George R.R. Martin believes that the Blood and Cheese scene in the book is much more violent and forceful than the series adaptation of House of the Dragon.

George R.R. Martin is no stranger to expressing his opinions on adaptations of his work, and The House of the Dragon it’s not the exception. Recently, the author has shown his discontent with the way the characters Blood and Cheese were portrayedand the death scene of Prince Jaehaerys in the series. On your blog Not a blogMartin wrote: “I still think the scene in the book is stronger.”

For readers of Fire and Blood, the characters in Blood and Cheese in the book are much more cruel and scary than in the series. Martin commented that, while the actors did a good job, the characters are much darker in the novel. Blood, for example, is not simply a member of the Gold Guard, as shown in the series, but a former member who was expelled for killing a woman. In the book, Blood is more cruel and ruthlessthe kind of man who would find it funny to make a mother choose which of her children should die.

The differences between the book and the series

Martin also explained differences in the representation of cheesewhich in the series is not as brutal as in the book. In the novel, Cheese is the one who tells young Maelor that his mother wants him dead, underlining his cruelty. Martin also noted that Helaena shows more courage in the book offering her life to save her son, while in the series the offering of a jewel does not have the same emotional impact.

For Martin, These changes dull the visceral impact of the scene.. The choice Helaena must make, similar to the “Sophie’s Choice” situation, was one of the darkest and most powerful elements of the sequence, according to the author. “I hated losing it,” he said. Despite his attempts to dissuade the production team, he knew in advance of creator Ryan Condal’s plans for 2022. However, Condal chose to make the changes for practical reasonsone of which was to avoid using a two-year-old child in the scene.

The changes in the series were inevitable

Martin recognized him some aspects of his work cannot be transferred faithfully to the screen. In this case, the difficulty of filming with a small child led Condal to modify the scene. Although it was a practical solution, This influenced its emotional intensity.something Martin deeply regrets.

Despite the criticism, Martin was not reluctant to praise other aspects of the series.such as the performances, costumes and direction of the episodes. He also expressed his enthusiasm for the second season of The House of the Dragonafter previewing the first two episodes. He described the work of directors Alan Taylor and Clare Kilner as “magnificent”.

Martin’s View on Fidelity and Change

Martin’s criticisms reflect a common concern among fans of the adaptations: faithfulness to the original material. For those who have read Fire and BloodThe changes to characters like Blood and Cheese are disappointing because some of the darkness that characterizes these characters has been lost and which is essential to convey the horror of the Targaryen civil war.

However, adaptations always face challenges. The television format has its limitations compared to the long narrative of a book, where authors can delve deeper into characters and their motivations. Some changes are needed to adapt the story to a more accessible and visual format, but this may sacrifice some important nuances for readers.

While some fans might prefer the series to stay completely faithful to the source material, others embrace the changes. necessary to make the story more effective on the screen. For Martino, the loss of the rawness of Blood and Cheese is a mistakeas these details reinforce the cruel nature of the Targaryen war.

Season 2 promises more excitement for Martin

Despite these criticisms, Martin is still excited about season 2 From The House of the Dragon. The episode titles, “A Son for a Son” and “Rhaenyra the Cruel,” They gave tension and drama in this new delivery. Also, with veteran directors like Alan Taylor, fans received high quality direction.

While Martin has his criticisms of some of the changes, recognizes the monumental effort required to bring his universe to the screen. For fans of the series, expectations remain high The House of the Dragon continues to explore the internal conflicts of the Targaryens and the events that will lead to their decline.