Fire & Blood is a book by A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin. But it's not a novel; it's a "fake history book" written in character as someone named Archmaester Gyldayn, who's sifting through the historical record generations after the fact. All told, the book takes us through well over one hundred years of Targaryen history, starting with Aegon I Targaryen's conquest of the Seven Kingdoms and concluding with the Dance of the Dragons, a brutal civil war fought between rival factions of the Targaryen dynasty, then at the height of its power.
If that sounds familiar, it's because HBO is in the midst of adapting that section of Fire & Blood as House of the Dragon, which is between seasons at the moment. Now, the Folio Society is releasing a lavish, 616-page new edition of the book, complete with artwork by Audrey Benjaminsen as well as printed endpapers, black and gold printing throughout, and an illustrated slipcase. This is the ultimate version of Fire & Blood for any superfan. Check out some images:
Why is this person holding their copy of Fire & Blood behind their back? Because they're trying to hide it from you. Don't let them.
The inside of the book also looks splendid:
This last illustration appears to be of Nettles, a beloved character from Fire & Blood whom it looks like we're not going to see in House of the Dragon, just one of the great many changes the show has made from the book.
Let's look a little closer at Audrey Benjaminsen's illustrations, starting with this one of Daemon Targaryen (played by Matt Smith in House of the Dragon) in front of a weirwood tree:
I love this very severe, heavy metal picture of Rhaenyra Targaryen (played by Emma D'Arcy on the TV show) sitting on the Iron Throne, her hands bloody from the blades that have cut her:
Fire & Blood contains more than just the Dance of the Dragons. If I had to guess, I'd say that this is an illustration of young King Jaehaerys Targaryen and his wife the Lady Alysanne, who are dead by the time the main events of House of the Dragon kick off:
This new edition of Fire & Blood will be available on January 28 for $150. As for the third season of House of the Dragon, we probably won't be watching that until sometime in 2026.
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