What do you think the title means?

[herald snow]

I think it will 3 more book's not 2 ,because is way too much stuff to finish.i dont beleive jon's dead and I hope dany will dead.

[Maester for Hire]

The Winds of Winter, it's not exactly rocket science to figure out what that means. e.x: at the end of Dance with Dragons, there is a white bird from the citadel telling winter has arrived. Another hint, did you notice it was snowing a lot? But besides the obvious, I must agree that I'm hopeful this means the Starks will make a comeback. And finally, a question, How does winter arriving affect Daenerys getting to Westeros, oh sorry, i mean if she ever decides to leave Meereen.

[Windmill]

I think it will 3 more book's not 2 ,because is way too much stuff to finish.i dont beleive jon's dead and I hope dany will dead.

Yea, I can see that. It seems to me that the series hasn't really gotten to the main point-- or at least what I think is the main point: The battle between the Others and the realm of the living. That said, Book 4 and 5 are continuations of the same place in time, so they are considered the "middle books". It seems like, unless he forces the series to an end it should continue on for another book. But, we'll see. Martin will write what is necessary and I'm sure we won't be disappointed!

I'm also certain Jon is not dead. And I also sort of agree with you about Dany. She's kind of my least favorite character. Jon, Arya and Bran of my favorites!

Edit: Oh, ya, I should probably post something that is on-topic:

What Maester for Hire said, basically. Dance with Dragons was about the evolving relationship between Daenerys and her dragons (of course a lot of other stuff happened too). Winds of Winter will be about how Westeros suffers a harsh winter (probably the hardest winter since the last time the Others were awake) and the rising of power of the Others.

[angelodebo]

I think the Winds of Winter will represent the rising of the Starks. Obviously the Starks rule the winter! Where that leaves Dany and the Dragons ..I have no idea.

I think by midway through the book , we will see the Starks slowly rising to power (i believe with aid from the Others). Aegon will probably be sitting on the throne..but the cliff hanger will be the winds from North blowing towards Kings Landing, and Dany in the South arriving with Dragons. Then, the next book, will get very interesting!

[Top Notch Balanter]

i think that both wind and winter are metaphores. wind is a metaphore for travel and winter is a metaphore for hardships and pain and for that reason i think that this book is going to give us the main plot which could be one or a mixture of many subplots

[aashish]

I really doubt that there is any Stark resurgence implied by the title. Who is there to lead the Stark resurgence? Jon? Cat? The kids have not grown yet and the two i mentioned are really messed up to lead a northern force against the southern lords. IMO the title means the appearance of the Others south of the wall. We need a story on the Others before the actual war between humans and Others begin.

[ryneanders]

i also dont really see a stark resurgence in the title, even though i hope for that to happen eventually. the hardships of winter and the chaos that insues is what i get out of it. i do, however, see a lot of important events occuring in the next book; danny returning to westeros, i believe will not only happen, but will happen in the winds of winter; the invasion of the others, and a power struggle for the iron throne between the lannisters, aegon, and danny. i think the next installment will resolve a lot of plot points and set up for the final book/ resolution. though i do think that a book after a dream of spring is possible.

[Umel of Ys]

I find the title quite straightforward, unfortunately: Winter is here and things are going to get pretty bleak. Especially since Spring could be back by the end of the final book (hopefully). So possibly not a long winter but a very intense, and dark one, we'll need a lot of Frey pies to keep us warm. (There's also the possibility of a change in pace, elipses and a decades long winter...) I for one hope that Jon won't need a lengthy apprenticeship to master warging lest he be the next novel's Daenerys or Bran. Also "Winds", plural, may suggest that Winter will be felt everywhere but in various forms.

[pansy25]

I have yet to break down Winds Of Winter, I think we may need to wait for the book to hit shelves before we can break down a title completely.

Game Of Thrones = Introduction to the realm and its back stabbing political ways

Clash Of Kings = False or legitimate claims are made to more than one throne, the five kings go to war against each other

Storm of Swords = End of the WOTFK, the start of a new rule (Tommen's/Cersei's)

Feast For Crows = Back to politics, while the aftermath of the war settle in

Dance With Dragons = I feel it is more the Targaryens as apposed to the physical dragons, Targs are the main focus in this book.

just my two cents on what the titles mean, still not sure about Winds of winter (it could be misleading like DWD was). my first post ever is complete :)

So you saying if Dance with Dragons are more about the Targaryens then the Winds of Winters are more about the Starks then.

[jon rr stark]

Just finished "Dance" & new to this site, so forgive me, but "Jon AWOL"?? I thought he was "assassinated" by his fellow Watch brothers when he decided to march south to aid Stannis. Did I miss something?

Yes just the anguish and disbelief of just about every reader of ASOIAF

[Lord Calway]

But besides the obvious, I must agree that I'm hopeful this means the Starks will make a comeback.

