George R.R. Martin, the literary mastermind behind the Game of Thrones franchise, isn’t finished with the franchise just yet. Today, the first episode of a new show aired, and there is more to come.
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Fans of HBO’s Game of Thrones show may not know that George R.R. Martin also wrote novellas and other books separate to the main continuity but part of the same world.
In 1998, two years after he released A Game of Thrones and the same year he released the sequel book A Clash of Kings, Martin released a novella, titled The Hedge Knight. This novella followed Sir Duncan the Tall and his squire, Egg. This story, set 100 years before A Game of Thrones, was the beginning of a prequel series of short stories.
And now, we can finally see them on our screens.
On January 18, HBO aired a new Game of Thrones show, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
George R.R. Martin Says There Are “More Stories To Tell”
This prequel series, set during the time the Targaryen family still sat on the Iron Throne, will follow Dunk and Egg, providing a more grounded view of Westeros.
“There are more stories to tell about Dunk and Egg and their education and what’s going to befall them in future years,” George R.R. Martin explained on the official podcast for the new show.
He said that focusing on one viewpoint was “one of the best decisions [he] ever made as a writer.”
George R.R. Martin wanted to “tell a story that focused to some extent on the small folk … on the people who are not lords, they were not contending, they weren’t even going to get the iron throne unless everybody else in Westeros died.”
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is out now, starring Peter Claffey as Sir Duncan and Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg, formally known as Prince Aegon Targaryen. Yeah, that’s right. The “Egg” guy is a Targaryen Prince.
Oh, and before you go, just know that a second season has already been greenlit. So if you enjoy this alternate look into Westeros, then get excited for plenty more.