George RR Martin reacts to "dark, visceral" House of the Dragon episode 1
"I think the Targaryens are in very good hands... I do not think you will be disappointed."
George R.R. Martin has seen the first episode of House of Dragon, the upcoming prequel to the HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones – and teased that fans won't be disappointed.
Writing on his personal blog on Wednesday (29th December), he said he "loved" the rough cut of the first episode, anticipating that fans will "fall in love" with the new cast.
"I am anticipating House of the Dragon pretty eagerly myself, for what it's worth," he wrote. "Mum's the word now, don't tell anyone... I've seen a rough cut of the first episode.
"I loved it," he continued. "It's dark, it's powerful, it's visceral... just the way I like my epic fantasy. [Showrunners Ryan Condal] and [Miguel Sapochnik] have done an amazing job, and the cast... Just as with Game of Thrones, most viewers will only have heard of a few of the actors, but I think you are going to fall in love with a lot of them. (Only to have your heart broken later when... But no, that would be telling).
"I think the Targaryens are in very good hands. Anticipate away. I do not think you will be disappointed," he concluded.
HBO previously released a first-look trailer revealing the look and feel of the Game of Thrones prequel, which is set 200 years prior to the events of the Emmy-winning original.
To catch up, you can watch Game of Thrones seasons 1 - 8 on Amazon Prime today or on NOW. You can also buy the DVD boxset for seasons 1-8 on Amazon for £99.99.
We'll keep this page updated with more House of the Dragon news as soon as we have it. Looking for something to watch tonight? Check out our full TV Guide or visit our Fantasy hub for more news.