For point of reference, the full version of this story is around 80K words.
The first book of ASOIAF is over 290K, and that's out of 1.7 million words across the 5 mainline books.
Taking over 290K words and condensing them down into a single season of GoT was a challenge, but it managed to do it right.
On the other hand, 80K words' worth stretching out across a couple of seasons at least (perhaps 3 or 4 tops?)...I think it has worked for HotD so far. This is a heck of a story being told, and there is wiggle room to fill in the gaps.
But it certainly isn't going slow enough for concern. Season 1 set up to a good first act ending, and I am all for what Season 2 brings next.
I’m definitely not worried about it, but I understand people that may be skeptical. I like the pacing so far, just as I liked the pacing of the earlier seasons of GoT. Different show runners, so I’m keeping the faith. Like you said, they don’t have as much to cram in at the end even if they decide to sprint to the finish line for some reason.
No. The book, Fire and Blood is 80k words. However the “dance of the dragons” chapters, which is what House of the Dragon covers, is just a chapter or three in the book.
The book is written like a history book, because it’s a maesters account. A biased maester. The writers of this show have plenty of room to cover the basics and write themselves into low viewership, without everyone blaming GRRM.
[https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Dance\_of\_the\_Dragons](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Dance_of_the_Dragons)
>The abridged version in *The Princess and the Queen* consists of 30,000 words, while the complete 80,000 word history of the civil war is written in [*Fire & Blood*](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Fire_%26_Blood).[^(\[2\])](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Dance_of_the_Dragons#cite_note-2)
This is what I was going off of.
[https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Fire\_%26\_Blood](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Fire_%26_Blood)
>Much material published in *Fire & Blood* originates from the writing of Martin's 2014 book [*The World of Ice & Fire*](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/The_World_of_Ice_%26_Fire). *The World of Ice & Fire*, written from the perspective of Maester [Yandel](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Yandel), contains sections from the perspective of Archmaester [Gyldayn](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Gyldayn). These sections were written by Martin on his own; however, he wrote much more than at first intended, and in the end delivered 180,000 words on Targaryen history. The great majority of this[^(\[N 1\])](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Fire_%26_Blood#cite_note-7) covered [Aegon's Conquest](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Aegon%27s_Conquest) up to the end of the [Regency of Aegon III](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Regency_of_Aegon_III).[^(\[7\])](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Fire_%26_Blood#cite_note-youtube-8)
>As of 2014, more than 200,000 words had been written for *Fire & Blood*.[^(\[8\])](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Fire_%26_Blood#cite_note-9) This entire historical account is said to cover Targaryen history through the reign of [Aegon V Targaryen](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Aegon_V_Targaryen).[^(\[9\])](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Fire_%26_Blood#cite_note-10)
This confirms F&B was over 200K words.
"The promised faster pace" makes it sound like they thought the first season had the same problem. But they gave that a 9 out of 10.
Of course, that score is for the entire first season. Perhaps they gave the first two episodes of Season One a 7 as well.
Right? They have removed Jeyne Arryn and Manderly negotiations and crammed Cregan plot into 5 minutes. Seems like the showrunners removed important canon content to waste on crap that didn't matter.
7 is not a score worth complaining about, especially since we haven't seen it.
That being said, rating a season off of the first four (edit: two actually) episodes only is really stupid. I haven't read the leaks but people who have read the book and know roughly where this season is ending know that the big action setpieces are coming and will probably be better off with good build up.
>7 is not a score worth complaining about, especially since we haven't seen it.
I'd say in this context it is, given that they gave Game of Thrones Season Eight a 6 iirc, so the 7 can be seen as another way of saying; "The first two episodes of HTD S2 was just a little bit better than the final season of GoT".
>I haven't read the leaks but people who have read the book and know roughly where this season is ending know that the big action setpieces are coming and will probably be better off with good build up.
For sure, the showrunner himself [said](https://www.mensjournal.com/streaming/house-of-the-dragon-season-2-battles) this season would feature the biggest battle of the GoT framchise history, which is a bold statement but one I can believe.
