Game of Thrones writer George RR Martin reassures fans from Coronavirus self-isolation: ‘I feel fine’

‘Aware I’m very much in the most vulnerable population’

George RR Martin assured fans that, even though he’s more vulnerable than most to the Coronavirus, he is feeling okay.

The 71-year-old writer is using his hours of confinement to work on his long-awaited Game of Thrones novel, The Winds of Winter. He told fans on his website: “For those of you who may be concerned for me personally … yes, I am aware that I am very much in the most vulnerable population [for coronavirus infection], given my age and physical condition.

“But I feel fine at the moment, and we are taking all sensible precautions.

“Truth be told, I am spending more time in Westeros than in the real world, writing every day. Things are pretty grim in the Seven Kingdoms … but maybe not as grim as they may become here.”

The demand for the sixth novel in the Game of Thrones series has been swelling since the fantasy series was adapted for TV. Now Martin’s readers have been waiting almost a decade for the next instalment.

In 2014, Martin became angered by fans who were worried he might not survive long enough to release the novel. He told an interviewer that he found it “pretty offensive” when “people start speculating as to my death and my health. So, f*** you to those people.”

Martin said he was currently “off by myself in a remote isolated location, attended by one of my staff, and I’m not going into town or seeing anyone”.

“With quarantines, lockdowns and social isolation on the menu everywhere, and all the usual entertainment venues closing their doors, reading is the best way to pass the empty hours,” urged Martin, adding: “Strange days are upon us. As ancient as I am, I cannot recall ever having lived through anything like the past few weeks.”

Martin said that “some days, watching the news, I cannot help feeling as if we are all now living in a science fiction novel”.

“But,” he added, “not, alas, the sort of science fiction novel that I dreamed of living in when I was a kid, the one with the cities on the moon, colonies on Mars, household robots programmed with the Three Laws, and flying cars.

“I never liked the pandemic stories half so well … Let us hope we all come through this safe and sound. Stay well, my friends. Better to be safe than sorry.”