HBO's adaptation of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is making its debut in January 2026, but the series — and the book it's based on — might not exist without a fantasy anthology from 1999. Well, that and a class-conscious review of A Game of Thrones that inspired Martin to take a new approach to his world.
George R.R. Martin is promoting the upcoming series as a guest at 2025's New York Comic-Con, where Screen Rant is in attendance. And during Martin's "Spotlight on George R.R. Martin" panel, he spoke about the reason he wrote "The Hedge Knight" (the opening story in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms) in the first place.
Although Martin's A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms collection wasn't published until 2015, it's comprised of three novellas that he wrote earlier. "The Hedge Knight" was originally published in 1998, and Martin touched on the story behind it at NYCC.
George R.R. Martin Originally Wrote "The Hedge Knight" For Robert Silverberg's Legends Anthology
In conversation with author Joe Hill at the "Spotlight on George R.R. Martin" panel, Martin discussed his original plan for the A Song of Ice and Fire series, as well as what led him to write his Dunk and Egg novellas. He recalled that sci-fi author and editor Robert Silverberg contacted him early in his ASOIAF journey, asking him to be part of a fantasy anthology (Legends: Vol 1) featuring bestselling authors in the genre.
The anthology sought to have those authors write stories set in the worlds they were known for, which, for Martin, meant Westeros. However, he was only two books into A Song of Ice and Fire at the time (and with The Winds of Winter delayed, the series still isn't finished). That left Martin wondering what to write about, as he couldn't jump ahead of his incomplete story.
“I was like, 'What the hell am I going to write about?'" the author recalled. "It has to be a Westeros book, but it can’t be a sequel because I haven’t finished the main story yet."
This led him to the realization that it needed to be a prequel. And given how much thought Martin had given to Targaryen history and the world-building of Westeros, he had options. From there, a critical review of A Game of Thrones helped him decide which direction to go in.
Martin remembered that, despite receiving many positive reviews about his first Song of Ice and Fire book, he had also gotten one bit of feedback that stuck with him. The criticism pointed out that A Song of Ice and Fire was yet another story about the machinations of royals and nobles. According to Martin, the review lamented that "nobody ever writes about the small folk."
The author took that to heart, and the vision of Ser Duncan the Tall began to form. A Knight of the Seven Kingdom's smaller scale and shift to focus on the average person living in Westeros might not have happened without this thoughtful take on Martin's work. And of course, readers have Legends: Vol 1 to thank for "The Hedge Knight" and the stories that came after it.
A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms Might Not Exist Without The 26-Year-Old Fantasy Book
"The Hedge Knight," and thus, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms probably wouldn't exist without Silverberg's 1999 fantasy anthology, as it's what pushed Martin to think up a prequel in the first place. And even if Martin would eventually have had the thought to write an ASOIAF spinoff from this perspective, the deadline for Legends: Vol 1 pushed him to complete the story we all know and love.
Martin noted that he's "always had trouble with deadlines," and "The Hedge Knight" was no exception. The author was behind on the story and had to push himself to get it in before it was contractually too late. He comically noted that Silverberg initially asked 10 bestselling fantasy authors to partake in the anthology. However, there are 11 stories in it, presumably because they were worried Martin wouldn't get his in.
However, he submitted "The Hedge Knight" on "the last day of the year," just barely making the cutoff. It's hilarious to look back on how his part in Silverberg's anthology came together — and Martin's recollection will have A Knight of the Seven Kingdom fans feeling relieved it all worked out as well.
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