My expectations for this book were a little too grand, and while I enjoyed it, there were a few things that made me absolutely despise it, too.
The organization of the book is great with the beginning discussing the direction HBO wanted to go with the Game of Thrones spin-offs and how George R.R. Martin was closely involved with the early development. The book also confirmed my suspicions that while Martin proposed a solid backstory and earlier starting point for the show, the lead writer and co-showrunner, Ryan Condal, shrugged this idea off and decided to hit the highpoints to catapult the first season to end with the beginning of the Dance of Dragons. By ignoring character development and nuances of dynamics between characters, the show ultimately loses the authenticity that Game of Thrones had because it's all a blur. However, when you consider what they accomplished shooting during the pandemic, it's very impressive, and we were lucky to have the first season.
If you were able to watch HBO's behind the scenes documentary "House That the Dragon Built," then you'll understand how this book comes up short. It seems like the information was split between that show and this book with very little overlapping. My first biggest letdown is the fact that Rhaenyra's coronation AND wedding dress are not featured in this book. They are mentioned, but there's no concept art or photos of the garments - the TWO most important dresses in the first season are ignored. But they are featured on the show.
The next disappointment was for the section entitled, "The Lovers," with Ser Criston Cole and Mysaria, but no Ser Harwin Strong. Like the TV show, Breakbones is pushed aside.
What truly set me off was when the book was discussing Laena Velaryon's funeral they only used the term "Laena's wake." This is utterly incorrect. A wake does not refer to a method of disposition. It's a vigil. Laena had a full body burial at sea to be accurate, but even the fact they never used the term "funeral" for this pivotal scene was pathetic, but they used it for all other funerals that were witnessed in season one.
The final straw were the numerous typos and errors. My copy is even missing a subheading (pg. 142) and instead displays the script indicating the front and position. There are also captions for photographs, which indicate the wrong information. It's completely sloppy and uncalled for.
While some parts of this book thrilled me as a fan, ultimately, it fell short of my expectations. I do encourage others to purchase it, but buyer beware...