A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms quickly became one of my favorite works set in A Song of Ice and Fire when I first read the series. So, I wanted to share some things to know about these stories!
Background and Context
Martin released novellas between the late '90s and early '00s, so think around the timeframe of the main series first being published. Originally planned to have many novellas, only three have actually been released. The three novellas can often be found bundled in the piece, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
The Dunk and Egg Novellas follow the titular characters, Dunk and Egg, as they have adventures throughout Westeros. Dunk is a hedge knight, so he's essentially a freelance knight who picks up temporary work. Egg is his squire, who has a secret that he and Dunk have to keep under wraps.
While we follow Dunk and Egg on adventures, Dunk is the sole third point of view perspective.
The Novellas
1. The Hedge Knight
This novella is the starting place for Dunk and Egg. We learn about Dunk through his background, how he became a hedge knight, and what his aspirations are. As quickly as Dunk, we're introduced to Egg, a young kid who wants to go to a tournament but has some difficulties in getting there. At this tournament, there are stakes for Dunk that get higher the more drawn into it he becomes.
2. The Sworn Sword
Dunk and Egg set up shop with a lord of some kind, as he begins to deal with a threat to his land from another lord. As Dunk learns over time, there's more than meets the eye to the people they meet. It pushes him to consider what's truly in his and Egg's best interests.
3. The Mystery Knight
The pair are traveling and once again find themselves at a tournament. Dunk bonds with fellow competitors, and hopes for more success in this tournament. However, once again, there's more to this group than originally meets the eye.
The novellas delve into the state of Westeros during a period of political uncertainty and outright conflict with the looming Blackfyre Rebellions. Dunk and Egg take the audience along with them as they directly see the political, social, and personal impact of these conflicts.
Why Read A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms?
Even if you're unfamiliar with the A Song of Ice and Fire series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms functions as a lighthearted, set of adventures. It delves into themes of honor, agency, duty, and conflict through two tangentially placed characters. Speaking of the characters, it follows two who subvert expectations. Martin cleverly creates a pair who challenge one another, and both function to exemplify a quality or aspect of the story. Plus, the cast of characters are dynamic and fascinating to follow.
These three short novellas are also good to check out before the adaptation comes out later this year! I'll likely embark on my third or fourth reread before then.