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The Tales of Dunk and Egg #2
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The Sworn Sword is a novella by George R. R. Martin that first appeared in the Legends II anthology series. This is the second in the series of Dunk and Egg stories.
124 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
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About the author
George R.R. Martin
1,506 books119k followersGeorge Raymond Richard "R.R." Martin was born September 20, 1948, in Bayonne, New Jersey. His father was Raymond Collins Martin, a longshoreman, and his mother was Margaret Brady Martin. He has two sisters, Darleen Martin Lapinski and Janet Martin Patten.
Martin attended Mary Jane Donohoe School and Marist High School. He began writing very young, selling monster stories to other neighborhood children for pennies, dramatic readings included. Later he became a comic book fan and collector in high school, and began to write fiction for comic fanzines (amateur fan magazines). Martin's first professional sale was made in 1970 at age 21: The Hero, sold to Galaxy, published in February, 1971 issue. Other sales followed.
In 1970 Martin received a B.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, graduating summa cum laude. He went on to complete a M.S. in Journalism in 1971, also from Northwestern.
As a conscientious objector, Martin did alternative service 1972-1974 with VISTA, attached to Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation. He also directed chess tournaments for the Continental Chess Association from 1973-1976, and was a Journalism instructor at Clarke College, Dubuque, Iowa, from 1976-1978. He wrote part-time throughout the 1970s while working as a VISTA Volunteer, chess director, and teacher.
In 1975 he married Gale Burnick. They divorced in 1979, with no children. Martin became a full-time writer in 1979. He was writer-in-residence at Clarke College from 1978-79.
Moving on to Hollywood, Martin signed on as a story editor for Twilight Zone at CBS Television in 1986. In 1987 Martin became an Executive Story Consultant for Beauty and the Beast at CBS. In 1988 he became a Producer for Beauty and the Beast, then in 1989 moved up to Co-Supervising Producer. He was Executive Producer for Doorways, a pilot which he wrote for Columbia Pictures Television, which was filmed during 1992-93.
Martin's present home is Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is a member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (he was South-Central Regional Director 1977-1979, and Vice President 1996-1998), and of Writers' Guild of America, West.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/george...
Martin attended Mary Jane Donohoe School and Marist High School. He began writing very young, selling monster stories to other neighborhood children for pennies, dramatic readings included. Later he became a comic book fan and collector in high school, and began to write fiction for comic fanzines (amateur fan magazines). Martin's first professional sale was made in 1970 at age 21: The Hero, sold to Galaxy, published in February, 1971 issue. Other sales followed.
In 1970 Martin received a B.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, graduating summa cum laude. He went on to complete a M.S. in Journalism in 1971, also from Northwestern.
As a conscientious objector, Martin did alternative service 1972-1974 with VISTA, attached to Cook County Legal Assistance Foundation. He also directed chess tournaments for the Continental Chess Association from 1973-1976, and was a Journalism instructor at Clarke College, Dubuque, Iowa, from 1976-1978. He wrote part-time throughout the 1970s while working as a VISTA Volunteer, chess director, and teacher.
In 1975 he married Gale Burnick. They divorced in 1979, with no children. Martin became a full-time writer in 1979. He was writer-in-residence at Clarke College from 1978-79.
Moving on to Hollywood, Martin signed on as a story editor for Twilight Zone at CBS Television in 1986. In 1987 Martin became an Executive Story Consultant for Beauty and the Beast at CBS. In 1988 he became a Producer for Beauty and the Beast, then in 1989 moved up to Co-Supervising Producer. He was Executive Producer for Doorways, a pilot which he wrote for Columbia Pictures Television, which was filmed during 1992-93.
Martin's present home is Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is a member of Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America (he was South-Central Regional Director 1977-1979, and Vice President 1996-1998), and of Writers' Guild of America, West.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/george...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 663 reviews
May 12, 2020
Could have named it "Egg Being Adorable Pt. 2"
July 26, 2025
I think I'd like to go to the wall too, I hear it's tall 😁
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 16, 2011
The Sworn Sword is the second of the Tales of Dunk and Egg, a series of novellas set in Westeros approximately 100 years before the events of the main Song of Ice and Fire series. I found the story in the anthology Legends II, edited by Robert Silverberg.
This time, the story is set in the Reach, during a bad drought. Dunk and Egg, a free-roaming hedge knight and his squire, have taken up service with a landed knight. Unfortunately, Ser Eustace is possibly the most pitiful knight in the whole kingdom. He is from an ancient and noble house, whose sigil is the chequey lion (for some reason, I really like saying "chequey"), but they have lost almost all of their lands and glory by this time. Ser Eustace has lost all of his children and lives with only a few companions (some of dubious worth) in an old watchtower.
