The book is great quality and is made out of nice material. Pages are strong and the hardcover feels great, not cheap at all. So happy I purchased this!
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The Rise of the Dragon: An Illustrated History of the Targaryen Dynasty, Volume One
Audible Audiobook
– Unabridged
This lavish visual history—featuring over 180 all-new illustrations—is a stunning introduction to House Targaryen, the iconic family at the heart of HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel series, House of the Dragon.
For hundreds of years, the Targaryens sat the Iron Throne of Westeros while their dragons ruled the skies. The story of the only family of dragonlords to survive Valyria’s Doom is a tale of twisty politics, alliances and betrayals, and acts both noble and craven. The Rise of the Dragon chronicles the creation and rise of Targaryen power in Westeros, covering the history first told in George R. R. Martin’s epic Fire & Blood, from Aegon Targaryen’s conquest of Westeros through to the infamous Dance of the Dragons—the bloody civil war that nearly undid Targaryen rule for good.
Packed with all-new artwork, the Targaryens—and their dragons—come vividly to life in this deluxe reference book. Perfect for fans steeped in the lore of Westeros, as well as those who first meet the Targaryens in the HBO series House of the Dragon, The Rise of the Dragon provides a must-have overview for anyone looking to learn more about the most powerful family in Westeros.
Includes a bonus PDF of illustrations from the book
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
Review
“A breathtaking look at the Targaryen Dynasty.”—Collider
About the Author
Elio M. García, Jr., and Linda Antonsson founded and run the popular Westeros fansite, which is the definitive source for all things George R. R. Martin.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Beginning in the year 2 BC (Before the Conquest), Aegon Targaryen and his sisters launched their invasion of Westeros with the intention of unifying the entire continent under their rule. Opposing them were seven individual kingdoms, each with a unique history stretching back thousands of years. Before discussing the events of the conquest, it seems prudent to take a moment to examine each of these varying realms, and their rulers, as they existed at the time.
The Stormlands
The stormlands are centered around the rainwood—the heavily forested southeastern region of Westeros—and are bordered to the north by the Blackwater River, to the south by the Dornish Marches, and to the west by the Reach. Legends claim that the first Storm King was Durran Godsgrief, who gained the enmity of the gods of wind and sea when he won the love of their daughter, Elenei. Durran raised a succession of castles for himself and his Elenei that the gods then repeatedly destroyed, until a young boy helped Durran raise a seventh castle. Due to its massive curtain walls and drum tower, this castle could withstand the gods’ fury, and was ever after known as Storm’s End. The boy would become Bran the Builder, and House Durrandon ruled for thousands of years from its seat at Storm’s End.
The Storm King Arlan III expanded the realm by conquering the riverlands some four hundred years before the Conquest, stretching the domain of House Durrandon from the narrow sea to the Sunset Sea. Yet three centuries later, the Storm King Arrec lost the riverlands to Harwyn Hoare, a king of the Iron Islands. Arrec’s two subsequent attempts to regain the riverlands failed, and a third attempt—under Arrec’s son, Arlan V—ended in Arlan’s death. Arlan V’s successor was his young son Argilac, later known as Argilac the Arrogant, who would be the last of the Storm Kings.
As a boy, Argilac turned back an attempted Dornish invasion, and his reputation only grew from there. He joined an alliance with several of the Free Cities against Volantis and killed King Garse VII Gardener at the Battle of Summerfield. His only heir at the time of the Conquest was his daughter, Argella.
The Kingdom of the Isles and the Rivers
Although the histories of Westeros seem certain that the Iron Islands were settled by the First Men, the priests of the Drowned God on the Iron Islands claim that the ironborn are a people apart, created in the image of their god. Whatever the truth, the Iron Islands have a long history of maritime activity, fishing the rich waters, trading tin and iron ore, and sending reavers and pirates to pillage and make war on the “greenlands.”
The archipelago contains thirty-one islands, of which there are seven major inhabited ones. Legends claim that the Grey King ruled the isles in the Age of Heroes, but any details of his reign are lost to the mists of time. What is more certain is that each isle had a salt king and a rock king, each elected to these offices, until the priest Galon Whitestaff convinced the ironborn to unify by electing a High King at the first ever kingsmoot.
