Check out the European cover of George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood

Recently, author George R.R. Martin announced the release date of Fire & Blood, Volume 1, the first of two books exploring the history of House Targaryen. He also gave us a look at the book’s US cover:

Not for the first time, that insignia makes me think of a dragon fidget spinner.

Fire & Blood is “written” by Archmaester Gyldayn of the Citadel, so you needn’t take everything he says at face value. As we’ve learned, the archmaesters are far from infallible. The official synopsis for the book is thus:

"Centuries before the events of A Game of Thrones, House Targaryen—the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria—took up residence on Dragonstone. Fire and Blood begins their tale with the legendary Aegon the Conqueror, creator of the Iron Throne, and goes on to recount the generations of Targaryens who fought to hold that iconic seat, all the way up to the civil war that nearly tore their dynasty apart.What really happened during the Dance of the Dragons? Why did it become so deadly to visit Valyria after the Doom? What is the origin of Daenerys’s three dragon eggs? These are but a few of the questions answered in this essential chronicle, as related by a learned maester of the Citadel and featuring more than eighty all-new black-and-white illustrations by artist Doug Wheatley. Readers have glimpsed small parts of this narrative in such volumes as The World of Ice & Fire, but now, for the first time, the full tapestry of Targaryen history is revealed."

Then, on Wednesday, a video revealing the European cover appeared on the Facebook page A Game of Thrones – A Song of Ice and Fire by George R R Martin. Check it out:

This cover goes a little more traditional, with a proper dragon in the center. Although, is it just me, or does the reveal give off some heavy Avengers: Infinity War vibes?

Kidding aside, the cover looks solid. And you can tell it’s European because of the way the release date is written.

Fire & Blood, Volume 1 will be released on November 20. You can pick up the hardcover version at Barnes & Noble for $22.46. Or, if you live in the UK, you can get it for £12.50 at Waterstones. Pre-order your copy now.

Next: A large green screen dragon rig has arrived on the King’s Landing set

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