At the beginning of this story, Dunk discovers that Ser Eustace's slightly richer neighbor, a woman who is rumored to have killed several husbands, is stealing the water from Eustace's stream. This precipitates a series of events, full of both humor and pathos, in which Ser Eustace tries to fight back against this neighboring lady. Secrets and twists are revealed, but between the strong, honorable Dunk and the clever boy Egg, the situation finds a conclusion.
Again, by reading this you can get more of the history/backstory of Westeros. The Blackfyre Rebellion is discussed in some detail, along with other events that happened prior to the Song of Ice and Fire series. And while there are hardships and killings and so forth, the world just isn't the nightmarish place it is during the War of the Five Kings. I definitely enjoyed reading this adventure (and saying "chequey lion").
This time, the story is set in the Reach, during a bad drought. Dunk and Egg, a free-roaming hedge knight and his squire, have taken up service with a landed knight. Unfortunately, Ser Eustace is possibly the most pitiful knight in the whole kingdom. He is from an ancient and noble house, whose sigil is the chequey lion (for some reason, I really like saying "chequey"), but they have lost almost all of their lands and glory by this time. Ser Eustace has lost all of his children and lives with only a few companions (some of dubious worth) in an old watchtower.
At the beginning of this story, Dunk discovers that Ser Eustace's slightly richer neighbor, a woman who is rumored to have killed several husbands, is stealing the water from Eustace's stream. This precipitates a series of events, full of both humor and pathos, in which Ser Eustace tries to fight back against this neighboring lady. Secrets and twists are revealed, but between the strong, honorable Dunk and the clever boy Egg, the situation finds a conclusion.
Again, by reading this you can get more of the history/backstory of Westeros. The Blackfyre Rebellion is discussed in some detail, along with other events that happened prior to the Song of Ice and Fire series. And while there are hardships and killings and so forth, the world just isn't the nightmarish place it is during the War of the Five Kings. I definitely enjoyed reading this adventure (and saying "chequey lion").
February 13, 2022
أن تكون فارسا في ويستروس -أرض الخيانات والغدر- فهذا سهل، ولكن أن تعيش كفارس حقيقي فهذا صعب جدا..لأن في ويستروس كل شيء ممكن، وكل شيء مباح، والدم لونه معروف عند الجميع والشرف قليل ونادر.
كان السير دانكن الطويل طويلا بطبيعة الحال، عريض الصدر قوي الساعد، ولكن عقله سميك كجدار قلعة وقلبه نقي.. وطبعا اقتران سمك العقل بنقاء القلب لابد أن يمضي بصاحبه إلى طريق المشاكل بكل سهولة
"افعل أكثر مما هو متوقع منك دائما، ولا تفعل أقل منه بتاتا. ولا تجفل من أي مهمة أو مشقة، والأهم من كل هذا، لا تكلل سيدك الذي تخدمه بالعار."
- نصيحة السير آرلان للسير دانكن الطويل.
نواصل رحلتنا مع السير دانكن الطويل ومرافقه إيغ في دروب الممالك السبعة وهذه المرة قسمه كاد يودي بحياته.
كان السير دانكن الطويل طويلا بطبيعة الحال، عريض الصدر قوي الساعد، ولكن عقله سميك كجدار قلعة وقلبه نقي.. وطبعا اقتران سمك العقل بنقاء القلب لابد أن يمضي بصاحبه إلى طريق المشاكل بكل سهولة
"افعل أكثر مما هو متوقع منك دائما، ولا تفعل أقل منه بتاتا. ولا تجفل من أي مهمة أو مشقة، والأهم من كل هذا، لا تكلل سيدك الذي تخدمه بالعار."
- نصيحة السير آرلان للسير دانكن الطويل.
نواصل رحلتنا مع السير دانكن الطويل ومرافقه إيغ في دروب الممالك السبعة وهذه المرة قسمه كاد يودي بحياته.
December 29, 2020
عودة الى عالم ويستروس الخلاب مع المغامرة الثانية للسير دانك و مرافقة إيج.
Back to Westores again with sir Dunk and Egg .
ياخذنا جورج.ر.ر.مارتن هذة المرة بعد عام و نصف من احداث الجزء الاول بعد انتقالات كثيرة خاضها الفارس بصحبة إيج فى اراضى دورن مروراً ب مرض الربيع العظيم الذى اخذ كثير من الارواح فى اراضى الملك يذهب لقلعة الملك " يوستاس أوسغري " و اقدم على قسم اليمين له و الولاء له ضد الاعداء .
