n e r d l i v e s

View from the Gutter: Hedge Knight
by Tobiah Panshin

A young man stands by the side of the road. Born to humble origins, with nothing left to him in the world except a sword, a horse, and a handful of coins, he contemplates his future; totally unaware of what fate has in store for him. There's nary a more classic opening in all the realms of fiction, and it's where we our hero, a young knight with more heart than brains. Adapted from the short story by fantasy favorite George R.R. Martin, this week we're looking at The Hedge Knight.

For those who are unfamiliar with Martin's amazing series of fantasy novels, collectively known as A Song of Fire and Ice, let me first say for shame. That being said, here's a bit of background: The series takes place on the continent of Westros, in a world not to dissimilar to our own, except for the seasons lasting years instead of months. On this world it's roughly the middle ages. Knights and Castles and Damsels in a distress. The whole Arthurian bit. Not an elf or wizard for hundreds of miles, and thank goodness for that.

Set 100 years before the novels, The Hedge Knight is the story of Sir Duncan the Tall, also known as Dunk the Lunk. Following the death of his master Ser Arlan of Pennytree, Dunk is faced with a hard choice. He can sell his master's horses and arms, and live a life of ease for a few years, or give himself a title of knight—which his master surely would have given him, eventually—and seek his fortune.

You can have 3 guesses which he chooses, and two don't count. Armed with a sword tied on with a length of rope, and little else, Dunk sets off for a nearby joust. Unfortunately fate has a habit of getting in the way, and soon Dunk finds himself up to his armpits in lost princes, duels of honor, and something of a murky line of succession to the throne.

Anyone familiar with Martin's writing will see it shine through strongly in this adaptation, with much of the original narration intact, and his ever present attention to detail. Astute reader many notice a number of cameos from the books.

The story is beautifully penciled by Mike S. Miller and inked by Mike Crowell. The art is detailed without being overly busy or confusing, and the action sequences are dynamic and fast paced. The work on the knights is especially interesting, with the various styles of armor and the many many hereldric icons, a chart of which is provided in the back of the book; an incredibly handy reference for those unfamiliar with the series, and interesting for fans who have seen these things described many times but never had a clear picture in their heads.

All in all a fun read, and a breath of fresh air among the many indistinguishable fantasy comic books on the market today. Pick of the collection—either the original Devil's Due Publishing edition or the newer hardback republished by Marvel Comics. And if you enjoyed Hedge Knight, check out the sequel, Sworn Sword, currently out in monthly issues also from Marvel.