Book Review: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

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As some of you know, I'm a big fan of the Game of Thrones series (AKA The A Song of Ice and Fire Series), and, like many fans, I've been waiting a long time for the sixth book in the series -- The Winds of Winter -- to come out. The last book in the series was published in 2011, so, as you can imagine, fans are getting a little antsy. However, all you Game of Thrones fans out there can get your Westeros fix with A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which was released earlier this year. George R.R. Martin's latest novel is a compilation of the Tales of Dunk and Egg, a set of three novellas that were written between 1998 and 2010.


As a bit of background, Knight takes place about one hundred years before the events in A Game of Thrones and follows the story of Dunk, "Ser Duncan the Tall," and Egg, Aegon Targaryen. Most fans consider it to be a sort of prequel, for lack of a better word -- although, it's really just a story set in the same universe. However, observant fans will notice references to some of Knight's characters in Martin's later novels. In fact, "Egg" is  Aegon V, the great-grandfather of Daenerys Targaryen, the main female protagonist of the Game of Thrones series. In any case, I've been looking forward to reading this book since it came out in October (although college got in the way until now).

Although this book does not have the sweeping, epic drama that drew fans to the Game of Thrones series, Knight is a well-written jolt of light hearted entertainment and a glimpse into the history of the world of Game of Thrones. The stories bypass great battles and crises, instead centering on the adventures of Dunk -- a hedge knight -- and his unlikely squire, a young Targaryen prince. Their unlikely friendship is the ultimate odd couple; they travel across the Seven Kingdoms, meeting trouble and tourneys at every turn. I won't go over all the details, but suffice it to say that it is a fine example of Martin's skill as a storyteller, with plenty of twists and turns. (Also, as an added treat, the illustrations are amazingly gorgeous).

Young Egg with a Dragon's Egg
However, the central point of Knight is the slow and tumultuous decline of House Targaryen -- a major point for the Game of Thrones series. Throughout the novel's three hundred some odd pages, we see Targaryen heirs die and rebellion foment -- not to mention that the Blackfyre rebellion is still a fresh wound. (To my mind, it's a re-vamped, fantastical version of Shakespeare's Henriad). Succession crises set aside, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms makes it clear that the final Targaryens were poor leaders (at best) in troubled times. Avid readers of Game of Thrones will realize that the events of Knight are really quite recent in the scheme of Westerosi history. I know that I will definitely have Knight in the back of my head the next time I re-read the series. At the very least, true fans of the series will love a glimpse at the folkloric, Westerosi heroes who dot the series.

All in all, I enjoyed this book. It differs from Game of Thrones in tone, however, with Martin's masterful storytelling and Gary Gianni's beautiful illustrations, it is well worth a read. Sit down, lean back, and read and enjoy as you wait for the Winds of Winter.

Just readin'

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