The story takes a place a year and half after the first tale , and many things and adventures passed in this time , Dunk Went to Dorn and stayed their while the Great Spring Sickness spread in King's Landing and took many lives and back to sworn his sword to Sir Eustace Osgrey of Standfast in the Reach .
ياخذنا الصراع على خندق ماء تم بنيه حديثاً من قبل القلعة المجاورة له قلعة " كولدموات " قلعة السيدة روهان , خندق تسبب فى منع الماء عن قلعة اللورد يوستاس لتبدا المناوشات على حق المياة بينهم خاصة عندما يذهب السير دانك الى السيدة رووهان ليكتشف ان الخندق من حقها بمرسوم ملكى بعد وقوف اللورد يوستاس مع الملك دايمون تارغيريان الاول و خسارة الحب فاصبح من الثوار و المغضوب عليهم .
The Dilemma starts between Sir Eustace and Lady Rohanna Over a dam that cuts of the water of Standfast Castle and ruined the crops , So he Sends Dunk to Lady Rohanna to ask her to destroy the dam she built , still dunk go with fear after what he heard about her and the dark arts she make but he fall for her after he saw a pretty lady not like how they describe her .
مغامرة راينا به لمحة من توتر دانك امام النساء اخيرا , و راينا سذاجته ايضا , على الرغم من نبله و شرفه لكنه يتم خداعه كثيرا لكنه لا ينسحب ابداً , مغامرة صغيرة ليست ب قوة الجزء الاول لكنها كان بها الحكم عن طريق القتال بالموت و هذا شئ نحبه جدا ك محبين لعالم صراع العروش.
A new Adventure begins with lies and End with a Trail by compact , Sir Dunk prove Again his Honor and Strength , Egg Still make very good Advises with many Funny comments .
Back to Westores again with sir Dunk and Egg .
ياخذنا جورج.ر.ر.مارتن هذة المرة بعد عام و نصف من احداث الجزء الاول بعد انتقالات كثيرة خاضها الفارس بصحبة إيج فى اراضى دورن مروراً ب مرض الربيع العظيم الذى اخذ كثير من الارواح فى اراضى الملك يذهب لقلعة الملك " يوستاس أوسغري " و اقدم على قسم اليمين له و الولاء له ضد الاعداء .
The story takes a place a year and half after the first tale , and many things and adventures passed in this time , Dunk Went to Dorn and stayed their while the Great Spring Sickness spread in King's Landing and took many lives and back to sworn his sword to Sir Eustace Osgrey of Standfast in the Reach .
ياخذنا الصراع على خندق ماء تم بنيه حديثاً من قبل القلعة المجاورة له قلعة " كولدموات " قلعة السيدة روهان , خندق تسبب فى منع الماء عن قلعة اللورد يوستاس لتبدا المناوشات على حق المياة بينهم خاصة عندما يذهب السير دانك الى السيدة رووهان ليكتشف ان الخندق من حقها بمرسوم ملكى بعد وقوف اللورد يوستاس مع الملك دايمون تارغيريان الاول و خسارة الحب فاصبح من الثوار و المغضوب عليهم .
The Dilemma starts between Sir Eustace and Lady Rohanna Over a dam that cuts of the water of Standfast Castle and ruined the crops , So he Sends Dunk to Lady Rohanna to ask her to destroy the dam she built , still dunk go with fear after what he heard about her and the dark arts she make but he fall for her after he saw a pretty lady not like how they describe her .
مغامرة راينا به لمحة من توتر دانك امام النساء اخيرا , و راينا سذاجته ايضا , على الرغم من نبله و شرفه لكنه يتم خداعه كثيرا لكنه لا ينسحب ابداً , مغامرة صغيرة ليست ب قوة الجزء الاول لكنها كان بها الحكم عن طريق القتال بالموت و هذا شئ نحبه جدا ك محبين لعالم صراع العروش.
A new Adventure begins with lies and End with a Trail by compact , Sir Dunk prove Again his Honor and Strength , Egg Still make very good Advises with many Funny comments .
December 1, 2024
If I could give it 6 stars, I would.
September 1, 2025
A fun entry for our valiant knight Dunk and the savvy squire Egg. More of Westeros, more pageantry, more duels, just what the doctor ordered.
December 14, 2023
3.5 stars.
A lot of this is just history. I took a break while reading this and most of the names in the history went over my head after I resumed. Page time with our characters is comparatively less. I liked the first one better.
Slightly humorous with a touch of romance, a must read for the fans.
A lot of this is just history. I took a break while reading this and most of the names in the history went over my head after I resumed. Page time with our characters is comparatively less. I liked the first one better.
