George R.R. Martin's fantasy world of Westeros is well known to fans of great television and books alike. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire saga began back in 1996 with the release of A Game of Thrones, and since then, the series has climbed to the top of fantasy literature, with Martin being hailed as the new J.R.R. Tolkien.
But while nearly everybody has heard of Game of Thrones, far fewer have heard of The Hedge Knight. Written by Martin in 1998 and originally published in a fantasy anthology titled Legends, the novella would go on to become a series in its own right — telling the tale of a knight named Ser Duncan the Tall and his unlikely squire Egg as they journey across the Seven Kingdoms in search of hearth and coin.
Three of these short stories, The Hedge Knight, The Sworn Sword and The Mystery Knight, have been released over the years within various collections. Now, for the first time, publisher Bantam has assembled all three in one volume titled A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. It's a must-have for Game of Thrones fans — for a number of reasons.
The book's heroes are of course the main draw. For those who have taken a deep dive into Westerosi history, the name Ser Duncan the Tall may sound familiar. That's because he is one of the greatest knights to have ever lived in Martin's world, serving as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard during a time when each and every man who wore a white cloak was a legend — Duncan most of all.
In these tales, however, Dunk is but a lowly hedge knight, scrounging to find his next meal, traveling from the temporary service of one lord to the next. Dunk is as honorable as they come and a knight in the truest sense — a fact that some fans may find hard to believe. Readers and watchers of Game of Thrones have become so accustomed to Martin's tendency to let some of the most wicked, cruel and vile men of Westeros emerge victorious that it's soothing to read about the exploits of an actual man of honor — even if keeping that honor comes with a considerable amount of trouble.
Dunk is a genuine hero who's easy to root for. Accompanying him is his squire Egg, short for Aegon Targaryen. That's another big name that should ring a bell for viewers and readers — though here, the man who would become Aegon V, king of the Seven Kingdoms and great-grandfather to Daenerys Targaryen, is just a boy. As a king, Aegon rules justly and fairly, seeking to avoid war and help the common folk. Reading these stories gives readers a glimpse at how Egg's adventures with Duncan would shape his time as king.
The novellas also serve as a helpful history lesson for those looking to fill in the gaps before the events of Game of Thrones. During the time of the novellas, a Targaryen still sits on the Iron Throne and the last living dragon is not yet a distant memory. Instead of Robert's Rebellion, the uprising on everybody's lips is the Blackfyre Rebellion.
It nearly tore the Seven Kingdoms apart. It all stemmed from King Aegon IV bestowing the legendary sword Blackfyre on his bastard child Daemon instead of his legitimate son and heir Daeron. From there, the seeds of rebellion grew, as many viewed Daemon to be a more fitting king. Soon, full blown war erupted, and though Daeron was victorious in the end, many in the Seven Kingdoms were still loyal to the Blackfyre cause.
It is in the aftermath of this bloody Targaryen civil war that Dunk and Egg find themselves alive, with much of the trouble they encounter stemming from one side's continued distrust of the other.
For those looking for more direct connections between A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and the show and book series proper, you won't be disappointed. Perhaps the biggest link between the two is the character of Brynden Rivers, also known as Bloodraven.
Bloodraven is one of the main reasons King Daeron emerged victorious during the rebellion. He was a ruthless and hard man, believed to be a sorcerer. His lack of honor became painfully evident when, years after the Blackfyre Rebellion, he would trick one of the surviving Blackfyres to journey to King's Landing. Offering safe passage to King's Landing for the Blackfyre descendant in order to help choose who would next sit the Iron Throne, Bloodraven would have the man arrested and executed by the city guard shortly after his arrival. Egg would eventually be chosen as the one to lead the Seven Kingdoms, and his first act as king would be to give Bloodraven the choice of death or service to the Night's Watch for his actions.
Bloodraven chose to take the black, joining the Night's Watch at the same time as Maester Aemon — whom fans of the show and readers of the books are well acquainted with. Bloodraven would go on to become Lord Commander of the Night's Watch in time, serving in the position for many years until he one day vanished north of the Wall, never to return.
Even though these events take place well before the events of Game of Thrones, readers and viewers have actually met Bloodraven. That's because he's none other than Three-Eyed Raven — the old, decrepit man north of the Wall who is revealed to be responsible for Bran's visions. Turns out all that talk about Bloodraven being a sorcerer is actually true. In A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, readers will meet Bloodraven while he is still alive and well, serving as Hand of the King.
Those are all reasons fans should pick up A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, but the real reason to check out this collection is that it's simply great storytelling. Martin crafts a living, breathing world in a way few authors can. Westeros is real in a way that is truly rare for a fantasy tale. Perhaps that is in large part thanks to Martin modeling his realm off real medieval history, but that's not all. At their core, Martin's works feel real because they focus more on characters and relationships than they do on swords and dragons (though there is plenty of that as well.)
You won't find a better example of that than with A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Readers will get a more down-to-Earth, in-the-trenches view of Westeros than seen in Game of Thrones, as Dunk and Egg struggle to makes ends meet on the road.
At their core, these stories – just like Game of Thrones – are first and foremost about people in all their complexity. The best part is that reading them doesn't spoil anything, either. Because these stories take place so long before the events of Game of Thrones, even those who aren't caught up on the show can read without fear of stumbling across a future plot point.
Of course, we would be remiss if we didn't mention artist Gary Gianni, whose 160 black-and-white illustrations sprinkled throughout the book are reason enough for fans to take a look. He really bring the events of the novellas to life in beautiful fashion. From bone-crunching battles to the softer, quiet moments of Dunk and Egg's adventures, Gianni's illustrations are a treat, adding context with every image.
If you've ever wanted to read an entire story about the adventures of Brienne of Tarth and her squire Podrick Payne, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will scratch that itch. It will also give you a healthy dose of Westerosi history along the way. It's a must-read for those who are looking for even more Game of Thrones — not only because of its fascinating connections to Martin's main series but because it paints a more complete picture of his world.
If you can't wait for Game of Thrones Season 6 and have yet to read Dunk and Egg's adventures, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is just the thing to hold you over.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is available now.
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