The Rise of the Dragon

An Illustrated History of the Targaryen Dynasty, Volume One

By: George R. R. Martin, Elio M. García Jr, Linda Antonsson

Narrated by: Harry Lloyd

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

Critic reviews

“Every page of this book is filled with something beautiful to look at . . . a book that any collector of fantasy and fantasy artwork should have on their shelves.”—Forbes

“A breathtaking look at the Targaryen Dynasty.”—Collider

nothing new

I didn't personally pick up on any new information. This is just more to the point version of fire and blood.

Spoiler alert: EVERYONE DIES. lol

If you’re a GoT geek, you’ll love this. It is an animated genealogy of The Seven Kingdoms, but do know that this is not a story with a plot.

Dragons

I hope they add more from the books too the show not the dragon ending I know it’s coming but still

The storytelling

I liked that the narrator made the information sound interesting, they could’ve easily made it sound like an encyclopedia.

I was picturing it in my head

the book is great the reader made me feel as if I was watching it play out on screen