Slightly humorous with a touch of romance, a must read for the fans.
November 3, 2015
I'm trying to pace myself through these A Song of Ice and Fire short stories while waiting for the (hopefully) eventual sixth novel in the series. The worry is that having run out of novels in the series to read, having finished the second in the trilogy, I'm now risking running out of novellas too. This one picks up pretty soon after the first one: The Hedge Knight, and we find that Egg is now officially the squire of Dunk (although they are both sworn to secrecy as to his actual identity). Know that Dunk is a proper knight he finds himself needing to do knightly things. So he has sworn his sword to a Ser. Ser Eustace in this case. Ser Eustace isn't the greatest role model that a knight and his squire could have. Known to his other knights as Ser Useless, he mostly spends his time moping about his lost children, his lost lands and his lost position.
The lesson on this novella – for both Dunk and Egg – is to be careful whom you swear your sword to. Once Ser Eustace gets into a dispute with his neighbour, Dunk is honour bound to take his master's side. Even when it begins to transpire that his master might not have been entirely honest with him.
As before, Martin is very good with the shorter story. For an author that knocks out massive tomes in his novels, it's refreshing to see he's also just as good with such a pared down single story-line. Even in such a short story though, there's still honour, trust, treachery, boorishness, a bit of romance, and plenty of humour. I especially enjoyed the repeated sections where Egg has to bite his tongue and listen to knights (and Sers) talk disrespectfully about the King and his family without realising that Egg is one of the princes himself.
The lesson on this novella – for both Dunk and Egg – is to be careful whom you swear your sword to. Once Ser Eustace gets into a dispute with his neighbour, Dunk is honour bound to take his master's side. Even when it begins to transpire that his master might not have been entirely honest with him.
As before, Martin is very good with the shorter story. For an author that knocks out massive tomes in his novels, it's refreshing to see he's also just as good with such a pared down single story-line. Even in such a short story though, there's still honour, trust, treachery, boorishness, a bit of romance, and plenty of humour. I especially enjoyed the repeated sections where Egg has to bite his tongue and listen to knights (and Sers) talk disrespectfully about the King and his family without realising that Egg is one of the princes himself.
April 15, 2024
3.5
just reread cus a lot of the targaryens i find interesting are mentioned in this
just reread cus a lot of the targaryens i find interesting are mentioned in this
April 22, 2023
I used to think this was the least good of the three novellas but I really enjoyed it this time. The plot is basic, two lords fighting over a river, which I think is why I originally dismissed it. But the character development happening with Dunk and the background of what's happening in Westeros, plus the themes of what loyalty and honor mean to someone, is just excellent.
May 5, 2013
The second tale of Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire Egg, a year has passed from the time Dunk almost lost a hand and foot, but gained a royal squire. He is now under the employ of Ser Eustace and thanks to conflicts with his neighbor, The Red Widow, we get to know more about the Targaryen history and their conflicts.
I tend to get all the Targaryen names confused, as I was reading this story I had to pause and look at a Targaryen family tree to visually see where the people they were talking about fit in history. Turns out Egg is Aemon's brother from Game of Thrones, never realized how old Aemon was! And in Book 4, A Feast for Crows, as Aemon is traveling and delirious he mentions his brother Egg. Not only that, but that little boy running around as a squire to a hedge knight, the youngest of four male children will eventually be Aegon the Unlikely, great-grandfather of Daenerys Stormborn.
OK, now back to the story. Both Dunk and Egg have grown as characters, Dunk is more commanding and hasn't lost his way, he is still a True Knight. Egg is more bold and a bit of a smart-ass, together they pass through hardships and even though Egg is constantly tempted to use his secret identity to get them out of trouble, Dunk insists on doing it by using their wits.
It's a lovely tale and I'm giddy because there is a third tale, which I will be reading next!
I tend to get all the Targaryen names confused, as I was reading this story I had to pause and look at a Targaryen family tree to visually see where the people they were talking about fit in history. Turns out Egg is Aemon's brother from Game of Thrones, never realized how old Aemon was! And in Book 4, A Feast for Crows, as Aemon is traveling and delirious he mentions his brother Egg. Not only that, but that little boy running around as a squire to a hedge knight, the youngest of four male children will eventually be Aegon the Unlikely, great-grandfather of Daenerys Stormborn.
OK, now back to the story. Both Dunk and Egg have grown as characters, Dunk is more commanding and hasn't lost his way, he is still a True Knight. Egg is more bold and a bit of a smart-ass, together they pass through hardships and even though Egg is constantly tempted to use his secret identity to get them out of trouble, Dunk insists on doing it by using their wits.
