Overview

• At Seattle WorldCon on August 17, an attendee confronted George R.R. Martin about when another author would finish The Winds of Winter, warning he “won’t be around for much longer.”
• Brandon Sanderson responded “Not me” when asked if he would take over, echoing his prior statement declining to finish A Song of Ice and Fire.
• Panelists Robin Hobb, Rebecca Roanhorse and Ryan Cahill defended Martin before he left the stage and moved on to sign books.
• A video clip of the exchange was widely shared by outlets including Collider and FandomWire, sparking commentary on fan entitlement and creator autonomy.
• No new information emerged on the novel’s progress; some commentators speculated the incident could influence Martin’s future public appearances.