what happened to otto hightower in the books

Otto Hightower is beheaded in the books, but Fire & Blood gives the moment very little detail. It says he was “the first traitor to be beheaded,” and does not clearly state that Rhaenyra personally carried out the execution.

Book version

In the book, Otto’s death is treated as part of the fall of King’s Landing rather than as a big set-piece scene. The text moves on quickly after noting that he was executed, then says Jasper Wylde followed him to the block.

Show difference

The show makes the scene more dramatic and personal by showing Rhaenyra herself delivering the death blow, which is not specified in the book. That is the main difference fans have been discussing in recent coverage.

In plain terms

So, in the books: Otto is arrested, condemned as a traitor, and beheaded. The exact executioner and the details around the scene are left vague.

TL;DR: Otto Hightower dies by beheading in the books, but the book is vague about the exact circumstances, unlike the show’s more explicit version.