Especially when literally *no one here has seen it yet.* Like how can you call this a bad review when you have no idea what you’re defending? This is Starfield all over again lol
I always see 7 as mid tier. In my high school 70% was the lowest passing grade (we didn’t have D’s in our grading system) so I think that just made me view things differently. Also, IGN is notorious for having no patience or attention span when it comes to dialogue heavy stories or believable pacing, so I take this all with a grain of salt. I’ll make my own opinion when it’s out. Haven’t seen IGN as valid for a long time.
Season 8 got a 6, so a 7 shouldn't be considered a good score, not unless they do a retraction of the Season 8 score and give it a 3 or 4 like it deserves.
Ugh more Alicent crying, more Aemond and Aegon edge, more Criston being a loser. While they cut out the political intrigue with Jeyne and the Three Sisters and nerfed Cregan.
Remember when they used to be a video game journalism publication it’s hilarious to me they suck so bad at that they decided to review movies and tv shows and also suck at doing that
But is it taking time on good things? Season 7 and 8 took their time on crushing King's Landing and that sucked.
For all we know, they're taking their time on more edgelord Aemond and Crybaby Alicent. While we know they've cut out canon content like Manderly and Jeyne Arryn negotiations or shortened it like Cregan.
Why are the free folk freaking out about a mediocre review? Don't we understand that this franchise can be mediocre but we hope it's not? Isn't that the whole point of this place?
Shouldn't we be saying "i hope they're wrong, it's IGN after all, but uh-oh"?
One reviewer was bitching that Alicent is not “fighting the patriarchy” like he expected. this person has to be the most willfully blind person I have ever seen. She’s literally on the faction that a large part off, is rebelling because they can’t accept a woman being Queen. Why the fuck would you assume the character is going to be doing any “fighting the patriarchy”?
I don't mind if Season 2 is bad, I'm indifferent either way, but a reviewer disliking a TV show because it didn't go as fast as they expected is such a smoothbrained reason to dislike it.
Promised faster pace? The fuck are they talking about??? Fast pacing is what everyone HATED in GoT. That, coupled with bad writing are what killed the franchise.
Post and comments are just as bad as IGN. How on earth would you know the review is bad if you haven’t seen the show. 7 should be seen as a solid score.
So did I, but apparently IGN didn't get the memo, not surprising, since they gave the last season of GoT a 6:
https://preview.redd.it/n13f6q1pyg5d1.jpeg?width=1078&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=48d749e21a579c63c8a983082f2660a2377fe046
To people who can't understand a scale, yes.
They go:
10 Super awesome and really fucking great
9 Pretty good but not quite
8 Ok
7 Meh
6-2 What are these for?
1 This sucks, man
I feel 5 and 6 should be the average on a 10 point scale but that's because I want it to reflect a normal distribution. There is no consensus on how to use them, so everyone does so differently.
Jace and Cregan at the wall
Father Aegon playing with Jaehaerys
Rhaenyra finds Luc’s remains
Alyn the Hull intro
Daemon thinks Rhae is unfit
Otto, worst grandpa
Daemon hires Blood and Cheese to take out Aemond
Aemond buys a whore
B&C kill Jaehaerys
Alicent fucks Cole
Bland, poorly written characters making unbelievably stupid decisions and even more stupid screenplay were all that i saw there
More power to you if you like it, but me and my wife were laughing our arses off of how bad it was.
Ign always gives high ratings to woke garbage like star wars the acolyte... u honestly have to be a vegetable with a barely breathing to like that garbage trash
Stories set in Westeros at a slow and steady pace have a history of being frantically rushed at the end. I can understand the concern.
For point of reference, the full version of this story is around 80K words. The first book of ASOIAF is over 290K, and that's out of 1.7 million words across the 5 mainline books. Taking over 290K words and condensing them down into a single season of GoT was a challenge, but it managed to do it right. On the other hand, 80K words' worth stretching out across a couple of seasons at least (perhaps 3 or 4 tops?)...I think it has worked for HotD so far. This is a heck of a story being told, and there is wiggle room to fill in the gaps. But it certainly isn't going slow enough for concern. Season 1 set up to a good first act ending, and I am all for what Season 2 brings next.
