Summary
- George R.R. Martin praises upcoming Game of Thrones prequel spin-off, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
- Series focuses on Dunk and Egg’s adventures with lighter tone and less action than predecessors.
- Martin lauds adaptation as faithful and character-driven, warns of less action but emphasizes era-breaking themes.
George R.R. Martin’s love for Game of Thrones prequel spin-off A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is becoming hard not to notice after the author recently showered it with praise.
Sandwiched between the events of House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms takes place ninety years before the latter when House Targaryen still sat on the Iron throne and dragons were a recent memory. The series is an adaptation of the first of Martin’s three novellas, The Hedge Knight, and will tell the adventurous tale of Ser Duncan the Tall (Dunk) and his squire and heir to the Iron Throne, the bald Aegon V Targaryen (Egg). Showrunners have characterized the series as having a significantly lighter tone than Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon, while filled with politicking and treachery. A specific release date for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is yet to be announced with only “late 2025” being pegged.
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George R.R. Martin, on his Not a Blog website—one of his preferred platforms of communication—aired his thoughts on the upcoming series and its cast in a lengthy post, titled “Dunk, Egg, and a Few Random Mutterings.” And it was overwhelmingly positive.
I’ve seen all six episodes now (the last two in rough cuts, admittedly) and I loved them” read the post. “Dunk and Egg have always been favorites of mine and the actors we found to portray them are just incredible…it’s as faithful an adaptation as a reasonable man could hope for (and you all know how incredibly reasonable I am on that particular subject).
However, Martin also cautioned against anticipating the same levels of high-octane action seen in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ predecessors:
Viewers who are looking for actin, and more action, and only action…well, this one may not satisfy you. There’s a huge fight scene here, as exciting as anyone could ask for, but there are no dragons this time around, no huge battles, no white walkers…this is a character piece, and its focus is on duty and honor, on chivalry and all it means.
This wouldn’t be the first time Martin has publicly endorsed A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. He had previously lauded showrunner Ira Parker’s work in September 2024, after stopping by on the Northern Ireland set. For fans of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, George R.R. Martin’s seal of approval means everything given his history of vocal criticism of past adaptations. The author publicly down-voted the infamous Season 8 of Game of Thrones and had similar reservations about House of the Dragon Season 2.
That A Knight of the Sevens will tone down or exclude large battles, dragon fire, and other fantasy elements is unlikely to deter most fans. What has long been the true appeal of the realm of Westeros is its character dynamics and era-breaking themes rather than magic. In fact, most of the highest-rated seasons of Game of Thrones thrived on political intrigue and featured little to no dragon action. The relative underperformance of House of the Dragon Season 2 might water down excitement for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. But if doubters need any reassurance, it is that the inaugural seasons of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon are generally regarded as peak television.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will be released in late 2025.
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Source: George R.R. Martin/Not a Blog