There is no question that fans of the book series 'A Song of Ice and Fire' have been waiting for the sixth novel to be published before the premiere of 'Game of Thrones' Season Six. Although it may take a little longer before George R.R. Martin completes 'The Winds of Winter,' the author did have good news for readers who want to learn more about Westeros.
George R.R. Martin has just announced the publication of his new book 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,' which is a compilation of his novellas about Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire Egg.
"This will be the first collection of the three 'Dunk & Egg' novellas that I have published to date: 'The Hedge Knight' (originally published in Robert Silverberg's anthology LEGENDS), 'The Sworn Sword' (from LEGENDS II), and 'The Mystery Knight' (from the anthology WARRIORS, edited by Gardner Dozois and yours truly)," Martin wrote in his LiveJournal. "All together in one place for the first time, so you no longer need to track down three separate (and in some cases, out of print) books."
But who are Dunk and Egg? And how do their stories connect with the storyline of 'A Song of Ice and Fire' and 'Game of Thrones?'
Ser Duncan the Tall started out as a street urchin in Flea Bottom who was taken by Ser Arlan of Pennytree to be his squire. Under the knight's supervision, Dunk became a hedge knight himself who decided to compete in the Ashford Tourney after Ser Arlan passed away. On his journey, he encounters a bald boy named Egg who begs to be Dunk's squire and an unlikely friendship developed between them.
Egg was already mentioned in the fifth season of 'Game of Thrones,' when Maester Aemon Targaryen met Gilly's baby. Egg, whose real name is Aegon, was actually the younger brother of Maester Aemon, who had refused the throne that was then passed on to the young Targaryen. Egg became King of the Seven Kingdoms, with Ser Duncan the Tall as the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.
The hardcover version of 'A Knight of The Seven Kingdoms' will be published through Bantam Spectra.