It's a lovely tale and I'm giddy because there is a third tale, which I will be reading next!
November 12, 2022
LFMAO Dunk is so suspicious of bloodraven😭😭
No one:
Dunk: hOw MaNy EyEs DoEs LoRd BlOoDrAvEn HaVe? A tHoUsAnD aNd OnE
No one:
Dunk: hOw MaNy EyEs DoEs LoRd BlOoDrAvEn HaVe? A tHoUsAnD aNd OnE
February 26, 2023
To contemplate the world of GOT,one should take his hat off to apperciate Martin s creativity and marvelous affiliation to details,despite all he has borrowed from here and there,Martin is a skilled Story teller..
May 4, 2024
Esta entretenido, pero me gustó más el primero. 6/10
July 8, 2013
I enjoyed this novella as much as, or mayhaps* even more than, I enjoyed The Hedge Knight. I am strongly convinced it's because no one I cared about died. This being medieval fantasy though, and being George RR Martin, someone had to die. *shrug*
Being a sworn sword is a tricky thing. You swear your loyalty to your lord, you want to protect the people who are under that lord. What if those two principles clash? How to result in peace without having to resort to war? The Sworn Sword tackles those dilemmas, and more. This novella also sheds even more light to the Blackfyre Rebellion, presenting quite legitimate reasons why some lords chose Daemon Blackfyre's side, and why some lords chose Daeron Targaryen's side. It's all very fascinating.
Just as with The Hedge Knight, this story was engaging from start to finish. I love how GRRM displayed the life of low lords at the time, the consequences of invasions and treason, and emphasized how it was really the poor folk who needlessly suffered in these squabbles between high lords. Once you are under some lord or knight and you are called to arms for them, what can one do? Trained or not, these common folk who are unused to wielding weapons, who make up most of a party's host, will be the unfortunate casualties of war. They won't be able to go home to kiss their wives or children, or even get married to their betrothed.
In the ways that Dunk and Egg saved the day, I have grown even fonder of them.
4 stars I liked how GRRM handled the issues at hand, his humor, and even the romance here was nicely handled. A must read for any ASOIAF fan.
If there's anything The Hedge Knight and The Sworn Sword taught me, is that GRRM knows how to make a satisfying ending that leans towards a happy ending. So this gives me hope regarding the ASOIAF series.
Oh, god, I really hope I don't eat my words.
Being a sworn sword is a tricky thing. You swear your loyalty to your lord, you want to protect the people who are under that lord. What if those two principles clash? How to result in peace without having to resort to war? The Sworn Sword tackles those dilemmas, and more. This novella also sheds even more light to the Blackfyre Rebellion, presenting quite legitimate reasons why some lords chose Daemon Blackfyre's side, and why some lords chose Daeron Targaryen's side. It's all very fascinating.
Just as with The Hedge Knight, this story was engaging from start to finish. I love how GRRM displayed the life of low lords at the time, the consequences of invasions and treason, and emphasized how it was really the poor folk who needlessly suffered in these squabbles between high lords. Once you are under some lord or knight and you are called to arms for them, what can one do? Trained or not, these common folk who are unused to wielding weapons, who make up most of a party's host, will be the unfortunate casualties of war. They won't be able to go home to kiss their wives or children, or even get married to their betrothed.
In the ways that Dunk and Egg saved the day, I have grown even fonder of them.
4 stars I liked how GRRM handled the issues at hand, his humor, and even the romance here was nicely handled. A must read for any ASOIAF fan.
If there's anything The Hedge Knight and The Sworn Sword taught me, is that GRRM knows how to make a satisfying ending that leans towards a happy ending. So this gives me hope regarding the ASOIAF series.
Oh, god, I really hope I don't eat my words.
* "Mayhaps", pffffft.
September 17, 2015
Extraordinarily disappointing, this second tale of Dunk and Egg feels like an excuse for Martin to pad out the rich history of the world he has created, because it adds virtually nothing of interest to the story of his two protagonists started with The Hedge Knight.
Maybe my reading of this was coloured by how long it has been since I last visited the literary version of Westeros. But since I'm not allowed to complain about that, lest Neil Gaiman remind me the football-mad, aging, perfectionistic author is not my bitch, or GRRM himself scold me for wondering if he might go the way of Robert Jordan, I'm just going to settle on this one being a huge steaming pile of meh.
Recommended for massive fans of the Song of Ice and Fire series only.
2 Clouts About the Ear for The Sworn Sword.
Maybe my reading of this was coloured by how long it has been since I last visited the literary version of Westeros. But since I'm not allowed to complain about that, lest Neil Gaiman remind me the football-mad, aging, perfectionistic author is not my bitch, or GRRM himself scold me for wondering if he might go the way of Robert Jordan, I'm just going to settle on this one being a huge steaming pile of meh.
