"The Winds of Winter" has been delayed for so long and fans are wondering if the book will even be released at all.

Latest reports about the book indicate that the author of the "A Song of Ice and Fire" novel series, George R.R. Marti, has lost the manuscript that he has worked on for years. Thus, the book that was initially promised to debut prior to "Game of Thrones" season 7 will not be released anymore.

According to reports, Martin is now asking again for more time to complete the sixth installment of the legendary novel series. The author has reportedly asked his publisher to reschedule the release of "The Winds of Winter" in 2018 or later, or after "Game of Thrones" season 7 is done.

Previous reports claimed that Martin and "Game of Thrones" showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss would base the remaining seasons of the series on the latest book. However, if the rumors are true that Martin actually lost the manuscript, then fans will have to wait much longer for the book release.

Meanwhile, some reports claim that "The Winds of Winter" is the longest installment of the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, so the author needs longer time to finish the entire book.  Some reports also suggest that the seventh installment, titled "A Dream of Spring," is already in the works and will be released alongside the sixth installment sometime in 2018, but Martin has yet to confirm the said rumors.