One of the most awaited events in July is the San Diego Comic-Con, which will be held from July 21 to 24 at the San Diego Convention Center, and it looks like George R. R. Martin, the author of "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, which is the inspiration for HBO's "Game of Thrones," will not be taking part in the event.

HBO recently released the "Game of Thrones" panel lineup for 2016 Comic-Con and Martin isn't on it. Last year Martin stayed away from the event saying he was using the time to finish off pending work, which includes "The Winds of Winter," the next instalment in the "A Song of Ice and Fire" series.

"I have so much work to do. I am way behind on everything," Martin blogged a year ago. "And if truth be told, San Diego has gotten overwhelming in recent years. There are always good times catching up with friends and hanging with the cast, but it's not as if I can walk the floor anymore and look for old comic books, the way I once did."

Meanwhile, there's a lot of interest in the "Game of Thrones" panel, considering the show killed off a good number of characters before it wrapped up Season 6. For instance, just the final episode saw Tommen, Margaery Tyrell, her brother Loras, her father Mace, Grand Maester Pycelle, The High Sparrow, Brother Lancel Lannister, Walder Frey and two of his sons dying. 

Viewers will have to wait till 2017 to find out how all these deaths will affect the story moving forward.

The "Game of Thrones" panelists include executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, director Miguel Sapochnik and cast members (in alphabetical order) John Bradley (Samwell Tarly), Liam Cunningham (Ser Davos Seaworth), Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei), Isaac Hempstead Wright (Bran Stark), Conleth Hill (Varys), Faye Marsay (The Waif), Kristian Nairn (Hodor), Iwan Rheon (Ramsay Bolton) and Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark).

"Game of Thrones" will be back on HBO in 2017.