Recommended for massive fans of the Song of Ice and Fire series only.
2 Clouts About the Ear for The Sworn Sword.
January 9, 2024
I have trouble deeply enjoying these books for some reason. I like Dunk and Egg, but the plot itself does little for me. Even so, I just like being in this world, so I can't bring myself to give this a poor rating. I don't know if I like this one as much as the first, however.
July 1, 2017
Quick note: I'm going to be at a place with no internet service for the next few days, so I won't be updating. I'll still be reading though and I'll update when I get back.
July 8, 2017
Not as good as the first one but still entertaining! The dynamic between Dunk and Egg just gets better and better!!
December 19, 2025
CHARACTERS
🔲 mary-sue party
🔲 mostly 2D
🔲 great main cast, forgettable side characters
🔲 well-written
✅ complex and fascinating
🔲 hard to believe they are fictional
PLOT
🔲 you've already heard this exact story a thousand times
🔲 nothing memorable
✅ gripping
🔲 exceptional
🔲 mind=blown
WORLDBUILDING
🔲 takes place in our world
🔲 incoherent
🔲 OK
🔲 nicely detailed
✅ meticulous
🔲 even the last tree in the forest has its own story
ATMOSPHERE
🔲 nonexistent
🔲 fine
🔲 immersive
✅ you forget you are reading a book
PACING
🔲 dragging
🔲 inconsistent
🔲 picks up with time
✅ page-turner
🔲 impossible to put down
Re-read: Not as hype as the first one but I still really enjoyed it.
🔲 mary-sue party
🔲 mostly 2D
🔲 great main cast, forgettable side characters
🔲 well-written
✅ complex and fascinating
🔲 hard to believe they are fictional
PLOT
🔲 you've already heard this exact story a thousand times
🔲 nothing memorable
✅ gripping
🔲 exceptional
🔲 mind=blown
WORLDBUILDING
🔲 takes place in our world
🔲 incoherent
🔲 OK
🔲 nicely detailed
✅ meticulous
🔲 even the last tree in the forest has its own story
ATMOSPHERE
🔲 nonexistent
🔲 fine
🔲 immersive
✅ you forget you are reading a book
PACING
🔲 dragging
🔲 inconsistent
🔲 picks up with time
✅ page-turner
🔲 impossible to put down
Re-read: Not as hype as the first one but I still really enjoyed it.
February 4, 2012
Another Dunk and Egg tale, this one picks up about a year after The Hedge Knight leaves off. Dunk and Egg find themselves in the service of Ser Eustace Osgrey, an old landed knight. Osgrey is the last of his name, having lost his sons in the Blackfyre Rebellion. In that battle, Osgrey took the side of the "black dragon," Deamon Blackfyre, the loser of the battle. Also serving Ser Osgrey is Ser Bennis. He is not particularly knightly.
A drought has taken over the land and the first bit of "action" in the story is when Ser Bennis and Dunk go investigate why the stream that runs through Osgrey's land has dried up. They find that Lady Rohanne Webber of Coldmoat, a/k/a the "Red Widow," has built a damn, stopping the flow of the stream. Dunk is angered by this, but Bennis acts on his anger and attacks one of the Red Widow's men.
When Bennis and Dunk return to Osgrey to tell him the news, Osgrey orders them to raise an "army" to fight the Red Widow. There are only a few men who are old enough and fit enough to even partake in a battle, and none of them are trained with weapons. Dunk sees this and, with Osgrey's consent, goes to Coldmoat to try to come to terms with the Red Widow. The Red Widow wants Bennis, to punish him for attacking her man by the damn. Some details emerge about the history of the Red Widow and her lands and Dunk is forced to face the fact that Osgrey, by supporting the black dragon, is a traitor. As punishment, the stream that was once his was given to the Webber name, along with most of the land. The Webbers fought on the side of the "red dragon," now the reigning king. Unknowingly, Dunk offends the Red Widow by mentioning Osgrey's son (who died in the Blackfyre Rebellion), who the Red Widow was in love with. Dunk leaves as the Red Widow promises to bring fire and sword down on Osgrey if Bennis is not presented.
When Dunk returns to Osgrey, he plans to leave Osgrey's service. On his last night in the hold, he is woken in the middle of the night seeing a fire in the woods between Osgrey and Coldmoat lands. Dunk believes that this is the "fire" part of the Red Widow's sworn vengeance. As Dunk is leaving the following morning, he realizes that the small "army" that Bennis is training will do no good--they will only be marching to their death. He tells them all to flee, and they do. This angers Osgrey. To make up for it, Dunk agrees to go confront the Red Widow with Osgrey. Egg comes along as well.
