House of the Dragon is off to a strong start. The HBO Max spinoff series has premiered six episodes thus far, breaking records and generating millions of viewers on a weekly basis. The show was facing a ton of pressure following the final season of Game of Thrones, with fans having high expectations, hoping the spinoff could capture the same success the initial series had when it was at its height.

One fan, in particular, has been impressed with House of the Dragon show far, and he may be the most critical member of the audience. George R.R. Martin is the mind and pen behind A Song of Ice and Fire and Fire & Blood, the set of novels and the solo historical book on which Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon is based. Martin recently released a new blog post on his website and offered his thoughts on the HBO series as it passes the halfway point of the first season. "The show opened strong and has only been getting stronger," he says, thanking the fans for their viewership. He also praises the two actors who play Rhaenyra and Alicent, saying, "Milly Alcock and Emily Carey were incredible as young Rhaenyra and young Alicent, were they not?" Now, they've been replaced by older actors following the fifth episode's conclusion. "With Sunday's episode, Emma D'Arcy and Olivia Cooke took over as the adult versions of the characters. I think you will love them too. Or hate them, maybe. Love/ hate."

Related: George R.R. Martin Shares His Ideal Future for the Thrones Universe

House of the Dragon features many characters who can't be classified as heroes or villains, as their actions are based on the world around them. "Westeros, like the real world, is full of complex characters, capable of both good and evil," Martin explains. Finally, he thanks the showrunners who have guided the cast and crew through the first season. "And last but not least, our showrunners, Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik... HOT D would not exist without them." Luckily, Martin says we still have plenty of excitement to look forward to in the final four episodes of the season. "I hope you guys are enjoying HOT D as much as I am. And hey, four more episodes to go... the best it yet to come. And then on to season two!" If you want to read Martin's full post regarding House of the Dragon, you can find his blog again here.

House of the Dragon Season 1 Is Nearly Wrapped Up

Seasmoke - House of the Dragon
HBO

House of the Dragon has been eerily similar to the early seasons of Game of Thrones, focusing on political intrigue, various power plays, and multiple players looking for an opportunity to find themselves on the Iron Throne. Rhaenyra, Alicent, Otto Hightower, Daemon Targaryen, and Larys Strong have all made moves to ascend to the top of the power hierarchy, although we don't know who will win as of now.

Related: George R.R. Martin Wanted at Least Ten Season of Game of Thrones

Additionally, a new set of characters were introduced in the sixth episode. These include Jacaerys Velaryon (Leo Hart), Lucerys Velaryon (Harvey Sadler), Aegon Targaryen (Ty Tennant), and Aemond Targaryen (Leo Ashton). All the children will have some claim to the throne, meaning they will be significant players in the war to come. Four episodes are left in the first season of House of the Dragon, and fans are excited as we move closer to the civil war within the Targaryen family. Catch House of the Dragon premiering every Sunday on HBO and HBO Max at 9 pm E.T.