House of the Dragon just wrapped up its second season, and the man responsible for the A Song of Ice and Fire series the show is based on isn’t pleased. George R. R. Martin pointed out some inconsistencies between House of the Dragon and Fire and Blood, the 2018 book the show is based on, in a now deleted blog post.
Like Game of Thrones, HotD show runner Ryan Condal took some creative deviations from the story of the civil war between warring factions of House Targaryen laid out in Fire and Blood. According to Martin, he wonders why the show has seemingly omitted the toddler offspring of King Aegon and Queen Helaena Targaryen, Maelor. It was just one of the pieces of a larger blog that compiled R. R. Martin’s gripes with the series.
Wednesday, HBO issued a statement defending the creative decisions undertaken by Ryan Condal.
“Commonly, when adapting a book for the screen, with its own format and limitations, the showrunner ultimately is required to make difficult choices about the characters and stories the audience will follow…We believe that Ryan Condal and his team have done an extraordinary job and the millions of fans the series has amassed over the first two seasons will continue to enjoy it.”
This whole spat, as trivial as it may seem, reminds me of the old adage that’s trotted out by small business tyrants across the country: “If you’re leaning, you could be cleaning.” If I could spare the sovereigns, I’d hang this motto above George R. R. Martin’s desk, with a picture of Stannis Baratheon looking dour as usual, with his arms folded.
An author griping about meager shifts in canon seems so silly, considering the original story of A Song of Ice and Fire remains to be finished. The release of Winds of Winter is nowhere in sight. Development hell used to be the strict domain of movies and video games.
R. R. Martin has introduced the concept to books. He’s also recently revealed he’s in a bit of a writing slump, and hasn’t written a word for the perpetually forthcoming book since July. Many fans (including myself) are resigned to the fact that the book is likely never coming out. Still, R. R. Martin’s recent outburst on his blog, tame as it was, sparks the most reactionary kind of annoyance.
If you can be leaning (complaining about a show), you could be cleaning (finishing up Winds of Winter).