Game Of Thrones: 10 Ways Season 5 Spoilt The Winds Of Winter
4. The Battle of Winterfell
A Dance with Dragons does try and trick the reader into thinking Stannis is dead, as Ramsay (or at least someone claiming to be him) writes a letter to Jon Snow saying as much. However, the Theon chapter of The Winds of Winter shows that Stannis is alive and still plotting his war against the Boltons.
Season 5 actually shows us the Battle of Winterfell, and what becomes of Stannis. Severely outnumbered, Stannis army is no match for the might of House Bolton and his men are defeated. Meanwhile, he survives long enough to meet Brienne of Tarth, who seems to follow through on her vow to kill him.
With the Battle set to be tied up early on in The Winds of Winter, it would appear that the TV show has spoilt the outcome, and while Brienne may not be the one who ends Stannis life - their paths are rather different as things stand - the rightful King of Westeros may find his days are numbered in the book world as well.