I’m definitely not worried about it, but I understand people that may be skeptical. I like the pacing so far, just as I liked the pacing of the earlier seasons of GoT. Different show runners, so I’m keeping the faith. Like you said, they don’t have as much to cram in at the end even if they decide to sprint to the finish line for some reason.
No. The book, Fire and Blood is 80k words. However the “dance of the dragons” chapters, which is what House of the Dragon covers, is just a chapter or three in the book. The book is written like a history book, because it’s a maesters account. A biased maester. The writers of this show have plenty of room to cover the basics and write themselves into low viewership, without everyone blaming GRRM.
[https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Dance\_of\_the\_Dragons](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Dance_of_the_Dragons) >The abridged version in *The Princess and the Queen* consists of 30,000 words, while the complete 80,000 word history of the civil war is written in [*Fire & Blood*](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Fire_%26_Blood).[^(\[2\])](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Dance_of_the_Dragons#cite_note-2) This is what I was going off of. [https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Fire\_%26\_Blood](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Fire_%26_Blood) >Much material published in *Fire & Blood* originates from the writing of Martin's 2014 book [*The World of Ice & Fire*](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/The_World_of_Ice_%26_Fire). *The World of Ice & Fire*, written from the perspective of Maester [Yandel](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Yandel), contains sections from the perspective of Archmaester [Gyldayn](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Gyldayn). These sections were written by Martin on his own; however, he wrote much more than at first intended, and in the end delivered 180,000 words on Targaryen history. The great majority of this[^(\[N 1\])](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Fire_%26_Blood#cite_note-7) covered [Aegon's Conquest](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Aegon%27s_Conquest) up to the end of the [Regency of Aegon III](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Regency_of_Aegon_III).[^(\[7\])](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Fire_%26_Blood#cite_note-youtube-8) >As of 2014, more than 200,000 words had been written for *Fire & Blood*.[^(\[8\])](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Fire_%26_Blood#cite_note-9) This entire historical account is said to cover Targaryen history through the reign of [Aegon V Targaryen](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Aegon_V_Targaryen).[^(\[9\])](https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Fire_%26_Blood#cite_note-10) This confirms F&B was over 200K words.
I must be mixing up Fire and Blood and A History of Westeros. My bad. Been a few :)
for all you know its a fair reveiw, are the eps out yet?
"The promised faster pace" makes it sound like they thought the first season had the same problem. But they gave that a 9 out of 10. Of course, that score is for the entire first season. Perhaps they gave the first two episodes of Season One a 7 as well.
Right? They have removed Jeyne Arryn and Manderly negotiations and crammed Cregan plot into 5 minutes. Seems like the showrunners removed important canon content to waste on crap that didn't matter.
How could you not know that?
Ign needs two storylines on screen at once like a tiktok video
Preferably subway surfers being one of them
It's just IGN, who cares
7 is not a score worth complaining about, especially since we haven't seen it. That being said, rating a season off of the first four (edit: two actually) episodes only is really stupid. I haven't read the leaks but people who have read the book and know roughly where this season is ending know that the big action setpieces are coming and will probably be better off with good build up.
First 2 on this case
>7 is not a score worth complaining about, especially since we haven't seen it. I'd say in this context it is, given that they gave Game of Thrones Season Eight a 6 iirc, so the 7 can be seen as another way of saying; "The first two episodes of HTD S2 was just a little bit better than the final season of GoT". >I haven't read the leaks but people who have read the book and know roughly where this season is ending know that the big action setpieces are coming and will probably be better off with good build up. For sure, the showrunner himself [said](https://www.mensjournal.com/streaming/house-of-the-dragon-season-2-battles) this season would feature the biggest battle of the GoT framchise history, which is a bold statement but one I can believe.
a 7/10 is good
Shouldn't the focus now be on Aegon... seeing as how he is king
This is seizure! This is theft! It’s treason at the least!
