A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

THE HEDGE KNIGHT
 
The story offered here takes place about a hundred years prior to the events described in A Game of Thrones.
 
The spring rains had softened the ground, so Dunk had no trouble digging the grave. He chose a spot on the western slope of a low hill, for the old man had always loved to watch the sunset. Another day done he would sigh and who knows what the morrow will bring us, eh, Dunk?
 
Well, one morrow had brought rains that soaked them to the bones, and the one after had brought wet, gusty winds, and the next a chill. By the fourth day the old man was too weak to ride. And now he was gone. Only a few days past, he had been singing as they rode, the old song about going to Gulltown to see a fair maid, but instead of Gulltown he d sung of Ashford. Off to Ashford to see the fair maid, heigh-ho, heigh-ho, Dunk thought miserably as he dug.
 
When the hole was deep enough, he lifted the old man s body in his arms and carried him there. He had been a small man, and slim; stripped of hauberk, helm, and sword belt, he seemed to weigh no more than a bag of leaves. Dunk was hugely tall for his age, a shambling, shaggy, big-boned boy of sixteen or seventeen years (no one was quite certain which) who stood closer to seven feet than to six, and had only just begun to fill out his frame. The old man had often praised his strength. He had always been generous in his praise. It was all he had to give.
 
He laid him out in the bottom of the grave and stood over him for a time. The smell of rain was in the air again, and he knew he ought to fill the hole before it broke, but it was hard to throw dirt down on that tired old face. There ought to be a septon here, to say some prayers over him, but he only has me. The old man had taught Dunk all he knew of swords and shields and lances, but had never been much good at teaching him words.
 
I d leave your sword, but it would rust in the ground, he said at last,

George R. R. Martin is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the acclaimed series A Song of Ice and Fire—A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, and A Dance with Dragons—as well as Tuf Voyaging, Fevre Dream, The Armageddon Rag, Dying of the Light, Windhaven (with Lisa Tuttle), and Dreamsongs Volumes I and II. He is also the creator of The Lands of Ice and Fire, a collection of maps from A Song of Ice and Fire featuring original artwork from illustrator and cartographer Jonathan Roberts, and The World of Ice & Fire (with Elio M. García, Jr., and Linda Antonsson). As a writer-producer, Martin has worked on The Twilight Zone, Beauty and the Beast, and various feature films and pilots that were never made. He lives with the lovely Parris in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
 
Gary Gianni graduated from the Chicago Academy of Fine Art in 1976. He has worked on numerous magazines, children’s books, graphic novels, and paperbacks. He has illustrated a variety of subjects including Batman, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and Michael Chabon’s Gentlemen of the Road. He also drew the Prince Valiant comic strip from 2004 to 2012. Gianni is influenced by the masters of the golden age of illustrating, such as Joseph Clement Coll and Franklin Booth.

Readers who already love [George R. R.] Martin and his ability to bring visceral human drama out of any story will be thrilled to find this trilogy brought together and injected with extra life. Booklist
 
The real reason to check out this collection is that it s simply great storytelling. Martin crafts a living, breathing world in a way few authors can. . . . [Gary Gianni s illustrations] really bring the events of the novellas to life in beautiful fashion. Tech Times 

Stirring . . . As Tolkien has his Silmarillion, so [George R. R.] Martin has this trilogy of foundational tales. They succeed on their own, but in addition, they succeed in making fans want more. Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Pure fantasy adventure, with two of the most likable protagonists George R. R. Martin has ever penned. Bustle

A must-read for Martin s legion of fans . . . a rousing prelude to [his] bestselling Song of Ice and Fire saga . . . rich in human drama and the colorful worldbuilding that distinguishes other books in the series. Publishers Weekly