George R.R. Martin, renowned author of the A Song of Ice and Fire series that inspired Game of Thrones, has expressed dissatisfaction with the House of the Dragon series on HBO.
In a blog post initially focusing on a Santa Fe festival, Martin inserted a note of foreboding about the Game of Thrones prequel. “I do not look forward to other posts I need to write, about everything that’s gone wrong with House of the Dragon… But I need to do that too, and I will,” he wrote.
Martin, who co-created House of the Dragon, recently returned from a month-long trip abroad, during which he was unable to address several issues. In his blog, he mentioned that the show concluded its second season earlier in August and hinted at a series of upcoming posts that will not only cover his grievances with the series but also his “wretched year” filled with “stress, anger, conflict, and defeat.”
Despite historically praising HBO adaptations of his work, including the recent House of the Dragon episodes, Martin’s critical tone in his latest update is striking. He has previously pointed out errors in the show, such as an incorrect depiction of the Targaryen sigil. “They went with the bad sigil rather than the good one. That sound you heard was me screaming, ‘No, no, no.’ Those damned extra legs have even wormed their way onto the covers of my books, over my strenuous objections.”
House of the Dragon season two faced criticism for its pacing and structure, notably feeling truncated with just eight episodes instead of the ten originally planned, a decision reportedly made by HBO as a cost-saving measure.
Despite these challenges, the series maintained strong ratings, although slightly lower than its first season, contrasting with the Game of Thrones trajectory of growing viewership. Ryan Condal, co-creator of the show, acknowledged the fan dissatisfaction with the season’s pacing and promised a more dynamic season three, teasing it as the lead-up to a monumental event in the show’s narrative.
Martin’s upcoming critiques remain unspecified, but they are poised to offer a unique insider perspective from the creator, who serves as an executive producer on the show. His comments will likely attract significant attention from both fans and critics as they await the next developments in the House of the Dragon saga.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, games, and comics — you name it. When she’s not reading or geeking out about the latest shows on Netflix, she’s probably playing gacha and tabletop games, or daydreaming of meeting her idols.