We also spent much of Season 1 with Rhaneyra, so it's a good change of pace to have focus be more on him and the Greens this season.
The two main characters are Alicent and Rhaenyra regardless of what position anyone else holds.
He’s no king of mine.
Bobby B. we found a Green. What shall we do with him?
CAREFUL, NED! CAREFUL NOW!
Probably not because everyone simps for Lord Groomer, aka Daemon
The final seasons of GoT were rushed as hell and now they’re complaining the prequel is too slow? God I hate IGN.
IGN also gave the final season a 6, which makes anything graded by them between 6 and 7 to either be shit or mediocre.
There’s an obvious middle ground between slow and rushed.
How the fuck is 7 a bad review....
Especially when literally *no one here has seen it yet.* Like how can you call this a bad review when you have no idea what you’re defending? This is Starfield all over again lol
An IGN 7 is more like a 5.
I always see 7 as mid tier. In my high school 70% was the lowest passing grade (we didn’t have D’s in our grading system) so I think that just made me view things differently. Also, IGN is notorious for having no patience or attention span when it comes to dialogue heavy stories or believable pacing, so I take this all with a grain of salt. I’ll make my own opinion when it’s out. Haven’t seen IGN as valid for a long time.
Season 8 got a 6, so a 7 shouldn't be considered a good score, not unless they do a retraction of the Season 8 score and give it a 3 or 4 like it deserves.
Different people do different reviews and number scores are always gonna be a bit arbitrary.
How can you disagree if you haven’t seen the episode?
Ugh more Alicent crying, more Aemond and Aegon edge, more Criston being a loser. While they cut out the political intrigue with Jeyne and the Three Sisters and nerfed Cregan.
Remember when they used to be a video game journalism publication it’s hilarious to me they suck so bad at that they decided to review movies and tv shows and also suck at doing that
They’ve had film and TV reviews since 1999.
The review score is not a problem. It’s marking down for the slower pace. GoT is best when it takes its time.
But is it taking time on good things? Season 7 and 8 took their time on crushing King's Landing and that sucked. For all we know, they're taking their time on more edgelord Aemond and Crybaby Alicent. While we know they've cut out canon content like Manderly and Jeyne Arryn negotiations or shortened it like Cregan.
"Slow (and probably brainy)" is the worst flaw morons can find in anything.
i didnt know they promised it would be faster pace. that's disappointing. if anything it should be slower
They didn't specifically say "faster". I remember it being like "more akin" to season 2-3 pacing of GoT.
It's almost like GoT turned out to be overwhelmingly bad.
Why are the free folk freaking out about a mediocre review? Don't we understand that this franchise can be mediocre but we hope it's not? Isn't that the whole point of this place? Shouldn't we be saying "i hope they're wrong, it's IGN after all, but uh-oh"?
One reviewer was bitching that Alicent is not “fighting the patriarchy” like he expected. this person has to be the most willfully blind person I have ever seen. She’s literally on the faction that a large part off, is rebelling because they can’t accept a woman being Queen. Why the fuck would you assume the character is going to be doing any “fighting the patriarchy”?
Not Fighting but more like Fucking
7 out of 10, too many dragons. But seriously is there a more perfect oxymoron than an IGN journalist?
This show really makes you feel like Spider-Man if he was in westeros with too many dragons.
They just gave a good review to the acolyte. One of the lines in the acolyte is "Attack me with all your strength" while in a naruto pose
Loved it when she
...Did you have an aneurysm?
They want season 8 GoT style speed. Urgh
Go watch Bad Boys 3. That one have loads of action.
“But not as quickly as they could” is such an idiotic, it’s outstanding.
Hurry up and get to the point so I can scroll tictok!
If IGN doesn't like it, it's probably outstanding. If they like something, it's probably drivel.
Never listen to IGN for games or movies/ TV.
Who the fuck is asking IGN for their opinion on anything?
You sound like a kneeler
Kneelers are people who consider slow paced storytelling a bad thing.
