George R.R. Martin, author of the "Song of Ice and Fire" fantasy series
George R.R. Martin, author of the "Song of Ice and Fire" fantasy series that is the basis of the television series "Game of Thrones", gestures during his masterclass at the Neuchatel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) in Neuchatel July 10, 2014. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse Reuters/Denis Balibouse

With no clarification about the release date of "Winds of Winter," fans of the series have taken to speculation to understand where the story is going. The latest speculation relates to the purpose of the White Walkers and the roles of the dragons and Jon Snow in the upcoming book. [Spoiler Alert]

Fans of the popular book series have still not seen the world of the White Walkers. The reason for them killing humans and turning them into Wights is also not known. Some of the members of the Westeros forum predict that these creatures may not necessarily be evil.

Since the White Walkers are associated with the cold, fans of the franchise hope to get a better insight about the race in "Winds of Winter." Will they turn out to be the evil race the author seems to be setting them up to be? Or is there another twist coming? The dragons are far away in Meereen so they may not be fighting the White Walkers just yet.

One of the members of the forum suspects that the White Walkers may not be an evil race but ruled by an evil leader. He also points to the Doom of Valyria as having something to do with the ending and hopes that Valyria will once again become a habitable place. Will the White Walkers bring a balance to Westeros and its "unstable" weather?

The harsh winter is coming and winters in Westeros can last up to many years. With the realm plagued by incessant wars, will the winter bring food shortages and death? The winter would also be a good opportunity for the White Walkers to truly emerge and march on The Wall.

Members of the forum speculate that Jon Snow may emerge as the big hero in the end, if he is found to be living in "Winds of Winter." The character is speculated to be the son of Lyanna Stark and Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. This would make him a representative of both fire, from the Targaryen side, and ice, from the Stark side.

The role of the gods R'hllor and the Great Other may also be revealed in the "Winds of Winter." One big concern for many of the fans would be who the author will decide to kill in the upcoming book. The unexpected twists are one of the reasons for the popularity of the book series.

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