It would not be incorrect to say that George R.R. Martin’s criticisms of Game of Thrones gave rise to the ‘dragons’ in House of the Dragon.
When David Benioff & D. B. Weiss’ Game of Thrones first hit our screens, one of the most awe-inspiring elements was undoubtedly the dragons. These mythical creatures may have won the hearts and imaginations of many fans as we watched Daenerys Targaryen raise them from tiny hatchlings to massive, fire-breathing beasts.
However, it appears that Martin, the mastermind behind the A Song of Ice and Fire book series, regrets these things the most.
He had some valid reservations about the dragons’ portrayal in the original show, which he believed improved in the prequel series, House of the Dragon. According to Martin, Game of Thrones’ dragons lacked “personality” and were all too similar to one another.
George R.R. Martin’s Analysis: What House of the Dragon Got Right Over Game of Thrones?
Well, it’s true; while fans were entranced by the dragons’ grandeur in Game of Thrones, George R.R. Martin, 75, yearned for a touch of more individuality within their scaly ranks. Finally, the prequel series addressed and fixed that error.
Martin’s appreciation for House of the Dragon, according to Deadline, focused on one aspect of the first series that he believed could have been handled more skillfully: the dragons. That being said, the New Jersey-born novelist acknowledged that the dragons in Game of Thrones did not particularly impress him because
“They were like all the same.”
In House of the Dragon, viewers are introduced to a whole new array of dragons as companions to the Targaryen family, each with their own unique traits and quirks. Thus, this gave the creators of the Game of Thrones prequel a good opportunity to improve their creature effects this time. Martin further added:
“They had personality. They came alive. It came as great satisfaction to me.”
For Martin, seeing these dragons come to life in such a vibrant and nuanced way was great “satisfaction”. He went on to say that he thought “the weird as* stuff” that happened in season one was “cool”. He did, however, voice some regret about not being able to spend more time on the set in the first season. Martin lamented:
“Sadly I wasn’t there for any of this fun,” “I was in Santa Fe working on [his next] novel.”
Thankfully, the variety of dragons portrayed in the first season of the prequel House of the Dragon—including Syrax, Vermithor, Caraxes, Meleys, and Vermax—quicked any doubts George R.R. Martin had.
The upcoming month will see the release of House of the Dragon’s second season.
House of the Dragon: George R.R. Martin’s Critique On Season 2
Was George R.R. Martin pleased with the second season of House of the Dragon? He discussed his impressions of the first two episodes of the HBO prequel series in his blog post titled A Visit to Old Blighty:
Martin disclosed that, while on his two-and-a-half-week trip to London, showrunner Ryan Condal provided him with an exclusive sneak peek at the upcoming episodes. The former wrote:
“The highlight of the trip had to be the sneak preview that Ryan gave me of the first two episodes of House of the Dragon, season two.”
It is certain that the viewers would cry watching these “powerful, emotional, gut-wrenching” episodes, as Martin further warned his readers:
“Dark, mind you. Very dark. They may make you cry. (I did not cry myself, but one of my friends did). Powerful, emotional, gut-wrenching, heart-rending. Just the sort of thing I like. (What can I say? I was weaned on Shakespeare, and love the tragedies and history plays best of all).”
Moreover, the author detailed how he visited the studio where House of the Dragon was being filmed and spent a total of “three days” with the team:
“I am no stranger to film sets. But nothing I have ever seen can compare with the Red Keep and Dragonstone sets they have built at Leavesden Studios in London.”
In 2022, during a comprehensive interview with The Independent, Martin talked about his initial trips to the Game of Thrones set back in 2010.
“It was magical. It was like: here are my characters, they’ve come to life.”
Anyway, Martin may have had his doubts, but it looks like the dragons of House of the Dragon are here to prove him wrong. The eight-episode second season of House of the Dragon is scheduled to air on June 16, 2024.
Meanwhile, you can stream previous episodes of Game of Thrones & House of the Dragon on Max.
