'Winds of Winter' release date, plot spoilers: August launch rumors shut down, character deaths to be fewer than 'Game of Thrones' season 6?

George R.R. Martin's mammoth of a book series "A Series of Ice and Fire" is full of deaths, brutal and unforgettable. However, a new report says the bestselling author will tone down the killing in "Winds of Winter."

According to iDigitalTimes, "Winds of Winter" won't be as bloody as the HBO series "Game of Thrones" inspired by the saga, which killed off characters every episode.

The publication explains that Martin won't have to worry about budget on the talents, which HBO Has to constantly worry about especially with a big ensemble they have for the show.

With that said, Martin can freely have more characters live for another day, unlike the fate of some on the show. This also proves that there's a lot more to look forward to in "Winds of Winter."

Many readers were worried that "Game of Thrones" will spoil the book. However, Martin has a lot of tricks up his sleeves to make "Winds of Winter" worth the wait.

He has already said once that he has a big twist prepared for a character that was killed off on the show. Clearly, the novelist has the advantage over the deaths happening in "Game of Thrones" as he could give them a totally new fate in the books.

Of course, fans should expect deaths in "Winds of Winter." Thankfully, these won't be as frequent as they were on the HBO epic, if this report is to be believed.

With regards to the release date, it is safe to say a release at WorldCon this month is unlikely based on the statement of HarperCollins Australia head of marketing and communications Jaki Arthur.

"There's no denying millions of fans want it. But we don't know when it will happen. We know George is busy writing it and we will announce the publication date once he finishes. Whenever it comes, it will be a huge publishing event," Arthur stated via Daily Telegraph.

On that note, he emphasized that publishing "Winds of Winter" won't be done overnight so if the book was to launch later this month, publishers should have been working on churning out heaps of copies.

"Winds of Winter" is expected to be completed in 2017.