House of the Dragon: George R.R. Martin’s deleted post sparks debate among fans | Filmymeet

George R.R. Martin, the celebrated author behind ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’, has once again stirred up debate among fans after he briefly posted, then deleted, a blog entry criticizing the adaptation of his book ‘Fire & Blood’, which serves as the basis for ‘House of the Dragon’. Although Martin quickly removed the post, fans were quick to capture screenshots and archive the content, allowing the controversy to spread widely across the internet.
What was in George R.R. Martin’s deleted post?
In his now-deleted post, George R.R. Martin expressed his dissatisfaction with the removal of a seemingly insignificant character, Maelor, from the ‘House of the Dragon’ storyline. Maelor is a young child in the book whose death sets the stage for one of the series’ most traumatic events: the ‘Blood and Cheese’ scene. Martin argued that although Maelor’s role might seem minor, his presence and ultimate fate have a significant emotional impact on the plot.
“It’s simplest, yes, and may make sense in terms of budgets and shooting schedules. But simpler is not better,” Martin wrote, addressing the decision to cut the character. He continued, “Maelor by himself means little. He is a small child, does not have a line of dialogue, does nothing of consequence but die… but where and when and how, that does matter.”
According to George, omitting Maelor from the storyline could have a “butterfly effect” on future plot twists, altering the narrative and weakening its emotional depth. He went on to warn that this was just one of many “toxic” changes being made to the story, which could have long-term consequences for the series.

Implications for the show’s future
Beyond his concerns about specific plot changes, Martin’s blog post also touched on broader issues with the direction of ‘House of the Dragon’. Despite handpicking showrunner Ryan Condal to lead the adaptation, Martin suggested that there was no clear plan for Season 3. His criticism of Condal’s approach fueled speculation that creative differences are brewing behind the scenes of the hit series.

The timing of George’s post added another layer of intrigue. The blog was published on the same day that Condal gave an interview on the official ‘Game of Thrones’ podcast, which was promptly picked up by fans and circulated online. Many fans noted the unfortunate overlap, with some even speculating about a possible rift between the author and the showrunner.
Fans’ reactions to George R.R. Martin’s deleted post
As expected, the fandom was quick to react. Some fans appreciated Martin’s candor, finding his concerns about the show’s deviations from the source material valid. For them, the removal of Maelor represents a larger trend of simplifying complex plots in adaptations, which they believe could dilute the essence of Martin’s intricate storytelling.
Others, however, were puzzled by Martin’s focus on such a small detail, especially when there are numerous other deviations from the book that have gone unmentioned. For instance, ‘House of the Dragon’ has given characters like Rhaenyra Targaryen (played by Emma D’Arcy) and Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) more nuanced, sympathetic roles compared to their portrayals in ‘Fire & Blood’. Additionally, several characters from the book have been left out entirely in the adaptation.

Some fans also viewed Martin’s post as a sign of the ongoing tension between authors and the television adaptations of their works. While Martin has been involved in the production of ‘House of the Dragon’, the degree of creative control he holds over the series is unclear. This blog post, even though deleted, suggests that he may not always agree with the showrunners’ decisions.