The centuries-long era of these High Kings—called the driftwood kings for their wooden crowns—brought the Iron Islands to the apex of their power. During the reign of Qhored the Cruel, the ironborn held much of the western shore of Westeros under their dominion. These gains were slowly lost, however—especially after Urron Greyiron and his supporters slaughtered his rivals at the last kingsmoot, establishing the first hereditary high kingship. The turmoil that followed on the Iron Islands made it easier for the mainland kingdoms to drive out the ironborn, until the great Kingdom of the Isles and the Rivers was reduced once more to just the Iron Islands.
It would take centuries, and House Hoare succeeding the Greyirons as kings, for the ironborn to begin to reclaim their lost ground in the riverlands. Most notably, King Harwyn Hoare, known as Hardhand, launched an invasion of the riverlands, driving out the Storm Kings who then controlled the Trident. Harwyn’s grandson, Harren the Black, would rule the united Kingdom of the Isles and the Rivers until the Conquest, beggaring the riverlords by erecting an enormous castle by the Gods Eye. This castle, Harrenhal, took forty years to complete—and the histories say that the massive fortress was finished on the very day that Aegon Targaryen and his sisters set foot on Westeros at the start of the Conquest.
The Reach
The most fertile and populous region in the Seven Kingdoms, the Reach, is also one of the largest (though dwarfed by the size of the North). It dominates the southwestern portion of the continent, bordered by the foothills of the westerlands to its north, the Red Mountains of Dorne to the south, and the marches of the stormlands to the east. The Kingdom of the Reach claims an ancient connection to the first High King of all the First Men, Garth Greenhand. Powerful and potent, Garth allegedly fathered scores of children from whom many houses of the Reach claim descent. The most notable of these was House Gardener, who established their seat at Highgarden beside the mighty river known as the Mander. Over the centuries, the Gardeners would expand their domain beyond the central plains of the Reach, stretching from the shores of the Sunset Sea in the west to the stormlands in the east, and from the foothills of the westerlands and the Blackwater in the north to the Red Mountains of Dorne in the south.
The Gardener kings ruled their Green Realm for millennia, weathering the arrival of the Andals by adopting their ways and making the Reach the birthplace of chivalry and knighthood in Westeros. Mern IX was the latest in a long line of kings (and one queen) to rule the Reach when the Targaryens first appeared in Westeros. The future of House Gardener seemed secure against this latest invasion, however, as Mern commanded the greatest army in Westeros, as well as having sons and grandsons to spare to secure his succession—and many other male kinsmen besides.
The Westerlands
A land of rugged hills in the west of the continent, the westerlands at the time of the Conquest stretched from the shores of the Sunset Sea in the west to the foothills from which the rivers Tumblestone and Red Fork issue in the east, and were bounded to the north by Ironman’s Bay, while the lands of the Reach bordered them to the south. In ancient times, the First Men discovered plentiful gold and silver in the rugged hills and rolling plains of the westerlands.
The Casterlys were among the most powerful lords of the west, secure at Casterly Rock: the huge stone hill riddled with seemingly endless gold mines beneath it. But legends hold that Lann the Clever tricked the Casterlys out of control of their castle. His descendants were plentiful, but chief among these were the Lannisters, who would carve out a kingdom from their seat at Casterly Rock. When the Andals arrived, the Lannisters initially made war against them, but soon began to use them as mercenaries and allies in order to expand their realm. Before long, the Lannisters controlled the whole of the westerlands instead of just the port city of Lannisport and the lands around the Rock.
Many wars wracked the Seven Kingdoms before the Conquest and the Kings of the Rock were frequently at the center of these conflicts. They regularly battled the kings of the riverlands, the Iron Islands, and the Reach. Sometimes, however, these kings formed shifting alliances, uniting against a common enemy.
At the time Aegon Targaryen was turning his attention to Westeros, the King of the Rock was Loren I, who oversaw a brief period of peace with the Kingdom of the Reach.
The Vale
When the Andals invaded Westeros, it was in the Vale that they first settled. The fertile valley surrounded by the Mountains of the Moon would soon come to be ruled by House Arryn, considered the oldest and purest line of Andal nobility. The founder of the dynasty was Ser Artys Arryn, who in later centuries would often be confused with the legendary Artys Arryn, the Winged Knight, of the Age of Heroes. Ser Artys defeated the existing High King of the Vale, Robar II Royce— who had attempted to expel the Andals—at the Battle of Seven Stars and became Artys I, King of Mountain and Vale. The First Men that survived the battle and did not submit to Artys’s rule fled into the Mountains of the Moon, becoming the ancestors of the lawless clans that still call the mountains their home.
