealed that The Imp is his most favorite character among the Lannister family, which could be a saving factor for the character.

In an interview with Hollywood Life, Martin said, "I love all my characters, of course, but Tyrion has always been a favorite. He is the easiest to write ... The only thing that is hard is that it takes me days and sometimes weeks to come up with the one-liners that Tyrion comes up with in, like, a minute. I wish in real life I was nearly as acerbic and funny as Tyrion."

Still, the author became a bit evasive when asked whether The Imp will die in the Winds of Winter plot by simply saying, "Well, I did cut off his nose, so ..."

He also stated, "They say that you write what you want to read and you create in television what you want to watch. I love shows that are unpredictable. I like shows to be more real. Predictable shows and books bore me." In addition, the writer said, "I want to be on the edge of my seat. So, the deaths are important and at all times necessary."

Until now, the release date for the new book is still up in the air. Some speculations say that the book will come out in February next year, while other say that it will be released around April 2015.