After years of smugly knowing looks, Game of Thrones readers are going to reportedly fall behind viewers of the TV show.

The smash-hit A Song of Fire and Ice fantasy novels by George RR Martin predated the televised series by almost five years, meaning book worms could always predict the biggest moments of the show with priggish glee.

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The thrones may now have turned, with Mr Martin delaying the release of his sixth book, allowing the HBO series to catch up.

In a recent interview, GoT co-writer David Benioff seems to admit the show will ruin the ending of the book series.

“I kind of wish that there were some things we didn’t have to spoil, but we’re kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place,”  Mr Benioff was reported as saying in Vanity Fair.

“The show must go on… and that’s what we’re going to do,” he said.

The new season of Game of Thrones, to premier in April, is believed to cover the last two books published by Mr Martin, meaning the following season may leap ahead of book six.