Over time, Artys and his descendants extended their rule beyond the Vale and the Fingers, seeking control over various nearby isles both great and small. Most notably, the Arryns spent centuries fighting the northmen for control of the Three Sisters—and ultimately succeeded in incorporating the islands into their domain.
At the time of the Conquest, the wearer of the Falcon Crown of the Vale was Ronnel Arryn, a mere boy. He was the eldest son of Sharra Arryn, who ruled as Queen Regent in her son’s name.
The North
The North is—and always has been—the largest region of the Seven Kingdoms, stretching unbroken from the swamps of the Neck all the way to the Wall, and from the Sunset Sea to the narrow sea. Though continuously inhabited since the arrival of the First Men, the North remains the least populous of the Seven Kingdoms, due to the harshness of its climate and its often deadly winters.
- Listening Length8 hours and 10 minutes
- Audible release dateOctober 25, 2022
- LanguageEnglish
- ASINB09SKYSWSV
- VersionUnabridged
- Program TypeAudiobook
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Product details
Listening Length | 8 hours and 10 minutes |
---|---|
Author | George R. R. Martin, Elio M. García Jr, Linda Antonsson |
Narrator | Harry Lloyd |
Whispersync for Voice | Ready |
Audible.com Release Date | October 25, 2022 |
Publisher | Random House Audio |
Program Type | Audiobook |
Version | Unabridged |
Language | English |
ASIN | B09SKYSWSV |
Best Sellers Rank | #170 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #2 in Movie, TV & Video Game Tie-In Fiction #3 in Adventure Science Fiction #4 in TV, Movie & Game Tie-In Fiction |
Customer reviews
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the illustrations beautiful, easy to read, and great. They also describe the content as wonderful and a good companion to Fire and Blood. Readers also appreciate the level of detail and say it's a perfect addition to their collection.
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Customers find the illustrations in the book beautiful, fantastic, and easy to read. They also appreciate the amazing lore and stories told with a new voice.
"...The artwork is so amazing and really brings the story alive...." Read more
"The biggest book I've ever had, the pictures are just simply magical, love it, so cheap if you see and sense the quality of the material, everything..." Read more
"I couldn't put it down! The artwork is awesome. The family tree at the back is very helpful...." Read more
"...reasonable to own considering its size and it being a beautifully illustrated hardcover...." Read more
Customers find the book wonderful, remarkable, and a good companion to Fire and Blood. They also say it's awesome to see fire and blood illustrated.
"This book is actually amazing. The artwork is so amazing and really brings the story alive...." Read more
"The biggest book I've ever had, the pictures are just simply magical, love it, so cheap if you see and sense the quality of the material, everything..." Read more
"...But this book is good...." Read more
"The book is great and I totally recommend it!..." Read more
Customers find the level of detail in the book amazing, immersive, and magical. They also appreciate the illustrations and history. Readers say the book provides more detail on Targaryen history and adds to world-building.
"...The information is so fun to read about and is definitely a great read for game of thrones fans!..." Read more
"...so cheap if you see and sense the quality of the material, everything simply magical" Read more
"...Just like Fire & Blood except it's more broken down & summarized, beautiful artwork & slightly taller than an Algebra textbook...." Read more
"...but with about two-thirds removed, which makes it too long to be a quick reference book (like World of Ice and Fire), but too short to be a real..." Read more
Customers find the book collection amazing, a perfect addition to their collection, and a collector's piece. They also say it's a great gift for any Game of Thrones fan.
"...the negative reviews, these reference styled books are a perfect addition to the collection of a true GOT fan." Read more
"...] The Rise of the Dragon is a collector's piece for its artwork, but tells the tale of the Targaryen dynasty with none of George R.R. Martin's..." Read more
"...There are so many too. This would make a great gift for any GOT fan and you are reading this review from a huge one." Read more
"...agree but it’s really pretty has great illustrations and is perfect for a collector" Read more
Customers find the book great for true fans of GOT and HOTD, as well as for someone who hasn't read the books. They also say it's a nice companion to the HBO series.
