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Dunk and Egg

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The Hedge Knight (The Tales of Dunk and Egg, #1)The Hedge Knight by George R.R. Martin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A delicious short tale set in a brief hiatus of peace, a time when a knight like Ser Duncan (Dunk) could walk, ride, joust, and sell his sword to a worthy (or not) lord. This tale describes how he and his squire Egg attend a tournament, make some enemies and even a friend or two, and court danger and excitement. It's filled with the sounds, flavors, and smells of Westeros for good and bad. Martin's humor and narrative gaze are at their full strength. Great story too.


The Sworn Sword (The Tales of Dunk and Egg, #2)The Sworn Sword by George R.R. Martin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3 stars just for the world building. There isn't much plot here. Dunk is hired by a Useless lord who fights with a widower facing an unwanted marriage over water during a drought. There is unnecessary fighting and treachery. Dunk is gallant as ever. Egg is a boy with lore and a signet ring in a boot.

The Mystery Knight (The Tales of Dunk and Egg, #3)The Mystery Knight by George R.R. Martin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was pleasantly surprised about the depth of this story and the plot's many twists. D&E #3 succeeds in its own right but also pays off on some of the earlier plots of D&E #1 & #2. I had doubted that GRRM could make a series of this, but it's clear that you could mine quite a good tale, if not from D&E, then from the events around the Black & Red Dragon tale that precedes D&E.

The world building as you might expect is excellent. The dialogue is so delicious. The humor, though, is the best, especially the wedding scenes. A must read for any Westerosi connoisseur.


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