A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a series of novellas written by A Song of Ice and Fire’s author, George R. R. Martin. There are three stories within, each taking place nearly a decade before the events of the Ice and Fire series. Many aspects are familiar from the series, such as the locations and the many different noble families found within. As a fan of both the show and the book series, as detailed in my article: Why You Should Read Game Of Thrones Instead Of Watching It, I can say without a doubt that these stories are just as good, if not better than some of the books in the series.
The novellas revolve around a hedge knight, Ser Duncan the Tall, and his squire, Egg. The first of the three novellas is an introduction of sorts to the characters. A tournament was assembling, and knights and lords from all over were amassing for the game and feast that awaited, as well as for the honor and the glory. Duncan, or Dunk, is a hedge knight: a knight who serves no lord exclusively.
Upon entering the tournament, Dunk is caught up in some self-caused princely problems. One cannot kick a Prince in the face and leave without trouble, a good lesson to remember. These actions cost far more for Dunk than his own life, which was spared: three lives lost, two of them of high importance. What follows, Dunk could never have expected, but it sets the pace for the rest of the series of stories.
The second novella takes place well over a year after the events of the tourney. Dunk has found himself in the service of a lord whose lands are being preyed upon by a rival castle. The lady who owns this castle has seemingly dammed up the only source of water for both castles; Dunk is sent to resolve this dispute. The noble lady is said to be a sorceress, one who has killed all of her would be suitors. She is to not be trusted, though Dunk cares not for tall-tales. After braving her presence and attempting to resolve the dispute, fighting between the rivaling neighbors breaks out anyway. It is up to Dunk to quell the fighting, lest both sides stand to lose dearly. Lords always seem to fight, despite the impact it has on the lesser folk.
The final story, I have admittedly not finished reading yet. I can say, however, that this story sheds even more light on what it means to be a hedge knight, seeing as how Dunk runs into a small band of them on the way to a wedding involving some of the Freys. Fans of the series will likely know that name well, especially when dealing with weddings. All I can say is that there are talks of dragons being born, reigning fire down upon the wedding. Who wouldn’t want to read about that?
Anyways, you should without a doubt pick up this fine collection of stories! Whether you are a fan of the series, or just enjoy a fantastic fantasy novel, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, is a book that everyone should own.
