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The world has been a strange place ever since HBO's Game of Thrones show wrapped up in 2019. George R. R. Martin still hasn't finished writing The Winds of Winter, which he has been working on for at least 15 years. Sensing the incoming Game of Thrones-shaped hole that would be left in pop culture after the show's finale, Netflix swooped in with their own adaptation of The Witcher, starring Henry Cavill. Netflix has continued to expand upon The Witcher franchise, releasing animated films as well as spinoff shows, like The Witcher: Blood Origin. 

Now, Andrzej Sapkowski, the creator of The Witcher and author of the books that went on to be adapted into the video game series, has shared his thoughts on what has transpired between the Game of Thrones television show and Martin's books. At the Opole Book Festival in Poland, Sapkowski, by way of translation from Redian Intelligence, had this to say: “I totally understand [Martin]," Sapkowski began, referring to the length of time that Martin has taken to complete The Winds of Winter. "Because if someone had pulled a stunt like that on me, filming a series based on my books, and then getting ahead of what I intended to write, I’d also be wondering whether there’s any point in writing anymore. If it’s already been done, right? Makes no sense. It’s nice when they adapt your work, that’s the author’s bloody right, but to adapt what doesn’t exist yet, to extrapolate like that? That’s just indecent."

Thus far, it looks like Netflix hasn't been in a rush to get ahead of Sapkowski on anything. The streamer recently adapted the short story, A Little Sacrifice, for the animated film, The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep, that came out earlier this year. Likewise, the prequel film, The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, which centered on Geralt's mentor, Vesemir, was a completely original story. 

Sapkowski assured fans that they can rest assured that he doesn't operate on the same nebulous timetable as Martin. "When I say I’ll write something, I will," the author said. 

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