I think it has to do with this too. A Dance With Dragons was all about Dany: the war in Mereen, the suitors trying to get to her, and even what takes place in Dorne and the Iron Islands is related to Daenerys.

So I think The Winds of Winter will bring the Starks back to the Seven Kingdoms.

[The Oncoming Storm]

Others, a lot of snow, and the long Night may come and the Wall very likely to fall. One can hope... we really need some Other action at last.

[unbowed]

no one else has reflected on the first word of the title being THE... instead of the usual A...?

Why break this consistency?

[R'hllor-Is-The-Truth]

no one else has reflected on the first word of the title being THE... instead of the usual A...?

Why break this consistency?

The is a specific object that both the person speaking and the listener know

A is a specific object, just one of a number of the same objects

Another thing this is going to be the only novel with THE. I think it means that Aegon will become King, and fight Daenerys. Because Dany is a self righteous bitch who thinks she owns Westeros and all its people. She definently cannot lead or bring to Mereen, and forget about Westeros an entire continent.

[unbowed]

Another thing this is going to be the only novel with THE.

My point exactly. Why is it The Winds of Winter instead of A Wind of Winter or something else along that trodden path? This sudden skip in continuity intrigues me.

[jon rr stark]

My point exactly. Why is it The Winds of Winter instead of A Wind of Winter or something else along that trodden path? This sudden skip in continuity intrigues me.

Wouldn't a wind of winter imply a single wind, whereas the winds of winter imply lots of nasty winter stuff ie general deprivation, others, starks, northern armies coming down on the southern softies, huge blizzards causing havoc, etc.

[The Shadowbinder]

My point exactly. Why is it The Winds of Winter instead of A Wind of Winter or something else along that trodden path? This sudden skip in continuity intrigues me.

It's not complicated, all the other titles started with singular objects (Game, Clash, Storm, Feast, Dance) and this one starts with a plural object (Winds). Yeah he did break a five book trend, GRRM probably just liked the alliteration of Winds and Winter better than being able to brag that he wrote a whole series where every book started with "The"

As far as the meaning... I don't really see a Stark resurgence in the cards, whose left to resurge? Cat, Ned, and Robb are dead, Benjen is most likely dead (or a reanimated wright) beyond the wall, almost every one of their household staff is also dead... leaving four Starks: Bran - currently in a extremely remote and inaccessible cave, Sansa - Littlefingers pet in the Vale and not in a position to foster a rebellion (yet), and Rickon who could be dead but is instead probably chilling on Skagos with Osha, and Arya - beyond the Narrow Sea learning ninja skills in the House of Black and White. The Davos storyline seems to be heading towards Manderlay recoving Rickon and using him as a figurehead to rebel against the Boltons - but I wouldn't call that a Stark resurgence and think that would happen in the 7th book anyways if it does. Arya might come back and kick some ass and Bran might do some cool telepathic/kenetic weirwood magic but none of them seem posed to launch a millitary coup.

I personally think that Winds of Winter simply means that times are going to get very bleak and dark for our characters and the realm of Westeros - Stannis and Bolton & Co. were already experiencing it at the end of DwD when they started burning/killing each other and eating their dead, and the rest of the realm has been through a hellish war which consumed most of the food, supplies, and workers needed to survive the coming Winter. The title can be taken literally as well since Winter has just started and the Others may finally launch their invasion of Westeros and they're oft associated with Winter.

[alienarea]

I didn't pay attention to the The vs A before. I assume it's The because the book will deal with the Starks heavily. And for a Stark comeback: Whatever happened to Benjen?

[unbowed]

It's not complicated, all the other titles started with singular objects (Game, Clash, Storm, Feast, Dance) and this one starts with a plural object (Winds). Yeah he did break a five book trend, GRRM probably just liked the alliteration of Winds and Winter better than being able to brag that he wrote a whole series where every book started with "The"

The title thing might not be a big deal, I'll give you that, but I cannot shake the feeling that GRRM has something special in mind here. Perhaps he's only janking our chains.

A Song...

A Game...

A Clash...

A Storm...

A Feast...

A Dance...

The Winds...

A Dream...

[unbowed]

Wouldn't a wind of winter imply a single wind, whereas the winds of winter imply lots of nasty winter stuff ie general deprivation, others, starks, northern armies coming down on the southern softies, huge blizzards causing havoc, etc.

Yes, but it's always possible to interpret differently, right? Using the same logic, A Dance with Dragons, for example, would imply one single dance with dragons, but there were many involved in what could be described as trying to dance with the dragons. Or A Storm of Swords

, which I think is in fact quite a few storms of swords.

Anyway, leaving the A and THE aside, the title to me is pointing towards everything that is going on with the struggles in the north. below and beyond the wall, around the Starks, and the changing of the seasons.