One of the signs of a well-developed fantasy world is that the author isn't confined to the present -- they can spin stories from centuries ago, and it still fits their world perfectly. Such a tale can be found in the adventures of Dunk and Egg, which takes place a century before the events of George R. R. Martin's epic A Song Of Ice And Fire series. "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" brings together all three of those tales -- the story of a struggling hedge knight and his faithful yet snarky squire, both of whom are more than they appear. 
 In "The Hedge Knight," Dunk has spent most of his life as the squire to an aging hedge knight. But his master eventually dies, leaving him a sword, some old armor, a pair of horses and a handful of coins. He is determined to make a name for himself at a tourney, and hopefully be hired by some lord -- despite the annoyingly outspoken boy named Egg who is following him, hoping to become his squire. 
 But when Dunk arrives at the tourney, he finds that he's outmatched by everybody. He only need to score one win, but without armor he doesn't have a chance against the knights from powerful, aristocratic families. So he uses his wits to raise money... only to run afoul of a Targaryen prince when he defends a pretty puppeteer. Given the choice of losing his hand or trial by combat, Dunk chooses the less disfiguring option -- but that means he must find six allies to help him in the combat. And he might still lose his life at the end. 
 "The Sworn Sword" brings Dunk and Egg to Standfast, in service to Ser Eustace Osgrey. The land is in the middle of a horrifying drought, and when Dunk investigates the sudden drying-up of a nearby stream, he discovers that Osgrey's neighbor Lady Rohanne has built a dam to redirect a nearby river. There's a feud going on between Eustace and Rohanne, which will soon bloom into a vicious little war and the loss of Rohanne's lands -- and Duncan may be the only one who can resolve things once and for all. 
 "The Mystery Knight" sees Dunk and Egg entering an area full of political strife -- a rebellion some years ago has caused a lot of hostility towards the Targaryens. When invited to a wedding melee, Dunk decides to go as an unidentified "mystery knight" to avoid any people who might have heard of Ser Duncan the Tall... only to find himself and Egg the center of a conspiracy of murder, the theft of a dragon egg, and a brewing threat against his own squire. 
 Compared to A Song Of Ice And Fire, the three stories of "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" are relatively light fare -- sure, they have plenty of gritty medieval atmosphere and a few tragic deaths, but these stories are positively fairy-tale-like compared to the dark stuff Martin usually writes. Don't worry, there's still plenty of political strife, mysteries, battles and the odd speck of the fantastical (a dragon's egg, a knight with precognitive dreams), but the main focus is on a simple hedge knight and his squire. 
 Martin's writing is simple, but rich with descriptions ("Reeds grew thick along its edge, and a tall leafy elm presided over all. The spring grass there was as green as any knight's banner and soft to the touch") and he writes some snappy dialogue between Dunk and Egg. Every story has an escalating story of political strife, with Dunk's seemingly simple existence repeatedly interrupted with the political repercussions of House Blackfyre -- he just wants to wander around and fight for whoever, sleeping under shady trees and eating salt beef, but he keeps being tripped up by the scars of the past. 
 And the approach to Dunk is what makes these stories so gripping. The man is a mass of endearing contradictions -- a gentle teenager who is also a powerful fighter, simple yet wise, intelligent yet straightforward, ambitious yet humble in those ambitions. His clear sight and good heart are what ultimately win people over to him, and even if he's kind of grumpy with Egg during the squire's more spoiled moments, there's not much actual bite to any of his complaints. 
 And what of Egg? I won't reveal too much about this character's life, but he is a perfect counterpoint to Dunk -- a boy torn between the glamorous idea of being a squire, and the actual struggles it involves. He has a nimble intellect and a smart mouth, but sometimes shows a distinct lack of common sense compared to Dunk. 
 "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" is a delightful trio of side-stories for fans of the Song Of Ice And Fire series, and a solid introduction to the land of Westeros for newcomers. And of course, it leaves you wanting to hear about more adventures of Dunk and Egg.