To call George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire the best fantasy series ever written is tempting. I won't do it, partly because I don't want to get into any arguments with the Tolkien fans, and partly because the series is still incomplete (some worried readers, citing disappointment with his latest entry, A Feast For Crows, are afraid that he might end up botching the last few books, which I admit is a possibility). That Martin's masterwork belongs on the shelf of every reader of serious fantasy should be an uncontroversial statement, however: I've been reading fantasy for as long as I've been able to read, and I've never read a fantasy series as engrossing, as heartbreaking, or as brilliantly detailed as A Song of Ice and Fire. If you haven't read the first four books yet, I highly recommend checking them out.





And, while you're at it, pick up this graphic novel adaptation of Martin's novella prequel to the series, The Hedge Knight. Faithfully adapted and beautifully drawn and colored, this four-issue series (collected as a trade) offers fans of Martin's novels the opportunity to experience his world visually: a definite treat, especially for those readers of his who have an interest in the complex heraldry of the Seven Kingdoms.

The story takes place about a hundred years before the first novel. The titular "hedge knight" is Dunk (short for Duncan), a tall, strong young man who was previously the squire of Ser Arlan of Pennytree. Ser Arlan dies shortly before the story begins, leading Dunk to take his horses, sword, and shield, and set himself up as a knight in his own right: a hedge knight. (A "hedge knight", in the parlance of the Seven Kingdoms, is a sort of wandering knight who owes no particular allegiance to any one lord -- rather, they fight for the lords they choose, and are looked down on by most other knights). Dunk decides to enter a tournament being held at Ashford Meadow in order to win some money and acclaim; in an inn on the way, he meets Egg, a young boy with a bald head, and reluctantly takes him on as a squire.

At the tournament, Dunk buys some armor for himself, has a new sigil painted on Ser Arlan's shield, and meets a variety of knights and noble lords (fans of the series proper will enjoy these encounters, as most of the noble lords and famous knights that Dunk meets here are either clearly referred to in the novels or are recognizable as the ancestors of the series' characters). Things go awry, however, when he gets on the wrong side of a cruel prince of the ruling Targaryen dynasty, and is forced into a special sort of trial-by-battle. At the same time, he learns that Egg, his new squire, is much more than a mere stableboy.





Like the novella from which it is (respectfully) adapted, the comic series is moody and evocative; despite being much more upbeat than the novels, it's difficult to miss the undercurrent of sadness and melancholy running through the story (no doubt a part of that comes from the reader's awareness that The Hedge Knight takes place during the halcyon days of the Seven Kingdoms, before the civil war and the falling apart of the Targaryen dynasty led to all the strife depicted in the Song of Ice and Fire). The writing is exemplary, borrowing heavily as it does from the original story, and doesn't skimp: the brutality of Martin's medievalish world is not sugarcoated (as a minor example, Dunk -- the story's hero -- is fond of telling Egg that he'll get a "clout on the head" if he doesn't do this or that task, and seems perfectly serious about it).

As to the artwork, well, it's all pretty damn good. The colors are vivid, the character designs excellent, and the action very smooth, streamlined, and easy to follow. Mike S. Miller, Mike Crowell, and the various other artists behind this series have done an exceptional job.

So: go find this book and buy it. Even if you don't know anything about A Song of Ice and Fire, you'll probably find it enjoyable; casual readers shouldn't have any trouble figuring out what's going on. And serious fans of the series would do well to read either this graphic novel version or the original story to get the lowdown on Dunk and Egg: Martin has sprinkled a number of references to the duo throughout the series (A Feast For Crows is quite replete with them), and catching them is pretty fun; they make the story that much richer.

---

back to trenchman.com