"Beautiful images. High quality pages. Perfect for a GoT or HoD lover!" Read more
"...The history of the Targaryen Dynasty is such a nice companion to the HBO series.This would make a nice gift for any fan of the series." Read more
"Great for true fans of GOT and HOTD!" Read more
"Great for someone who hasn’t read the books..." Read more
Customers find the book addition great and fun to read. They also say it helps expand the world.
"...This guide provides more detail on Targaryen history and adds to the world-building that most fans are looking for." Read more
"i love the game of thrones world, this book just helps expand on it so much more!" Read more
"...here that wasn't already told from "Fire & Blood", but this is a great addition and fun to read." Read more
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The book is great quality and is made out of nice material. Pages are strong and the hardcover feels great, not cheap at all. So happy I purchased this!
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Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2024
The book is great quality and is made out of nice material. Pages are strong and the hardcover feels great, not cheap at all. So happy I purchased this!
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When I saw this book at the library I immediately checked it out. I normally get my books from the library since I don't read them twice and I'd have a huge collection not being enjoyed again. But this book is good. I read it with an open mind and wanting to know more about how n or why the lack of dragons and magic was so important in Game of Thrones.
I had this book checked out for a long time. I hadn't finished it when I returned it cause it's a very BIG book but decided I'd check here to see how much it would cost to own. I found it to be EXTREMELY reasonable to own considering its size and it being a beautifully illustrated hardcover. It makes a great companion to Rise of the Dragon that's displayed on my coffee table.
One of my favorite tales from Fire & Blood was the scandal of Saera Targaryen, one of the later children of King Jaehaerys and Queen Alysanne. Rise of the Dragon turns it from an engaging eleven-and-a-half pages (not including the great buildup and backstory of Saera before the scandal) to the equivalent of about 2-3 pages, which is too long to be a quick reference, but too short to get the real juicy details of the original (and yes, I literally flipped through the two books to count the number of pages, that's how crazy I am). The return of Aerea Targaryen, one of the biggest magical-lore reveals of Fire & Blood, is shortened to a single paragraph.
The main thing that bumps this up from 2-or-3 stars to 4 stars is the artwork. Since this is mainly just about the first half of the rule of the Targaryens, it is not as varied as World of Ice and Fire (which had some amazing pictures of not just the Iron Throne, but Casterly Rock, Braavos, Valyria, maps of the regions in Westeros, and more), so the images are mainly of Targaryen battles and their lives, but what they do have is gorgeous, and they really bring the story to life (there is one picture near the end of the Dance of the Dragons that is particularly horrific, at least to me, since it drives home how young these soldiers could be).
There are also some good quick notes between some of the paragraphs. When I was reading Fire & Blood, I thought it might be good to have a quick reference list of all of Jaehaerys's Seven Speakers who preached about Exceptionalism (so Targaryens could continue to marry their sibling, which ew, but it's good that there's an explanation on why they could keep doing it), and there is a great list on page 127. The small council that put Aegon II into power (recently shown in episode 9 of House of the Dragon) has a great list on page 202, naming each member and their titles). The book would probably be better if it was more of this stuff.
I've half-considered returning my copy, since there doesn't seem to be any new lore, and I can always read World of Ice and Fire for a quick reference, and Fire & Blood for details (as detailed as you can get in a purposefully-biased history). This is really only good as an art book (the art really is gorgeous), but for the written content, there are better places you can get it.
If You're a Collector: What I don't recommend is buying it from Amazon. It was important to me to get my hands on a first edition. A $60 tome of beautiful pictures & outstanding writing that one day will be worth much more. However, Amazon facilities don't respect the importance of how to deliver an item like this. When it arrived it wasn't wrapped, the edges weren't protected and it was just thrown in a box. As if I just bought a mass market paperback. The corners of my book were worn to the white underneath cover & there's scuffs on both covers where you can see scuffs. The box was too too big,leaving the book to freely slide all around. There were no air packs, bubble wrap or anything else to protect it. They aren't noticeable unless I point them out but that's beside my point. The options with Amazon are refund or exchange but I don't want either because I wanted mine to be among the earliest printed and build my own collection with the future volumes. I'm going to keep it. If you're buying the first edition as a collector, I do suggest purchasing it in an actual bookstore. That's what I'll be doing in the future. I look forward to the future volumes.
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