The Hedge Knight [Paperback]

To begin with, I have enjoyed the Song of Fire and Ice from the beginning, and I have been itching for the new book for some time. When I heard there was a graphic novel, I was both interested and disappointed. The first because it was another tale in a very interesting setting. The second because A Feast of Crows had been running late and would rather have had the book instead of the graphic novel. Upon reading the graphic novel, I found all of my fears allayed and that the book does more than just add to the setting of the Song of Fire and Ice.

I was pleased to find that the novel used figures that had been mentioned in previous book. It allowed me not just to hear about them through other character's accounts and histories, but I was able to 'see' them for myself. The book added further depth to the already expansive world.

I also discovered that the novel was based on a short story previously published in an anthology in LEGENDS, edited by Robert Silverburg. The story had been adapted to the comic book format later. Knowledge that the novel was based on a previously published story allayed any frustration I was feeling about Feast.

Most importantly though, beyond my obsession with the Song of Fire and Ice, the story was an excellent display of chivalry and character. How the virtues of knighthood of protecting the innocent and poor combat with the corruption that grows among the nobility who make up this same order. The character is taught as a Hedge Knight he is the truest form of a knight, with no other allegiance than to his vows.

I highly recommend this book not just for fantasy enthusiasts, but it is also a good moral tale, which is not necessarily straight forward.

I first the discovered "The Hedge Knight" when reading the "Legends" short-stories collection -- it was my first introduction GRRM's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series and immediately led me to pick up "A Game of Thrones," which I had owned for nearly a year without reading. The great thing about this graphic novel is that is does a great job of bringing a visual aspect to Martin's written words. In many ways, the artists just "got" the feeling of the short story and Martin's series down to a tee. This a great addition for any collector of Martin's work and a must-read for fans of the series.

If I could, I'd give a copy of this comic book fantasy to every police officer, sheriff's deputy, and constable in the world. The story told is that of a Medieval morality play, in which what is right and what is "officially proper" are at odds with each other, as they often have been (and still are) in the real world. The "hedge knight" Duncan the Tall is a symbol for every good man who defies or fights an evil System for a noble cause. The story offers a reminder that while laws are written by men, morals are not, and that the world is sick when one forbids what the other requires.

Seeking fame as a knight, Dunk and his recently acquired young squire go to a tournament. During the games, one of the king's grandsons, Aerion, takes offense at a puppet show being shown by a young woman puppeteer, so he "arrests" her and begins to beat her, breaking her fingers, while his guards hold off the crowd. Duncan hears of the trouble, charges through the crowd, tosses the guards every which way, and falls on the princeling in a fury of fists and feet.

Knights must protect the weak and defend the innocent, even if the oppressor is someone with rank.

The princeling's guards finally subdue Dunk, and the Aerion has threatened to break out all of Duncan's teeth and then disembowel him, when suddenly Duncan's squire appears and orders Aerion's guards to back off. And they do. It turns out that the squire, whom Duncan had known as "Egg," is in reality a prince himself, shamed so badly by his brother's degeneracy that he ran away from home to live among the peasants.

Duncan is charged with treason and held in a prison cell, not allowed to participate in the tournament games. Ancient laws give Sir Duncan the choice, either of having a hand and a foot cut off, or to face the prince in single combat. Duncan chooses the combat. The same ancient laws, however, give the princeling an option. Instead of facing Duncan alone, he can insist that he (and his party) fight Dunk (and his) in a sort of collective duel in which seven knights face seven knights in a joust-like battle -- but with real weapons of war, not with tournament mock weapons. The battle would continue until one side yields or until all the knights on one side are dead.

The problem is that Duncan is a "nobody," whereas the princeling can count on the help of several of his royal relatives and can command members of the king's guard to fight on his side. When Duncan protests that he knows of no one who will take his part, he's told (by Aerion's father) that his failure to come up with six champions to fight beside him, in the single day before the battle is to begin, will prove his guilt - the idea being that the world is full of good men, and good men always fight for a just cause.

It is an assumption that is largely false, and the pretense to the contrary is no doubt highly convenient to those in power. But, nonetheless, Duncan does find six champions, despite the treacherous defection of one who was expected to volunteer. The last of the champions was Aerion's uncle, Prince Baelor, heir to his father's throne. Of all the royal characters, Baelor is the only one to concede that Duncan did right to punch Aerion in the face, and he is taking Duncan's side for the same reason that Duncan fought Aerion to save a puppetteer.

The best moment of the book, though, is when Duncan enters the field early and is joyously mobbed by affectionate peasants. Duncan - never the brightest knight in the realm - asks himself out loud why the peasants love him so well: "What am I to them?"

His answer is a reply from the armorer who made his shield: "A knight who remembered his vows."

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