George R.R. Martin Is Impressed by HBO's HOUSE OF THE DRAGON and Says It Improves on His Work
George R.R. Martin recently offered an update on HBO’s upcoming Game of Thrones spin-off fantasy series House of the Dragon and gushes over how impressed he has been with the early footage he’s seen. He’s already seen rough cuts of nine of the first ten episodes of the fantasy epic and this is what he had to say about it:
“House of the Dragon? Glad you asked. I’ve now watched rough cuts of nine of the ten episodes, and I continue to be impressed. I cannot speak to the SFX, many of which are not in yet, but the look of it is great, and the acting, the directing, and writing are first rate.”
Martin went on to explain that while there are some changes from his book Fire & Blood, this series "IS my story." He then added that they creative team has even improved on his story saying:
“And yes, for all you book fans, it IS my story. Sure, there are some changes from Fire & Blood — we could not present three alternative versions of every major event, not and keep our sanity — but I think Ryan Condal and his writers made good choices. Even some improvements… For years, as some of you may recall, I have been saying the TV version of Shae, as portrayed by Sibel Kekilli, was a deeper, richer, and more nuanced character than the Shae in my novels. In a similar vein, I am vastly impressed by the show’s version of King Viserys, played by Paddy Considine, who gives the character a tragic majesty that my book Viserys never quite achieved.”
That’s exciting to hear! The series is set 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones, and it tells the story of House Targaryen. Here’s the synopsis:
Centuries before the events of A Game of Thrones, House Targaryen—the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria—took up residence on Dragonstone. Fire & Blood begins their tale with the legendary Aegon the Conqueror, creator of the Iron Throne, and goes on to recount the generations of Targaryens who fought to hold that iconic seat, all the way up to the civil war that nearly tore their dynasty apart.
What really happened during the Dance of the Dragons? Why was it so deadly to visit Valyria after the Doom? What were Maegor the Cruel’s worst crimes? What was it like in Westeros when dragons ruled the skies? These are but a few of the questions answered in this essential chronicle, as related by a learned maester of the Citadel and featuring more than eighty all-new black-and-white illustrations by artist Doug Wheatley. Readers have glimpsed small parts of this narrative in such volumes as The World of Ice & Fire, but now, for the first time, the full tapestry of Targaryen history is revealed.
House of the Dragon stars Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen, Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower, Emma D'Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Velaryon, Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria, Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole, and more.
The 10-episode series will be released on August 12th, 2022.
Oh, and for those still wondering about The Winds of Winter, Martin said:
"Yes, still working. Finally finished a clutch of Cersei chapters that were giving me fits. Now I am wrestling with Jaime and Brienne. The work proceeds, though not as fast as many of you would like."
So, he’s still nowhere near to being done.