The author of Game of Thrones, George R.R. Martin has not found a fit for changes made in the fantasy drama House of the Dragon. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Martin has written on his blog about his qualms regarding how the adaptation has strayed from his novel Fire & Blood. He thinks changes in seasons two, three, and four could result in major problems.
Even though Martin quickly removed his blog post, HBO has reacted to the criticism. Martin pointed out that in the series, Aegon and Helaena have two small children Jaehaerys and Jaehaera-who are 6. The book features a third child as well, 2-year-old Maelor, and Martin feels his removal has caused a “butterfly effect” and changed things from how they would have been otherwise.
The most memorable change of season two is the playing of the “Blood and Cheese” scene where two are hired to kill Jaehaerys in front of his mother. In the opinion of Martin, this scene in the series was far from the version in the book. He said, “I still think the scene in the book is stronger. The two killers in the book are crueler. The actors in the show did an excellent job, but the characters in Fire & Blood are more frightening.”
Martin also criticized the show’s choice of presentation regarding Helaena, who offers a piece of jewelry instead of her own life to save her son. He referred to this change as weakening the sequence: “The ‘Sophie’s Choice’ aspect was the strongest part of the sequence, the darkest, the most visceral. I hated to lose that. Judging from the comments online, most fans seemed to agree.”
For all that, Martin admits he did not argue long or fervently. He knew that one reason for the axe to fall on Maelor was practical. “Kids that young inevitably slow down production, and there would be budget implications,” Martin said. Ryan Condal, the show’s co-creator and showrunner, made the compromise to Martin that Maelor would be delayed rather than axed. He therefore withdrew his objections.
But then Martin found out later that the plan had changed a good deal. The birth of the prince did not get postponed to season three; he was going to be omitted entirely. Martin expressed disappointment with that, saying, “Maybe. but I don’t see how. The butterflies would seem to prohibit it. Simpler is not better. Maelor by himself means little, but when and how he dies matters.”
He went on to tell The Hollywood Reporter how those kinds of changes impact the plot. “None of that is essential, but it all serves a purpose. It’s there to knit the storylines together and to make the narrative make sense and be believable. That’s a big loss.”
Martin went on to warn that other changes in the works for seasons three and four could have even broader implications. First, HBO wrote to the post as follows: “There are few bigger fans of George R.R. Martin and his book Fire & Blood than the creative team on House of the Dragon. So, in adapting a book for the screen, one has to make tough choices about characters and stories. We feel that Ryan Condal and his team have done an extraordinary job and that audiences of millions will continue to love the show.”
ANI
