HBO to make dragon-centric Game of Thrones prequel

What with the dragons, the obsession with incest and the fact that their Mad King brought the kingdom to its knees, the Targaryens have, by a long way, the most interesting family history in Game of Thrones.

So fans shouldn't be surprised that HBO are developing a Thrones prequel based on Fire & Blood, a companion book for George RR Martin's Songs of Ice and Fire series that inspired the television epic.

Fire & Blood tells the stories of previous Targaryen kings, such as Aegon the Conqueror, the first ruler of Westeros, and Aegon the Dragonbane, from whom Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow are descended.  The TV version will be set 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones, just about when things started to go south for the Targaryen family.

While HBO have declined to comment, the news (which is reported by industry press Deadline) follows up hints left by Martin on his blog that one of the anticipated prequel TV series would be based on a companion book.

Controversial Game of Thrones showrunners DB Weiss and David Benioff won't be looking after the prequel, if the pilot creators go on to make the series. The prospective episode will be made by Ryan Condal, who created Colony.

Would you watch a dragon-centric Game of Thrones prequel? What would expect from such a show? Tell us in the comments section below.