Game of Thrones fans everywhere are eagerly awaiting the release of House of the Dragon, the new prequel series set to bring viewers back into the epic fantasy world introduced in 's. Premiering on HBO and HBO Max on August 21, the new show is based on Martin's , a sweeping novel set 300 years before the first book in the saga, . So, even if you somehow missed out on the whole Game of Thrones craze, you can still jump into Fire & Blood and enjoy this fantasy series without any prior knowledge of the books or television series.
But what is Fire & Blood about? And what should we expect to see from the upcoming show? Here's everything you need to know before watching House of the Dragon.
Fire & Blood is a fantasy novel written by George R.R. Martin that was released in hardcover on November 20, 2018. This prequel was originally planned for publication after the completion of Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. However, Martin went forward with the prequel novel first; he anticipates writing a second volume in the future. HBO's television series will be an adaptation of the second half of the first volume of the Fire & Blood novel.
Fire & Blood is broken into six texts. The first text, "The Targaryen Conquest" follows Aegon I Targaryen's conquest of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. If you are unfamiliar with the world of Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, Westeros is the continent where the majority of the series (and television adaptation) is set, while some sections also take place on the continent of Essos. The major battle for the throne is fought between the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. So, in "The Targaryen Conquest," listeners get an idea of how the Targaryen family gained control over Westeros centuries before the events of A Game of Thrones.
The second text in Fire & Blood, "The Peace of the Dragon" follows Aegon I's reign after his Conquest. The third text, "The Sons of the Dragon'' is, as the title suggests, the story of Aegon's I's sons, King Aenys I Targaryen and King Maegor I Targaryen. This section of the book ends with the death of Maegor I Targaryen and the ascension to the throne of Aenys's son Jaehaerys I, also known as the Conciliator. The fourth, "Heirs of the Dragon'' focuses on the reign of Jaehaerys I Targaryen and his search for a successor following the deaths of his sons.
A major section of the book is the fifth text, "The Dying of the Dragons," which details the Targaryen civil war between Rhaenyra Targaryen and her younger half-brother Aegon II as they battle it out for the throne. Finally, "Aftermath—The Boy King and His Regents" follows the first years of the reign of Rhaenyra's young son, Aegon III.
