The conclusion of the latest season of Game of Thrones has left a void which won’t be filled anytime soon. While many of the fans are biding their time by watching other TV shows, there are plenty out there who are craving for more of Westeros. A short-story series, written by George R.R. Martin, titled ‘A Knight of The Seven Kingdoms’ could well be the much-needed respite for them in the drought that is the absence of the TV show.

PREREQUISITE

A basic knowledge of George R.R. Martin’s world would suffice for a reader to get a firm understanding of the affairs in the book.

OVERVIEW

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a compilation of the first three Dunk and Egg novellas: ‘The Hedge Knight’, ‘The Sworn Sword’, and ‘The Mystery Knight’.

The events of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms take place a century before Game of Thrones

PLOT

The plot takes the reader on the journey of a hedge knight, Dunk aka Ser Duncan the Tall. The first novella begins with Dunk digging a grave for his former master, after which he stops by a tavern. At the tavern, Dunk comes across a kid, Egg, who insists that he comes with Dunk to the tourney at Ashford and also squire for him. After a lot of reluctance, Dunk finally agrees and this is the point at which the story starts.

CHARACTERS

The characters are well fleshed out and three dimensional. We get introduced to many interesting characters in Westerosi history, like Lyonel Baratheon who had a bizarre habit of laughing wildly while charging at his enemies.

ILLUSTRATIONS

Illustrations are a significant part of the book and Gary Gianni- the illustrator- does not disappoint. The 170+ immersive illustrations throughout the book make it more pleasant to read.

The illustrations are in black & white, but for those who prefer more vivid illustrations, graphic novels are the ones to go for.

WRITING

To say that GRRM’s writing is spectacular is an understatement and a gross injustice to his creative genius. Much like the ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ novels, ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ too has many plot twists which seem natural and do not seem forced down our throats just for the sake of it, and that is what sets Martin’s works apart from much of the fiction out there. 

Prophecies and foreshadowings are an integral part of the ASOIAF series. It comes as no surprise, then, that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is no stranger to them. The magical birth of Dany’s dragons is foreshadowed in this following excerpt from the book:

HOW IT TIES WITH THE GOT TV-SHOW

It was revealed by George RR Martin that Brienne of Tarth is related to Ser Duncan. That would explain the similarities in their statures.

Egg is the great-grandfather of Daenerys Targaryen and was the younger brother of Maester Aemon. In fact, the last words of Aemon Targaryen were “Egg, I dreamed I was old”  (GOT S5E7)

VERDICT

Plot: 4/5

Writing: 5/5

Illustrations: 4/5

If you love Game of Thrones or A Song of Ice and Fire series, this book is tailor-made for you in the best way possible. Dive right in!!

 

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