Countless books have been adapted into films and shows, and the authors haven't always been happy about the outcome. "Fire and Blood" author George R.R. Martin, however, thought that one addition to "House of the Dragon" was "brilliant."
George R.R. Martin Loved the Furry Addition
The first episode for the second season of "House of the Dragon" started out big with the introduction of Blood and Cheese, which has been teased by fans who have read the books and were excited to see how they would be portrayed.
They were hired by Daemon Targaryen to assassinate Aemond Targaryen as payback for him killing Lucerys Velaryon, which is why the episode was aptly titled "A Son for a Son." As the two hired killers navigate through the castle, we see Cheese carrying a dog with him.
Fans were outraged when he kicked the dog, and that's even after the two ended up beheading a young boy, Jaehaerys Targaryen after failing to locate the one-eyed prince. This angered King Aegon as they murdered the heir to the throne and his son.
With no clue as to who the Cheese really was and the only clue being that he was a ratcatcher, Aegon ordered all ratcatchers in King's Landing to be hanged. As we Cheese hanging from the rope, the camera pans to his loyal dog, saddened by the fact that his owner was gone.
Martin gave this four-legged character a shout-out in his "Not a Blog" post, praising the writers for adding a brand new character, as per Gizmodo. "I was prepared to hate Cheese, but I hated him even more when he kicked that dog."
The author explained: "The dog. I am... ahem... not usually a fan of screenwriters adding characters to the source material when adapting a story. Especially not when the source material is mine. But that dog was brilliant."
He then explained that when the dog sat at his feet gazing up at his deceased owner, "that damn near broke my heart." The dog's presence, even for a few short moments, "gave the ratcatcher so much humanity."
"Human beings are such complex creatures. The silent presence of that dog reminded us that even the worst of men, the vile and the venal, can love and be loved." Martin even made a point of saying he wished he thought of the dog, and while he didn't, he was glad that someone did.
His Reaction to the "Game of Thrones" Ending
We know that George R.R. Martin also wrote the novel series "Game of Thrones" was based on, but seeing as he has yet to release two more books to finish it, the writers for the base show had to get creative and write an ending of their own.
It's a well-known fact that the majority of the fan base hated the final season. Martin, however, seems to be okay with it as he has not voiced his disappointment all these years. In fact, he expressed his reaction towards those who were criticizing it.
As per Winter is Coming, Martin said: "If you don't like a show, don't watch it! How has everything become so toxic?" He even added that "social media has something to do with" people complaining about something they didn't like all the time.
