George R. R. Martin has resurfaced, and in classic GRRM fashion, his latest blog post from February 7 comes with travel, reflection, and a meaningful return to Westeros.
Martin revealed that he recently visited the set of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 2 while production was underway in Belfast, where the second season is adapting "The Sworn Sword," the second of his beloved Dunk and Egg novellas. The visit came during a whirlwind stretch of travel tied to promotion for the series, which debuted its first season this January on HBO.
GRRM's update reads less like a press release and more like a heartfelt check-in. He admits he's been largely absent from blogging not out of neglect, but exhaustion. Between deadlines, overlapping projects, extended travel, and the loss of close friends and creative peers, the past several months have weighed heavily on him. Even longtime rituals, like football posts about the Jets and Giants, fell by the wayside this year, something he jokes may have been for the best.
The trip back to Belfast, however, clearly struck a chord. Martin describes reconnecting with key figures behind the series, including showrunner Ira Parker, Peter Claffey (Dunk), Dexter Sol Ansell (Egg), and the broader production team bringing A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms to life. Season 2 is already deep into filming, and Martin's presence on set reinforces how personally invested he remains in this corner of his world. These stories feel more intimate than the sprawling Game of Thrones saga, and that intimacy seems reflected in how closely Martin is tracking their adaptation.
His travels didn't stop there. Over the past few months, Martin has bounced from Worldcon in Seattle to Bubonicon in Albuquerque, New York Comic Con, Oxford, London, Stratford-upon-Avon, and most recently Berlin, where he attended the world premiere of HBO's adaptation of "The Hedge Knight," which forms the basis of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1. It was his first visit to Germany in 25 years, a realization that visibly startled him, and a reminder of how quickly time continues to slip by.
Now back home in Santa Fe, Martin says he is easing back into routine, planning a series of shorter blog updates rather than one massive attempt to cover everything he's missed. It's a modest promise, but one that feels sincere. For fans eager for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, the biggest takeaway is simple: GRRM is watching closely, he's engaged, and Dunk and Egg's journey is very much alive.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms season 1 is now streaming on HBO, with new episodes premiering Sundays at 10:00 p.m. EST.