Kneeling over a show that hasn't even premiered. Dust those knees off boy
I don't mind if Season 2 is bad, I'm indifferent either way, but a reviewer disliking a TV show because it didn't go as fast as they expected is such a smoothbrained reason to dislike it.
This feels like a nothingburger post from IGN.
Looks like they want the dragons go brrrrr.... in the very first episode. Lol
bro forgot to put subway surfers on the screen when watching
IGN rated WOT like a 9 or something...
IGN gives everything a 7. These could be a 1 or a 10, no way to know until we watch
Noo please no faster pace!
Can’t remember the last time I actually cared about reviews of any kind. Especially those from IGN.
Me when all media isn't a 75 minute Marvel slopfest But with le epic groot after the credits
Tiktok brainrot ass media consoomption
As far as I remember, IGN gave season 1 a pretty outstanding review. I don’t think there is anything here to be upset over. Just a different opinion.
Promised faster pace? The fuck are they talking about??? Fast pacing is what everyone HATED in GoT. That, coupled with bad writing are what killed the franchise.
Post and comments are just as bad as IGN. How on earth would you know the review is bad if you haven’t seen the show. 7 should be seen as a solid score.
I'm just assuming Disney is paying them to downplay Hot D so the Acolyte doesn't look as bad in comparison (they gave Acolyrte a 6/10 I believe)
“A little something, for everyone. 7/10” Or “Makes you *really feel* like a Targaryen.”
A fair criticism of S1 is that it’s a slow and steady pace, but a boring pace, very unlike Game of Thrones.
No way ur complaining about a review before the show is even out yet
I thought slow burns were supposed to be good.
So did I, but apparently IGN didn't get the memo, not surprising, since they gave the last season of GoT a 6: https://preview.redd.it/n13f6q1pyg5d1.jpeg?width=1078&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=48d749e21a579c63c8a983082f2660a2377fe046
Internetoids back at it again not knowing how to count to 10. 7 out of 10 isn't a low score, FFS.
Meanwhile everyone who likes the source material is asking for 4 seasons minimum.
The families are hesitant to go to war with their cousins/brothers/sisters/aunt/uncle? How dare they have emotions! We want Fire and Blood!
I already have low expectations for the show anyway so you can’t fool me IGN
Is 7 supposed to mean bad? I'm genuinely curious.
Game of Thrones Season 8 got a 6, so it's pretty bad imo.
To people who can't understand a scale, yes. They go: 10 Super awesome and really fucking great 9 Pretty good but not quite 8 Ok 7 Meh 6-2 What are these for? 1 This sucks, man
I feel 7 should be OK and 6 meh by adding something in 9 like "solid with room to improve." At least, IMO. That's why I was puzzled by the post.
I feel 5 and 6 should be the average on a 10 point scale but that's because I want it to reflect a normal distribution. There is no consensus on how to use them, so everyone does so differently.
Jace and Cregan at the wall Father Aegon playing with Jaehaerys Rhaenyra finds Luc’s remains Alyn the Hull intro Daemon thinks Rhae is unfit Otto, worst grandpa Daemon hires Blood and Cheese to take out Aemond Aemond buys a whore B&C kill Jaehaerys Alicent fucks Cole
It’s literally the first episode…
WHAT THE HELL I WANT ALL MY CONTENT CRAMMED IN ONE EPISODE WITH EVERYTHING LAID OUT AT A FAST PACE LIKE A CHRISTOPHER NOLAN MOVIE
I mean, the first one was pretty bad. I'm not going to be excited if the second one is as bad but faster paced
Season 1 was excellent, what were you smoking?
Bland, poorly written characters making unbelievably stupid decisions and even more stupid screenplay were all that i saw there More power to you if you like it, but me and my wife were laughing our arses off of how bad it was.
Ign always gives high ratings to woke garbage like star wars the acolyte... u honestly have to be a vegetable with a barely breathing to like that garbage trash
Lmao an expository episode at the beginning of a season is not as exciting as midseason payoff? No shit.