What do I need to know about Dunk and Egg?

[hiphopcr]

I've read the first 5 books of ASOIAF and now I'm starting The Hedge Knight. I know it was written quite a while ago. Is there anything I need to know to frame the story (something like AFFC and ADWD are actually concurrent stories that are separated by geography only until about 80% into book 5 when the stories merge)?

And nothing spoilery please

[Vaxis]

There isn't really anything you need to know beforehand, it's easy to jump in right away.

For a bit of context, it begins about 90 years before the beginning of A Game of Thrones, during the reign of Daeron II the Good. A few years prior, the realm integrated Dorne into the kingdom by marriage, and suffered the bloody and divisive First Blackfyre Rebellion not long after. The realm is in a period of recovery.

[hiphopcr]

Ah thanks that's helpful.

Is Daeron II the Good the one before Aegon?

[Vaxis]

Daeron II is the firstborn legitmate son and heir to Aegon IV.

Daerons sons are Baelor "Breakspear", Aerys, Rhaegel, and Maekar, and all but Aerys have sons of their own, so Daeron is in his old age at this point.

[hiphopcr]

Finished the 3 novelas.. it was fun to jump back into Westeros!

PROS:
* Dunk and Egg are both very likable characters with great chemistry in Book 1
* The reveal on what Egg's name is short for was nerdgasm inducing
* Fun, small story with some nice background on the ancestors of many GoT's characters
* Great insights into the very divisive Blackfyre rebellion
* Appearances by Brynden Rivers the Bloodraven (and eventual Three Eyed Crow!) and a 4-year old Walder Frey

CONS:
* Dunk was a dick to Egg starting in Book 2 and their banter wasn't nearly as enjoyable, as he spent 90% of their conversations chastising Egg. If I hear "clout on the ear" one more time...
* Dunk spends every battle getting the crud beat out of him and barely surviving at the last second. I felt like the same battle played out 3 or 4 times in a row.
* Why does everyone want to fight Dunk as soon as they see him? You don't see people challenging The Mountain non-stop.

[WizztheSmith]

[Azizal]

It's funny to think about the Mountain... It's confusing. We've seen three different versions of him on the show, and it's hard to imagine him from the description in the books because there are almost no human beings like him in real life.

But really, he's a full FOOT (30.5 cm) taller than Dunk, and probably outweighs him by a significant amount too.

Damn, he's big.

[simwolfe]

Even though confusing but still it makes sense for me.