If you loved working your way through George R.R. Martin’s expansive fantasy seriesA Song of Ice and Fire,or if you’re just a fan of its TV show adaption, you’ll love the ten books we’re highlighting with this list. Each offers exciting action scenes, loveable characters, and immersive worldbuilding.
The Dragonbone Chairsets up a fascinating fantasy world that’s about to descend into chaos with the death of its king. Caught in the middle of the upcoming struggle is Simon, who works in the kitchens of a castle known as Hayholt. This location has a few interesting similarities to Winterfell inGame of Thronesthat modern readers will enjoy discovering in the early parts of the book. The plot here admittedly starts out quite slow. However, the worldbuilding and action-packed second half make investing your time into this one a richly rewarding experience. Once you’re done withThe Dragonbone Chair,you may continue theMemory Sorrow, and Thornseries inStone of Farewell.
2. Chronicles of theBlack Company byGlen Cook
If you’d like to try an epic fantasy series that’s a bit darker thanA Song of Ice and Fire,thenThe Black Company might be a great book for you to try next. It follows the fate of a mercenary group that profits from an ongoing war and focuses on a set of characters who are, at best, morally questionable. In fact, they’re downright evil sometimes. The conflict is fought between the forces of a magic wielder known as the Lady, who’s trying to re-establish dominion over the land, and the rebel forces who oppose her, who are known collectively as the White Rose. The beginning of the book drops you right into the middle of the action, so it’s normal not to fully understand what’s happening right away.
3. ShōgunbyJames Clavell
For a historical fiction readwith conflicts and drama likeGame of Thrones,you mighttry James Clavell’sAsian SagamasterworkShogun.The book opens with the journey of an English sailor known as John Blackthorne, who survives a shipwreck only to wash ashore in a land closed off to foreigners: Japan. Bloody battles, political intrigue, and romance await Blackthorne, who ventures into his new life known as Anjin-San. The huge cast of characters, stunning historical details, and grand scale of Clavell’s work make it an immensely satisfying odyssey.
4. The Red KnightbyMiles Cameron
Miles Cameron’sThe Red Knighthas a gorgeously described world, a huge cast of fascinating POV characters, and a plot that engages you right from the get-go. The titular Red Knight is a leader of a band of warriors for hire. He and his company start the book by taking what appears to be a simple assignment from the Abbess of a nunnery, but before they know it, they find themselves in the middle of a bloody conflict. Like Westeros inGame of Thrones,the kingdom has a gigantic wall to keep it safe from the mysterious dangers of the Wild beyond it. While there are more than a few mythic creatures in this world, there is also plenty of grounded medieval realism.
5. The Ruin of KingsbyJenn Lyons
The Ruin of Kingskickstarts theChorus of Dragonsseries with a fascinating way of building out its world and characters. Instead of looking at things from the perspective of a single lead character, we examine the story of the protagonist, Kihrin, from a distance, with two completely different unreliable storytellers that sometimes contradict one another. Who will Kihrin become, and which details are true? You’ll love this book if you enjoy putting together the pieces of a complex timeline as you read.
John Gwynne’sA Time of Dreadtakes place in a vast fantasy world that feels like it’s on the edge of being swept up by an unknown darkness. A group of divine warriors known as the Ben-Elim rule the land and hold the leader of their enemies within their fortress. Their victory, which set the stage for the book, doesn’t seem like it will be permanent. The story follows four main perspective characters as they discover unnerving signs of demons, black magic, and coming dangers. The story continues inA Time of Blood.
7. The Winter KingbyBernard Cornwell
The King Arthur legend has had more than its fair share of book and film adaptions, but few are as satisfying as Bernard Cornwell’sThe Winter King. That’s because the story that’s being told here is one that could have actually happened. The writing musters as many historical details as possible about fifth and sixth century Britain and scales down the magical elements that you’d get in the likes of Mary Stewart’sThe Crystal Caveor the recentGreen Knightfilm adaption.
8. The Lord of the RingsbyJ.R.R. Tolkien
J.R.R. Tolkien’s masterpiece,The Lord of the Rings,is a classic of the fantasy genre for a good reason. The world of Middle-Earth, from the rolling hills of the Shire to the white tower of Minas Tirith, is immensely expansive and gorgeously detailed. The characters are also exceptionally well drawn, and the quest to destroy the One Ring is, of course, an engaging tale every step of the way. If you finishedA Song of Ice and Fireand you haven’t read through this one yet, it should definitely be your top priority.
9. Leviathan WakesbyJames S.A. Corey
The engaging characters, pitch-perfect worldbuilding, and grand scale ofThe Expansenovels should appeal to anySong of Ice and Firefan, even though the series is a completely different genre. The first book,Leviathan Wakes,begins its tale with a satisfying sci-fi mystery. Jim Holden and the crew members of his ship are investigating an unknown distress call out in the Asteroid Belt when they discover a deadly secret. Elsewhere, Joe Miller, a detective who works for a security company, is looking into a strange disappearance that leads him in the same direction as Holden.
10. Knight of the Seven KingdomsbyGeorge R.R. Martin
Want to dive deeper into the world ofA Song of Ice and Fireafter you’ve finishedA Dance With Dragons?A Knight of the Seven Kingdomsis a great place to start. It’s a collection of novellas that follow the adventures of Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire Egg about 90 years before the start ofA Game of Thrones. The story provides more of a ground-level look at Westeros than Martin’s other books set in the same world. Plus, it will soon be a TV series.
