It has been six years now since best-selling author George R. R. Martin released the latest installment of his series of novels, "A Song of Ice and Fire." During those years, the rumors about the release of the sixth book, "The Winds of Winter," continue to circulate. The newest among the bunch is the shock value of the upcoming book.

Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" is unpredictable that fans are already expecting the future book or books to tell a story that no one can expect. According to reports, the upcoming "The Winds of Winter" novel may deviate from the first book and would reveal startling details.

The recently concluded season and the remaining two seasons of the television adaptation of the novel series, "Game of Thrones," have already deviated from the novels since there is no source material to base it from. So, whatever happened last season and the coming seasons are expected to be different from the yet-to-be released books.

The constant delay of the sixth novel is reportedly because of Martin's hectic schedule and other commitments. Also, the author is known to prioritize the quality of the stories, which is why he doesn't set a strict deadline as to when the books should finish.

However, there is still good news to all fans of the novel series. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the series' first book, "Game of Thrones," Apple launched an enhanced edition of all the books in the series. Although the fans can only avail the special edition on Apple's iBooks, they will at least be getting an extra bonus in the form of an excerpt of "The Winds of Winter."

The advantages of the enhanced edition are the convenience and simplified viewing of the backstories, journeys, connections, and lineage of the characters. Plus, it's easier to navigate the nitty gritty of Westeros.

Martin has yet to announce the official release date of "The Winds of Winter."