If you’re a fan of A Song of Ice and Fire, then you’ve likely heard about The Sworn Sword. It’s one of the many books that George R.R. Martin has written throughout his career and it’s been adapted into an HBO series as well. But what is The Sworn Sword? How does it stand up to its parent series? And more importantly… how does it compare with other fantasy novels?
The Sworn Sword is just a wonderful story.
The Sworn Sword is a wonderful story. It has well-developed characters and an exciting plot with plenty of action. Martin’s writing style is also very efficient, which makes it easy to read through the book in one sitting. If you’re looking for an example of fantasy literature that will keep your interest from beginning to end, then this should be your choice!
It’s set in the same time period as A Song of Ice and Fire
The Sworn Sword is set in the same time period as A Song of Ice and Fire, but it’s not a direct sequel to Martin’s fantasy series. The story takes place in the Seven Kingdoms, which was created by George R.R. Martin for his epic fantasy novels that have been turned into HBO television series Game of Thrones (2011- ). In this world, there are seven kingdoms that are divided among themselves by rivalries and conflicts with each other:
- The crowning House Targaryen rules Highgarden, a port city located on an island off the coast of Westeros;
- King Robert Baratheon rules from Storm’s End castle;
The Sworn Sword is about Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire, Egg, two fictional characters that are referenced in the main series.
The Sworn Sword is about Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire, Egg, two fictional characters that are referenced in the main series. In it, they travel to Sevenstreams Castle as part of a diplomatic mission to King’s Landing. There they meet with several other knights who are also on their way back from war-torn lands. Together these men form an unlikely fellowship as they explore this new world together while searching for adventure and glory on behalf of their king.
Duncan is a famous knight who has seen much combat during his time fighting alongside Robert Baratheon against Robb Stark at Riverrun during Robert’s Rebellion before becoming involved in The War Of Five Kings when he helped fight off Stannis Baratheon’s army at Storm’s End during The War For The North (also known as “The Long Night”).
Egg is also known throughout Westeros because he was trained by some ancient maester under Maester Luwin himself who gave him wisdom beyond his years.
It’s unique to see this war from the perspective of the small folk, who are shown to be just as cunning and adaptive as their lords, if not more so.
It’s unique to see this war from the perspective of the small folk, who are shown to be just as cunning and adaptive as their lords, if not more so. In fact, there’s a subtle but powerful commentary about how humans adapt in times of crisis—something that George R.R. Martin has been known for throughout his career. We see this when Bran Stark’s best friend Rickon Stark is kidnapped by Wildling raiders and taken north into enemy territory (a fate which ultimately befalls him). The Small Folk are resourceful enough that they can make it through even without men like Jojen Reed or Meera Reed by their side; they’re also resourceful enough that they can find ways around obstacles like rivers or mountains between them and their enemies (something we’ll discuss later).
Ser Eustace Osgrey is an excellent villain.
Ser Eustace Osgrey is an excellent villain. He is not a bad person, but he’s certainly not good either. In fact, he has a lot of interesting character traits that make him very unique and memorable to the reader.
For one thing, Ser Eustace is different from most villains in that he actually cares about what happens to people around him—even if it means sacrificing himself or others in order to achieve his goals (such as killing Jon Arryn). As such, he seems like more than just an antagonist; instead, you can see yourself identifying with him at some point during your reading journey through A Song of Ice and Fire!
Ser Eustace is not only a liar, but he’s a bad one.
One of the most important things to remember when reading The Sworn Sword is that Ser Eustace is not only a liar, but he’s a bad one. This means that while he may be able to convince you of his lies, you’ll know something isn’t right about them if they don’t ring true with your own experiences or knowledge of the world.
The reason for this is simple: Ser Eustace really does have so little experience with lying that he doesn’t know how to do it well enough for others not to notice when he’s doing it wrong. You see this in two ways: firstly, by looking at what kind of lies Ser Eustace tells (and how often), and secondly through examining how easily these same people can tell when someone else has lied (or told an untruth).
Egbert, (Egg) lives up to his name by being incredibly smart for someone his age.
Egg is a smart kid. He knows how to solve problems and make things happen, which makes him a good friend. He’s also brave, loyal to his lord and willing to put his life on the line for those he cares about.
Egg isn’t just your average farm boy; he has a lot of skills that make him stand out from other people his age.
He cares deeply for his lord and wants to help him even when he isn’t sure how to go about it.
In the first few chapters of The Sworn Sword, we meet Egg, who is a loyal squire. He wants to help his lord in any way he can, even if that means being an errand boy or standing guard at night. He also doesn’t hesitate when it comes time for him to admit that he doesn’t know something—Egg knows what needs doing and will do everything possible within his power (and sometimes beyond) because he cares deeply about his lord and wants nothing more than for him to succeed in whatever task lies ahead.
Egg and Duncan’s relationship is absolutely delightful to read about.
Egg and Duncan’s relationship is absolutely delightful to read about. They are opposites in many ways, which means they have plenty of arguments and disagreements, but they also support each other when times get tough. Both Egg and Duncan have a strong sense of duty and loyalty to the other, as well as caring deeply for one another—a feeling that speaks volumes about them as characters!
If you are a fan of A Song of Ice and Fire, you will likely love this story!
If you are a fan of A Song of Ice and Fire, you will likely love this story! The Sworn Sword is an excellent read that takes place during the same time period as Martin’s epic fantasy series. It follows Duncan the Tall and his squire Egg, two fictional characters who are referenced in many different places throughout ASOIAF.
The Sworn Sword tells the story of how Duncan became Lord Commander at Harrenhal after saving King Aerys II Targaryen from death at the hands of Robert Baratheon at Kings Landing during Robert’s Rebellion (the third book).
Conclusion
I really enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys A Song of Ice and Fire. It’s a new perspective on what makes some people commit terrible crimes, but also highlights how important our families are.
