GAME of Thrones creator George RR Martin reached out to fans with his most emotional post to date.
The author of the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, upon which the HBO fantasy series is based, laid his sould bare in post on his blog titled Reflections on a Bad Year.
Martin is known for being reclusive when it comes to his private life, so the open letter will no doubt have taken many of his followers by surprise.
In the post, Martin admitted 2020 had been the worst year of his life and revealed he had lost a number of friends during the global coronavirus pandemic.
“2020 was probably the worst year I have ever lived through, for the country and the world if not for me personally, and I say that from the perspective of someone who lived through, and remembers, 1968,” he wrote.
“So much happened, and so much of it was dire, but all the rest dwindles in importance in the shadow of hundreds of thousands of Covid deaths,” he went on.
Martin has yet to receive the vaccine and stressed that he was taking every precaution possible to stay safe.
“The worst of the pandemic may be yet to come, alas, but at least we see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Like millions of others, I am waiting for my turn to get the vaccine,” he went on.
“I am on the list. Soon, I hope… meanwhile, I continue to go masked and quarantine myself as much as possible.”
Martin concluded with fears that he could lost more of his nearest and dearest in the coming months as the virus continues to take lives.
“Personally… well, I lost a number of friends, some very near and dear to me. I have several other friends who are in failing health, so I fear that there may be more losses to come.”
He also made a point of managing fans’ expecations when it comes to upcoming book Winds of Winter, stressing that there was no release date in the mind and he still had “hundreds of pages to write.”
Martin disabled comments on the post, but no doubt many are sending well wishes his way in this difficult time.
The post comes after it was revealed that Game of Thrones was developing another prequel series set 90 years before the events of the main show.
An animated spin-off is also in the works, according to reports.
Game of Thrones is available to stream in full on NOW TV.
