A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R.R. MartinAuthor Website Amazon (UK) Amazon.com HarperVoyager (ebook), 2005
368 Pages
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
A century before A GAME OF THRONES, two unlikely heroes wandered Westeros...
A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS compiles the first three official prequel novellas to George R.R. Martin's ongoing masterwork, A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE.
Before Tyrion Lannister and Podrick Payne there was Dunk and Egg.
A young, naïve but courageous hedge knight, Ser Duncan the Tall towers above his rivals - in stature if not experience. Tagging along with him is his diminutive squire, a boy called Egg - whose true identity must be hidden from all he and Dunk encounter: for in reality he is Aegon Targaryen, and one day he will be king. Improbable heroes though they be, great destinies lie ahead for Dunk and Egg; as do powerful foes, royal intrigue, and outrageous exploits.
A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS brings together for the first time the first three official prequel novellas to George R.R. Martin's ongoing masterwork, A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE, set in an age when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne, and the memory of the last dragon has not yet passed from living memory.
Featuring more than 160 illustrations by Gary Gianni, one of the finest fantasy artists of our time, this beautiful volume will transport readers to the world of the Seven Kingdoms in an age of bygone chivalry.
OPENING PARAGRAPH
The spring rains had softened the ground, so Dunk had no trouble digging the grave. He chose a spot on the western slope of a low hill, for the old man had always loved to watch the sunset. 'Another day done' - he would sigh - 'and who knows what the morrow will bring us, eh Dunk?' (THE HEDGE KNIGHT)
WHAT I THOUGHT
Regular readers of this blog will know I'm a huge fan of the Game of Thrones TV series and the A Song of Ice and Fire books. How could I resist the illustrated edition of three novellas set 100 years before Ned Stark loses his head?
I thought A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms was brilliant. I enjoyed each novella, though The Mystery Knight was my favourite. A lot of the keys names from A Song of Ice and Fire series appear in the novellas and I kept forgetting I was reading about events 100 years before the events of the novels and kept expecting Danys or John Snow to put in an appearance. I liked the fact Dunk and Egg appear in all three novellas as I wasn't expecting this. I hope GRRM writes more of their adventures. Maybe Dunk's ancestor will turn up in the next A Song of Ice and Fire book and fight at John Snow's side? Or maybe that's wishful thinking? The novellas are exactly what you'd expect from fiction set in Westros and the Seven Kingdoms. I liked the illustrations as well though they probably weren't as good in an ebook as they would on paper. I loved The Hedge Knight and T he Sworn Sword as well.
I'd highly recommend A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
