A Game of Thrones: The Hedge Knight - A Tale of Honor and Adventure

Paul Souchon: A short story set in the Seven Kingdoms roughly 100 years before the beginning of A Game of Thrones. An enjoyable read with some truly likeable characters.

United Kingdom on Nov 23, 2023

Tawnya Mulvaney: Excellent read!!!

United States on Oct 02, 2023

Peter Ogston: An exciting adventure

United Kingdom on Sep 16, 2023

Bala: The art panel was great and the colors vibrant but reading it on a kindle needs a good multicolor screen. It was satisfying on the samsung fold 4

United States on Sep 04, 2023

Bill Pfender: I'm a 78 y/o raised on "Classics Illustrated". Never thought I'd be reading graphic novels. They're just as good a TV but a lot quieter.

United States on Jun 24, 2023

Arjun U.: This is an easy gateway into the world of Westeros. The simpler storyline is helpful but the story is still rich in detail and surprises.

Canada on Mar 16, 2023

Lauren Brown: Bought this for my boyfriend for XMAS. He loves historical/fantasy but his first language isn't English, so it really helped to have the graphic novel format. I've "read" these before via audiobook and love A Song of Ice and Fire as well as the Tales of Dunk & Egg.

Canada on Feb 03, 2023

citan-uzuki: The setting for this story is the same as that for George R. R. Martin's acclaimed "A Song of Ice and Fire" epic fantasy series. The time period is about 90-100 years before the events of the first book in the series, "A Game of Thrones". The main character is a very tall young man named Duncan, who was the squire of a hedge knight, Ser Arlen Pennytree.

A hedge knight is a freelance fighting man. He makes his living by hiring out his services to lords of the land and also by fighting for the prize money at tournaments. A hedge knight is not beholden to any Lord, and can choose to accept only those jobs that they feel is morally right. However, a hedge knight is landless and must "scrape out" a meager living. Ser Arlen dies from a fever chill on the way to a tournament. Duncan buries his old master beside the road, says a prayer, and decides to compete in the tournament in the place of the deceased hedge knight. He packs the horses and takes the road to Ashford. On the way, he crosses paths with a bald-headed young man called "Egg" and agrees to take the youngster as his own squire.

After much trouble, Duncan, who styles himself "Ser Duncan the Tall", finally gets his...

United States on Jan 22, 2009

Big Ben: This excellent tale from the redoubtable George RR Martin is beautifully illustrated by Ben Avery. A mighty collaboration.

So why only 4 stars? Surely it rates 5? Well, maybe it does.

It might just be me, but I experienced some hesitation in following the text bubble sequence. Something did not flow easily for me - not as it would normally when reading this sort of book. And I do read a lot of books. Hopefully this will not reduce your enjoyment, but it did mine, a bit. Hence 4 stars.
Be interested if others find the text bubble arrangement problematic. Comments invited.

If you enjoy the works of Ben Avery or GRRM, this will probably suit you really well, since both do an excellent job here. I am waiting eagerly for the paperback edition of the next in the series:
Sworn Sword (The Hedge Knight): 2

Of course, you could always go for the hardback version:
Sworn Sword (The Hedge Knight): 2

"Hedge Knight" is recommended for its beautifully detailed depiction of a story of knightly valour and human values.

United Kingdom on Sep 24, 2008

David Sims: If I could, I'd give a copy of this comic book fantasy to every police officer, sheriff's deputy, and constable in the world. The story told is that of a Medieval morality play, in which what is right and what is "officially proper" are at odds with each other, as they often have been (and still are) in the real world. The "hedge knight" Duncan the Tall is a symbol for every good man who defies or fights an evil System for a noble cause. The story offers a reminder that while laws are written by men, morals are not, and that the world is sick when one forbids what the other requires.

Seeking fame as a knight, Dunk and his recently acquired young squire go to a tournament. During the games, one of the king's grandsons, Aerion, takes offense at a puppet show being shown by a young woman puppeteer, so he "arrests" her and begins to beat her, breaking her fingers, while his guards hold off the crowd. Duncan hears of the trouble, charges through the crowd, tosses the guards every which way, and falls on the princeling in a fury of fists and feet.

Knights must protect the weak and defend the innocent, even if the oppressor is someone with rank.

The princeling's...

United States on Dec 21, 2004