Excited to see The Hedge Knight adaptation

George R.R. Martin published The Hedge Knight, the first novella in the Dunk and Egg series in the Legends Anthology (1998).

In the 85-page tale, Ser Arlan of Pennytree dies, leaving his squire, Dunk, to fend for himself. Dunk takes Ser Arlan’s armor, equipment, horses, and money and journeys to the town of Ashford, hoping to win some gold.

Along the way, he meets and adopts a squire nicknamed ‘Egg.’ The pair engage in a competition that ultimately pits Dunk against Prince Aerion Targaryen.

Later, we learn that Egg is Prince Aegon Targaryen, brother to Aerion. If you want to know what happens next, read the novella yourself. Or better yet, wait for the adaptation.

HBO is developing Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight, a prequel series set nearly a century before Game of Thrones. Now, I know what you are thinking; ‘we already have a prequel series in House of the Dragon.’

How will this work? House of the Dragon is set 300 years ago and explores the Targaryen Civil War. By the time Dunk and Egg enter the picture, that civil war has all but fizzled out. Before you form an opinion, keep these three factors in mind. First of all, Dunk and Egg is not Fantastic Beasts. This is not some tiny three-page volume that HBO is stretching into a full-blown TV series.

Martin has written three novellas so far, and he has five more in the works. In other words, HBO has a substantial amount of source material to adapt. Secondly, many George R.R. Martin fans think Dunk and Egg is significantly superior to Game of Thrones.

Apparently, the short length gives Martin focus. He does not spend as much time meandering aimlessly. The novellas are saturated with humour, intrigue, and heart.

Now, before you get all excited, I should point out one more fact. The third novella (The Mystery Knight) came out in 2010.

What about the fourth installment? Thirteen years later, Martin has yet to finish The She-Wolves of Winterfell. He expects to complete the novella after delivering The Winds of Winter, but many Game of Thrones fans don’t expect The Winds of Winter to see the light of day.

So naturally, the likelihood of Martin finishing The She-Wolves of Winterfell is even lower. Keep in mind that Martin is producing two shows now (House of the Dragon and Dunk and Egg), alongside several spinoffs they are yet to announce. He does not have time to finish a 1000-page fantasy epic and another 85-page novella.

Still, I’m excited. A lot of people love Dunk and Egg; surely, that means something.

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