A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R.R. Martin
Two unexpected heroes roamed Westeros a century before “A Game of Thrones.” Ser Duncan the Tall, a youthful, inexperienced, but valiant hedge knight, towers over his competitors in both height and experience. He is accompanied by his little squire, a lad named Egg, who must conceal his true identity from everyone he and Dunk meet because, in reality, he is Aegon Targaryen and will one day rule the realm. Despite being unlikely heroes, Dunk and Egg have huge futures ahead of them, along with formidable adversaries, royal intrigue, and fantastic exploits.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms by George R.R. Martin
1 used from $24.97
Amazon.com
Dunk is a very endearing person. His self-pity only makes him seem like an improbable hero. Although Ser Arlan never performed the act before his death, he is in fact a knight, and that is all that matters. Being the less jaded and cynical Hound, he acts morally because his beliefs have not yet been crushed by reality. Even while he frequently reacts without thinking before acting, this is only because he is so focused on acting morally, albeit not always in a way that will promote self-preservation.
In this first chapter, Martin provides another exquisitely crafted tale. Despite how terrible and miserable Song’s world may be, he has a way of luring you into it. Though one is a commoner and the other a prince, we see Westeros through the eyes of two very youthful and in many ways innocent people. Each of them has information to share with the other that neither could learn on their own. Dunk has more years and survival experience than Egg has, and Egg is familiar with the nuances of noble courts—information Dunk never imagined he would require.
Egg is a feisty and endearing character, and his tongue shows that he is more than just a squire. Although Dunk is the “orphan turned hero” and he is the typical “hidden prince,” neither of these clichés comes off as being overused. The ramifications of the abuse Egg endured at the hands of Aerion are so horrible that I wonder whether more is not being stated (there is a film about Aeron Greyjoy, who shares an unusual name with Egg, having a similar experience with his brother Euron). I can therefore relate to Egg’s wish to avoid going back to Summerhall…
