As an A Song of Ice and Fire fan, I cannot believe that the last book came out 12 years ago, in 2011. While I wait for the next book, I have been searching for books that bring me the same excitement as George R. R. Martin’s series. To tide all fans of A Song of Ice and Fire over until the next book release, I have compiled a list of book suggestions based on each major house and region in Game of Thrones. Every noble house in Game of Thrones has a very different storyline, and it is very difficult to capture every house’s story in one book. As a result of the vastness of Game of Thrones, I have made a list of nine different books to read if you are missing A Song of Ice and Fire based on each major noble house.
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon for House Targaryen
House Targaryen is cunning and brutal, having been seated on the Iron Throne for centuries. Ultimately, their most important feature is that they have dragons again, thanks to Daenerys Targaryen.
The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon tells the story of a succession crisis surrounding Queen Sabran, who remains unwed. She must have a daughter for their line to be safe. Across the sea, an assassin named Tané sees her life fall apart because of one fateful decision. This book is perfect for fans of Daenerys Targaryen.
Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson for House Martell
House Martell plays a very important role in A Song of Ice and Fire. Namely, they plot to overthrow the boy king, Tommon, and place one of his relatives on the thrown. The Martells have a long history of defying the crown and a need for personal revenge against the people sitting on the Crown. A book that combines these elements is Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson.
Dance of Thieves is about an empire in the midst of a transition of power that soon becomes threatened by the street thief who is sent by the queen to investigate a new settlement. The thief and the new leader of the kingdom soon come into conflict — who will survive? Dance of Thieves is perfect for readers who miss the Dornish plot.
For the Wolf by Hannah F. Whitten for House Stark
The Starks are a House in the cold frozen north. Despite their cold location, they are a family that learns to sacrifice for each other. Additionally, in A Game of Thrones, each Stark child gets a dire wolf, which is a pivotal part of the House’s and the children’s identity. There are also many magical elements surrounding the Starks and their dire wolves.
Hannah F. Whitten’s For the Wolf is perfect for House Stark. The book follows a princess named Red who is sacrificed to Wilderwood and to the beastly wolf that lives in it. For the Wolf is a Little Red Riding Hood retelling that is perfect for fans of any Stark!
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong for House Lannister
House Lannister, in many ways, is very similar to the Starks; Lannisters are a family unit that sticks together most of the time. However, they are much more cutthroat than the Straks. The Lannisters’ hands are covered in blood as a result of their climb to power. If placed into the modern world, the Lannisters would most definitely be a crime family.
These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong is great for those who love the Lannister family’s storyline. These Violent Delights follow star-crossed lovers caught in a blood feud in the streets of Shanghai. Their families hate each other, and devastation is sure to follow, but Roma Montagov and Juliette Cai cannot seem to stay away from one another.
We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal for House Baratheon
Although the Baratheons may not appear magical at first, the Baratheon storyline in A Song of Ice and Fire is heavily influenced by magic. Most specifically, Stannis Baratheon’s support of the mysterious and dangerous Red God makes the Baratheon storyline magical.
A story with a similar mysterious magic system that will give you goosebumps is We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal. The book follows Zafira, a woman who dresses as a man for protection so she can brave the cursed forest and feed her people, and Nasir, who is the prince of darkness. When Zafira is sent to recover a lost artifact and save her people from a looming war, Nasir is sent on a similar mission, except he is sent to kill Zafira too…
Crier’s War by Nina Varela for House Tully
House Tully reigns over the Riverlands, which is in utter chaos throughout A Song of Ice and Fire because the majority of the fighting takes place there. We see characters like Aria Stark, Jamie Lannister, and Tywin Lannister scattered throughout the Riverlands, encountering magic, followers of the Red God, and extreme violence.
The chaotic and magical setting of the Riverlands is very similar to Nina Varela’s Crier’s War. After the War of Kinds has destroyed her home and killed her family, Ayla seeks is determined to rise in the ranks and to satiate her need for revenge; more specifically, she is determined to kill the Sovereign’s daughter, Lady Crier. Will she succeed? Find out in the rich fantasy world of Crier’s War.
To Kill a Kingdom by Alexandra Christo for House Greyjoy
The Grejoys are a cutthroat family that does not seem to stick together. They rule their territory with an iron fist, and they have extremely loyal followers. Similarly, Alexandra Christo’s To Kill A Kingdom explores the harsh and unrelenting family of Princess Lira, a deadly siren.
After being forced to kill one of her own, Lira’s mother forces her to become a human. While being a human, Lira must kill the human prince or be killed by her mother. Will Lira survive, or will she fail? For people who love House Greyjoy, To Kill a Kingdom is a perfect choice for you.
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros for House Arryn
Although dragons may be associated with House Targaryen, Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros has many elements that are reminiscent of House Arryn. For example, many of the geographical elements are very similar to the Vale in A Song of Ice and Fire. Additionally, honor, which is highly valued by the Arryns, is also very important to those serving in the military in Fourth Wing.
The novel follows an enthralling tale about a young girl named Violet who is forced into the deadly riders quadrant of her nation’s war college. Violet must learn to survive the brutal process of gaining a dragon while dodging as well as those who seek to kill her.
Bable by R.F. Kuang for House Tyrell
This may be considered an odd choice for House Tyrell, but Bable by R.F. Kuang actually has many similarities to the Reach. Babel creates a world that is very similar to the Maesters of Oldtown. The Maesters are essential to all of Westeros; they work as healers and those who write down history for future generations.
Bable is about the power that those who translate have over the world. Robin Swift is brought the London to prepare and enroll in Oxford University’s Royal Institute of Translation. However, as Robin becomes more entrenched in the university, and soon realizes that serving Bable means betraying his home. When Britain decides to pursue a war with China. Robin must decide what to do…
Although the wait for the next Game of Thrones novel may be long, these are some excellent books to fill that hole in your heart.
Looking for more Game of Thrones content? Check out A ‘House of the Dragon’ and ‘Game of Thrones’ Gift Guide!