When they confront the Red Widow, in the stream that divides their lands, Dunk tells the Red Widow who Egg is, and tries to settle the matter peacefully. However, the Red Widow claims she did not set the fire (and she may well not have--it was a drought, after all, and the woods were ripe for burning), and calls for a trial by battle.
Like The Hedge Knight, this novella or short story gives the reader a bit more insight into the history of Westeros. Martin has an amazing capability to suck readers in and make even small things matter, all while telling a compact story. In the grand scheme, very little done in these stories plays much of a role on the Westeros of A Song of Ice and Fire, but by reading it, you see how Egg develops into the man he becomes, and why Dunk has a place in the history and lore of the world of ASoIaF.
A drought has taken over the land and the first bit of "action" in the story is when Ser Bennis and Dunk go investigate why the stream that runs through Osgrey's land has dried up. They find that Lady Rohanne Webber of Coldmoat, a/k/a the "Red Widow," has built a damn, stopping the flow of the stream. Dunk is angered by this, but Bennis acts on his anger and attacks one of the Red Widow's men.
When Bennis and Dunk return to Osgrey to tell him the news, Osgrey orders them to raise an "army" to fight the Red Widow. There are only a few men who are old enough and fit enough to even partake in a battle, and none of them are trained with weapons. Dunk sees this and, with Osgrey's consent, goes to Coldmoat to try to come to terms with the Red Widow. The Red Widow wants Bennis, to punish him for attacking her man by the damn. Some details emerge about the history of the Red Widow and her lands and Dunk is forced to face the fact that Osgrey, by supporting the black dragon, is a traitor. As punishment, the stream that was once his was given to the Webber name, along with most of the land. The Webbers fought on the side of the "red dragon," now the reigning king. Unknowingly, Dunk offends the Red Widow by mentioning Osgrey's son (who died in the Blackfyre Rebellion), who the Red Widow was in love with. Dunk leaves as the Red Widow promises to bring fire and sword down on Osgrey if Bennis is not presented.
When Dunk returns to Osgrey, he plans to leave Osgrey's service. On his last night in the hold, he is woken in the middle of the night seeing a fire in the woods between Osgrey and Coldmoat lands. Dunk believes that this is the "fire" part of the Red Widow's sworn vengeance. As Dunk is leaving the following morning, he realizes that the small "army" that Bennis is training will do no good--they will only be marching to their death. He tells them all to flee, and they do. This angers Osgrey. To make up for it, Dunk agrees to go confront the Red Widow with Osgrey. Egg comes along as well.
When they confront the Red Widow, in the stream that divides their lands, Dunk tells the Red Widow who Egg is, and tries to settle the matter peacefully. However, the Red Widow claims she did not set the fire (and she may well not have--it was a drought, after all, and the woods were ripe for burning), and calls for a trial by battle.
Like The Hedge Knight, this novella or short story gives the reader a bit more insight into the history of Westeros. Martin has an amazing capability to suck readers in and make even small things matter, all while telling a compact story. In the grand scheme, very little done in these stories plays much of a role on the Westeros of A Song of Ice and Fire, but by reading it, you see how Egg develops into the man he becomes, and why Dunk has a place in the history and lore of the world of ASoIaF.
August 20, 2024
This second Dunk and Egg novella picks up a year or so after
The Hedge Knight
. Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire Egg have explored Dorne and The Reach and have settled into the service of the morose landed knight Ser Eustace Osgrey and are caught in the middle of a land feud between him and the Lady Rohanne Webber in a neighboring castle.
The same way that The Hedge Knight showed the ins--and-outs of a tourney in more detail, this book focuses more on the lives of lower lords that we never really get to see in the main series. It also touches on what it means for a true knight to swear their sword to someone and the considerations that should be taken when deciding to do so. Although the resolution seemed a bit of a cop-out, the book never really went the way I expected and I loved seeing this tense land feud play out in its own tiny section of Westeros, insignificant compared to the larger conflicts in the land but truly epic to those it affects.
The same way that The Hedge Knight showed the ins--and-outs of a tourney in more detail, this book focuses more on the lives of lower lords that we never really get to see in the main series. It also touches on what it means for a true knight to swear their sword to someone and the considerations that should be taken when deciding to do so. Although the resolution seemed a bit of a cop-out, the book never really went the way I expected and I loved seeing this tense land feud play out in its own tiny section of Westeros, insignificant compared to the larger conflicts in the land but truly epic to those it affects.
