George R.R. Martin recently voiced his concerns over the significant changes made in House of the Dragon compared to his book Fire & Blood. In a now-deleted blog post titled “Beware the Butterflies,” published on September 4, the acclaimed author hinted at even more controversial deviations in future seasons of the show. His criticism focused specifically on the handling of the “Blood & Cheese” plot, which will feature in the Season 2 premiere.
In a previous statement on August 30, Martin mentioned his plans to address the issues surrounding the series. He commented, “I promised you some further thoughts about ‘Blood and Cheese’ and Maelor the Missing after my commentary on the first two episodes of HotD season 2.”
While praising the episodes A Son for a Son and Rhaenyra the Cruel for their writing, direction, and acting, Martin pointed out that the portrayal of “Blood and Cheese” and Prince Jaehaerys’ death had drawn mixed reactions. Book readers were particularly disappointed, describing the sequence as underwhelming, while non-readers found it gripping and emotional.
One major change highlighted by Martin was the alteration of Aegon and Helaena’s family dynamics. In the book, they have three children: six-year-old twins Jaehaerys and Jaehaera, and their younger brother Maelor, who is two. In the series, however, only the twins remain. Martin explained that in the book’s version of the “Blood and Cheese” scene, Helaena is forced to choose between her sons, leading to the tragic and brutal death of Jaehaerys instead of Maelor.
Martin believes the book version of this sequence is “stronger” due to its cruelty and emotional weight. While he praised the show’s actors, he felt the book’s characters were “crueler, harder, and more frightening.”
Before ending his post, Martin warned that larger and more “toxic” changes could be coming in seasons three and four of House of the Dragon, worrying fans of the original narrative.
House of the Dragon is a prequel to Game of Thrones, set 200 years prior to the events of the original series. Despite being an executive producer and co-creator of the show, Martin has made it clear that the creative liberties taken in adapting Fire & Blood have caused some discomfort. Both seasons of the show are available on Max.
