Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon takes place 200 years before the events of the original series. It focuses on the event known as the Dance of the Dragons, the civil war that erupted within House Targaryen over the matter of succession. Author George R. R. Martin’s book Fire and Blood is the basis for this series. The book is the first of a two-volume history of House Targaryen.
Within the Song of Ice and Fire mythos, Fire and Blood is a fictional history book written by Archmaester Gyldayn. It covers a three-hundred-year history of House Targaryen from Aegon the Conqueror to the Mad King in Game of Thrones. The 736-page Volume 1 stops at the reign of Aegon III. Volume 2 will cover the Blackfyre Rebellion, the unification of the Seven Kingdoms, and the Wars of the Ninepenny Kings and the Usurper.
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What we can expect from Fire and Blood Volume 2
Martin shared his writing schedule, which begins with finishing the Winds of Winter first, as it is his biggest priority. Though the long-delayed book doesn’t have a publication date, the author shared an update on the progress he has made on it, on his blog. After the Winds of Winter, he will take a break by writing a fourth Dunk and Egg novella. Upon completing this, he will start his conclusive volume of A Song of Ice and Fire, A Dream of Spring, after which he will write a fifth Dunk and Egg story.
Only after completing all this will he begin writing Fire and Blood’s second volume. Martin has spent a large part of the last decade working on The Winds of Winter, alongside Fire and Blood and other more minor works. Given this, Fire and Blood 2 may not arrive for up to 10 years. It is possible that with House of the Dragon now out, he could finish it ahead of his other projects, as he has already begun work on it.
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George R. R. Martin’s updates
On his blog, Martin has shared all the major projects that are on his mind, including the second part of Targaryen history:
“In addition to WINDS, I also need to deliver the second volume of Archmaester Gyldayn’s history, FIRE & BLOOD. (Thinking of calling that one BLOOD & FIRE, rather than just F&B, Vol 2). Got a couple hundred pages of that one written, but there’s still a long way to go. I need to write more of the Dunk & Egg novellas, tell the rest of their stories, especially since there’s a television series about them in development.”
In the meantime, The Rise of the Dragon, an illustrated history of House Targaryen, is releasing on 25 October 2022.
Martin shared: “For those of you who are wondering: What’s the difference between The Rise of the Dragon and Fire & Blood? Think of The Rise of the Dragon as a deluxe reference book, in which Westeros’ most infamous family – and their dragons – come to life in partnership with some truly incredible artists.”
“The Rise of the Dragon will cover the same time period, but is written in a more encyclopedic style similar to The World of Ice and Fire. In fact, The World of Ice and Fire authors Elio M. García, Jr. and Linda Antonsson have returned to help with this tome. The Rise of the Dragon is perfect for fans steeped in the lore of Westeros, as well as those meeting the Targaryens for the first time in the HBO series House of the Dragon. The book will be available in October 2022!”
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