Game of Thrones Prequel Star Unveils Little-Known Detail Behind George R.R. Martin’s Favorite Novella

George R.R. Martin dropped by the set of HBO's A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and apparently left everyone both thrilled and a tiny bit terrified in the best way. Peter Claffey, who plays Ser Duncan the Tall, told a CCXP crowd in Sao Paulo that Martin called The Hedge Knight his favorite thing he has ever written and jokingly begged the team: "Please don't mess it up." As you can imagine, that kind of note lands like a sword on the table.

So what did Martin actually think?

He has already seen the whole first season — yes, all six episodes — and he is very into it. On his blog, he kept it simple:

"I've seen all six episodes now (the last two in rough cuts, admittedly), and I loved them."

That tracks with how hands-on he is this time. Martin is not just visiting set for selfies; he is a co-creator and executive producer alongside showrunner Ira Parker. He has also been clear the show is not trying to be Game of Thrones 2.0. The tone is intentionally lighter — a bit softer and a bit funnier — while still living in Westeros. Think smaller-scale adventures with heart, not nine families tearing each other apart every Sunday night.

Claffey's first meeting with GRRM

Claffey says Martin swung through the set that week, chatted with the cast, and made it crystal clear how much The Hedge Knight means to him. He also singled out Daniel Ings (playing Ser Lyonel Baratheon) as a standout, which is exactly the sort of endorsement an actor remembers forever. The vibe, according to Claffey, was positive — Martin seemed happy with the team and what they were doing.

Parker's north star: make George happy

Ira Parker has been upfront about his approach. Conventional wisdom says don't write for one person. He ignored that. For Season 1, he wrote for George. If the author is happy, Parker is happy — and Martin being pleased with the cuts suggests that strategy paid off. Parker also credited Martin's presence with keeping the tone and authenticity locked in from day one.

• Title: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (based on the Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas)
• Season 1 length: 6 episodes
• Showrunner: Ira Parker
• Co-creator/executive producers: Ira Parker and George R.R. Martin
• Cast highlights: Peter Claffey as Ser Duncan the Tall; Daniel Ings as Ser Lyonel Baratheon (a performance Martin specifically praised)
• Tone: smaller-scale, more humorous and gentler than Game of Thrones, but still very Westeros
• When Martin saw it: all six episodes, with the last two in rough-cut form
• Release date: January 18, 2026
• Where Claffey shared the story: CCXP in Sao Paulo, Brazil
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The bottom line

Martin told the team not to screw up his favorite story, then watched the season and loved it. That is basically the dream scenario for any adaptation. If you have a soft spot for The Hedge Knight, this might be the most straight-from-the-author version you could reasonably hope for.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms premieres January 18, 2026 on HBO.