Westerosi royalty takes a backseat in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, the second spinoff in the Game of Thrones TV universe. Set a century before the events of Game of Thrones, this story is about Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey), a young, naïve but courageous knight, and his diminutive squire, Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell).
Game of Thrones book fans may already know where the tales of Dunk and Egg come from, but for those who don’t, we’re breaking down the basics of the Knight of the Seven Kingdoms source material.
What is A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms about?
Dunk and Egg are two unlikely heroes in Westeros. Set in an age when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne, and the memory of the last dragon has not yet passed from living memory, great destinies, powerful foes, and dangerous exploits all await these improbable and incomparable friends.
Premiering on Sunday, January 18, 2026, on HBO, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms features familiar names from famous families in this universe. The cast includes Daniel Ings as Ser Lyonel Baratheon, Bertie Carvel as Baelor Targaryen, Danny Webb as Ser Arlan of Pennytree, Sam Spruell as Maekar Targaryen, Shaun Thomas as Raymun Fossoway, Finn Bennett as Aerion Targaryen, Edward Ashley as Ser Steffon Fossoway, Tanzyn Crawford as Tanselle, Henry Ashton as Daeron Targaryen, Youssef Kerkour as Steely Pate, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor as Plummer, and Daniel Monks as Ser Manfred Dondarrion.
What is A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms based on?
Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg, Peter Claffery as Dunk in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms trailer (HBO)
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a trio of novellas written by George R.R. Martin. The three stories are The Hedge Knight (1998), The Sworn Sword (2003), and The Mystery Knight (2010), and the collection’s official title was Tales of Dunk and Egg.
The Hedge Knight was first published in Legends: Short Novels by the Masters of Modern Fantasy in 1998, which consists of 11 novellas by a collection of English-language fantasy authors, including Stephen King‘s The Little Sisters of Eluria (tied to The Dark Tower), Robert Jordan’s New Spring (tied to The Wheel of Time), and more.
The three Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas were published as one collection for the first time on October 6, 2015. That collection was named A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
What book does A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 1 adapt?
Season 1 adapts the first novella, The Hedge Knight.
As of the time of publication, the spinoff has not been renewed for a second season. But Martin has teased that The Sworn Sword and The Mystery Knight adaptations may follow if Season 1 does well. The author has also indicated an interest in making more Dunk and Egg stories after he finishes writing The Winds of Winter (should that day ever come to pass…).
Do you need to read Tales of Dunk and Egg to understand A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms?
No. The Game of Thrones show creators aim for viewers to be able to enjoy and understand the stories, whether they’ve read the source material or not.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Series Premiere, Sunday, January 18, 10/9c, HBO and HBO Max