December 26, 2015
The Sworn Sword is a solid sequel to The Hedge Knight. Dunk and Egg are in service of a Knight in the Reach after living in Dorne during The Great Spring Sickness. Dunk has taken to Ser Eustace a landed knight who fought at the Redgrass Field. Eustace recounts some of the battle where Daemon Blackfyre is slain. Dunk shows he's a good guy by staying involved in an altercation that had nothing to do with him.
June 30, 2015
4 relatos de grandes autores que retoman sagas , el de Orson Scott Card esta bien, el de Robin Hobb me gusto y me hace querer mas del autor pero el de Martin con una historia de 100 años antes de Juego de tronos es muy buena, aunque nada que se le compare con lo que hace Gaiman con una historia 2 años después que termina AMERICAN GODS. Gran , gran relato.
April 7, 2017
I really enjoyed this story compared to the first one. I loved Lady Rohanne and I'm quite sad we won't see her anymore (well I think since Dunk and The Egg always change places). It's cool to see other Houses we don't know at all and we can fully understand how the revolution of Baratheon on the Targaryen (Game of Thrones) is gonna come.
November 11, 2024
Διασκεδαστικό ανάγνωσμα, με καλό ρυθμό που σε κρατάει σε εγρήγορση και δεν σε αφήνει να βαρεθείς, αλλά και που καταφέρνει να δημιουργήσει εικόνες και να μαγέψει με τον τρόπο που μόνο ο Martin γνωρίζει.
November 6, 2022
Love the charming. Looking forward to the next one.
September 8, 2017
The Sworn Sword is the second Dunk and Egg tale, taking place in the A Song of Ice and Fire world around one hundred years prior to the main story. Although you do not need to have read the A Song of Ice and Fire books to enjoy the Dunk and Egg stories, you do need to read the first story, The Hedge Knight, to understand this second story.
The Sworn Sword is a fun second Dunk and Egg tale, although I did not enjoy it as much as I enjoyed the first story. For me, The Hedge Knight packed a stronger punch. It took me a while to get into The Hedge Knight, but in the end I was pulled under the spell. The Sworn Sword failed to have the same impact upon me. I found it to be a decent tale, but I was never as invested in this one as I was the first Dunk and Egg story.
Although it was not as enjoyable as The Hedge Knight, it was a fun little addition to the Dunk and Egg storyline. It’s a very different kind of story, adding a lot more to the world than so few pages should be capable of adding. It leaves you intrigued to see what comes next, and reading it in conjecture with the first story (I read the stories through the A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms book) makes for a wonderful progressive story.
Whilst I may not have enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed the first story, it certainly added more to the Dunk and Egg storyline.
The Sworn Sword is a fun second Dunk and Egg tale, although I did not enjoy it as much as I enjoyed the first story. For me, The Hedge Knight packed a stronger punch. It took me a while to get into The Hedge Knight, but in the end I was pulled under the spell. The Sworn Sword failed to have the same impact upon me. I found it to be a decent tale, but I was never as invested in this one as I was the first Dunk and Egg story.
Although it was not as enjoyable as The Hedge Knight, it was a fun little addition to the Dunk and Egg storyline. It’s a very different kind of story, adding a lot more to the world than so few pages should be capable of adding. It leaves you intrigued to see what comes next, and reading it in conjecture with the first story (I read the stories through the A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms book) makes for a wonderful progressive story.
Whilst I may not have enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed the first story, it certainly added more to the Dunk and Egg storyline.
August 22, 2014
The second in the Dunk and Egg series, The Sworn Sword sees our hero in the middle of a draught and a feud. He has taken on service for a Lord and soon encounters his rival, the woman known as the Red Spider. The book is set a couple of years after The Mystery Knight but the world has changed a lot.
This book lacks the humour and pace of the first book. The first half of the book is very slow and drags in some places. There is way too much talking and reminiscing of the past, which didn't really add to the story. Action picks up in the second half and it gets more interesting. The end was rather predictable and I did not really like it at all. I was hoping for a Dunk win, but no, the poor Virgin Knight is condemned to a cold bed again.
I was rather disappointed as this book was not fun most of the time. Compared with the first book, this was a feeble effort.
This book lacks the humour and pace of the first book. The first half of the book is very slow and drags in some places. There is way too much talking and reminiscing of the past, which didn't really add to the story. Action picks up in the second half and it gets more interesting. The end was rather predictable and I did not really like it at all. I was hoping for a Dunk win, but no, the poor Virgin Knight is condemned to a cold bed again.
I was rather disappointed as this book was not fun most of the time. Compared with the first book, this was a feeble effort.
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