A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Canon Changes Fix 2 Mistakes So Many Fantasy Book Adaptations Make

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The series A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms generally stays true to George R.R. Martin’s original story, The Hedge Knight, though it does make some changes. Luckily, these changes steer clear of common pitfalls that often ruin fantasy adaptations. Adapting popular fantasy books for television is always difficult, and the Dunk and Egg novellas are especially tricky. Because the novellas are shorter than typical novels, the HBO show needs to add content to fill the time, even within its brief six-episode first season.

The series enhances the story by developing certain characters and relationships further. We see more of Lyonel Baratheon, played brilliantly by Daniel Ings, and Dunk’s mentor, Ser Arlan of Pennytree, gets more focus. Episode 5 also adds a flashback to Dunk’s childhood, exploring a relationship only hinted at in the books, alongside the Trial of Seven. While adapting a story always involves changes, these adjustments haven’t faced the same criticism as those in shows like The Wheel of Time or The Rings of Power. This is likely because A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms avoids the biggest pitfalls those shows fell into.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Changes Don’t Alter the Heart of Its Source Material

While A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms does deviate from the original stories, it stays true to the core of The Hedge Knight and the Dunk and Egg novellas. The series demonstrates a strong understanding of what needs to be added or removed in a good screen adaptation. All the key plot points are included, and the Game of Thrones spinoff successfully captures the feel, relationships, and ideas from Martin’s writing. Any new material enhances these elements instead of contradicting them.

Many fantasy adaptations stumble by making changes to the original stories that don’t really fit. We’ve seen this with shows like House of the Dragon, where alterations to Fire & Blood significantly change the personalities of key characters and the entire basis of the story. This isn’t unique to House of the Dragon – similar issues appear in other big fantasy series such as Game of Thrones, The Witcher, The Wheel of Time, and The Rings of Power. These shows don’t just differ from the books they’re based on; they seem to misinterpret the original material.

Unlike some adaptations, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms stays true to the core story, focusing on the relationship between Dunk and Egg and the ideas of honor and chivalry. The flashbacks featuring Ser Arlan help explain Dunk’s personality and nicely echo the bond he shares with Egg. All the other changes feel natural and consistent with the original material, fitting seamlessly into the world of The Hedge Knight as if they could have happened within the pages of the book.

The Game of Thrones Spinoff Doesn’t Make the Mistake of Ignoring Its Author

As a huge fan, one thing I really appreciate about A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is how they’ve handled the source material. So many adaptations just…forget the author exists, but this one actually includes George R.R. Martin in the creative process. It makes a huge difference! Martin and the showrunner, Ira Parker, have talked a lot about how they work together, and Parker even said in a Reddit Q&A (according to Collider) that he wants Martin to be heavily involved in anything beyond Season 3, which will cover the stories beyond the current novellas. It just feels like they’re respecting the original work, and that makes everything flow so much better.

As a fan, it’s obvious Parker really values Martin’s thoughts, but adapting books to the screen often means straying from the author’s original vision – Martin himself has spoken about issues with House of the Dragon. Usually, authors are only involved in a limited way. However, things seem to be shifting! We’re seeing Rick Riordan have a real voice in Disney’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and Brandon Sanderson getting creative control over his Apple adaptations. Both A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and the new Percy Jackson show this can work brilliantly. They definitely make changes to the books, but they do so in a way that feels true to the original story and has the author’s backing.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Is One of the Best New Fantasy Shows by Avoiding These Mistakes

With its smart approach to adapting source material, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has the potential to be one of the best fantasy adaptations of recent years, and could even influence how similar shows are made in the future. It’s still early to say for sure, but it looks like Hollywood is realizing that fans prefer adaptations that stay true to the original story and author’s intent, even with some necessary changes. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is demonstrating this, and hopefully, this trend will continue.

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2026-02-20 03:12