50 Books to Read While You Wait for More Game of Thrones

Who Fears Death, by Nnedi Okorafor
It was just announced this novel will be made into a TV show the one and only George RR Martin will produce, so start here! In post-apocalyptic Africa where genocide still plagues the region, a child is born from a terrible rape and rejected by her people. But her special magic allows her to visit a world of spirits, where she encounters and enemy and a destiny that will change everything.

A Darker Shade of Magic, by VE Schwab
Antari are special magicians who can travel between worlds, and in the first book of this trilogy, we meet Kell, one of the last two living who possess this power. His role is to bring messages between the three Londons—Red, where magic roams; White, where power struggle causes chaos; and Grey, where there is little magic left to be found. But Kell has a secret; he smuggles objects between the worlds, and when the magic of the lost London—Black London, which swallowed itself whole—finds its way into Kell’s world, threatening those he cares about, he must fight to stop it.

Red Rising, by Pierce Brown
A sci-fi fantasy that takes place on a Mars as ruthless as Westeros introduces a world divided into castes, where the Reds live beneath the surface of Mars and mine it so that one day, people can live on the surface. Until Darrow discovers that people have been living there for centuries—meaning he and his people have been slaves—he joins a secret resistance to infiltrate the Golds and take them down from within.

The Inheritance Trilogy, by N.K. Jemisin
When a girl born into nothing discovers she has been named heiress to the king after her mother’s death, she enters an unfamiliar world of secrets, power struggles, and betraying family she never knew she had to take what is rightfully hers. But why is it hers? Perhaps finding the true reason her mother died will be the key to her inheritance…

The Queen of the Tearling, by Erika Johansen
In this blend of fantasy and speculative fiction, generations after a group of people left modern society to establish a new world without the burdens of modern technology, it has descended into feudalism. All bow in fear to the Red Queen, who rules with violence—until the rightful queen embarks on a perilous journey to take the throne herself.

The Queen of Blood, by Sarah Beth Durst
Only the Queen of this world can prevent the destruction of all mankind from the spirits of the earth who want to destroy them. In the meantime, prospective heirs to the queen are trained in the event she cannot maintain the balance; Daleina is one of those girls with the power to control the spirits. But her power is weak, and unless a former champion-turned-exile can turn her into a Queen, their world might be lost.

The Way of Kings, by Brandon Sanderson
A sprawling fantasy in the aftermath of the falling of the Knights, the remnants of their weapons can turn normal men into soldiers capable of devastation. A slave, a commander, and a scholar in training are scattered across the world, each with their part to play as the conflict bubbles over. If you’ve watched Game of Thrones for six seasons and have read the books, this is your next epic adventure.

The Name of the Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss
Game of Thrones fans are used to waiting, so they shuldn’t mind picking up another famously unfinished series. Kvothe is a humble innkeeper—or so he wants people to believe, when in reality he is a myth many have presumed dead. When a scribe discovers his true identity, Kvothe shares his story from the beginning…but it truly begins when his parents are murdered by demons called Chandrian, and his quest to learn more about them, and how to destroy them. But the more he learns, the deeper he descends into a conflict in which he may no longer be the hero, but the villain.

The Sword of Shannara, by Terry Brooks
A classic quest fantasy in which a half-elf leaves his peaceful life to confront his destiny as the last heir of Shannara. As the only one who can wield a mythic sword against the Warlock Lord, seemingly back from the death, Shea must stop him. Especially when a servant of evil called a Skull Bearer tries to kill him.

Prince of Thorns, by Mark Lawrence
One of the darkest fantasies I’ve ever read, this trilogy has no shortage of blood. Starting with Jorg Ancrath watching his mother and brother slaughtered in front of him at the age of nine—and has dedicated himself ever since to exacting revenge against the man responsible, Count Renar. A hero with a just cause but a brutality that befits a villain, Jorg pursues the throne that belongs to him at all costs, including his humanity.

Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon
Another book turned into a TV show should be worthy of a read! When Claire finds herself swept away from her post World War II reunion with her husband into 18th Century Scotland, not only is she consumed by the desire to find her way home again, but by her unexpected desire for another man.

The Dark is Rising, by Susan Cooper
This classic series for kids that still holds up for adults when it comes to being plunged into a complex world rife with conflict and magic. Will Stanton discovers he is an Old One—an immortal who must protect the world against the Dark. To do so, he journeys to find six signs that are the key to protecting the world and people he loves.

Black Wolves, by Kate Elliott
Don’t you love a “return from exile” story? That’s what you’ll get in Black Wolves, when disgraced former captain of the Black Wolves is compelled to return to court life and protect the new, young king. But Kellas remembers what happened the last time he failed to protect a king and fears the worst will come if he is involved.

An Ember in the Ashes, by Sabaa Tahir
Another YA series that’s worth the fantasy hype: two teens navigate a fantasy world based on ancient Rome—Elias, a soldier of the Martial Empire, and Laia, a slave. When Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, she decides to use her position to gather information from her captivity in the military academy. But Elias does not want to be the warrior his society—and his mother, the evil Commandant— has forced him to become…and so defying the empire with Leila means betraying everyone who trusts him.

The Prey of Gods, by Nicky Drayden
Unlike Game of Thrones’ medieval-inspired setting, this novel is set in year 2064 (which isn’t actually so far away) where demigods and AI are at war for the fate of South Africa. One ancient demigoddess causes chaos in order to regain her power, roping others into her plot: a politician who secretly wants to be a drag queen, a teen in love with his best friend, and an AI who isn’t sure what they want, but they know they want more. Interspersed plot threads eventually converge as these otherwise normal people team up to defeat the goddess.

Kushiel’s Dart, by Jaqueline Carey
Phedre is a servant of Naamah, using her body to please others as a courtesan of the Night of Blooming Flowers…but she is unique, in that the dot of red in her eye (the title’s namesake)gives her a rare skill- to feel pleasure when in pain. This ability is of great interest to Anafiel Delauney, a nobleman who plans to train Phedre in how she can best use this ability. It’s not be pleasuring others, but by using pain as a way of uncovering their secrets. But Delauney is unexpedtedly murdered, and Phedre knows too much about a conspiracy to usurp the throne. Who can she trust to help her finish her mentor’s mission other than her bodyguard, Josselin, as they cross the kingdom in search of proof.

The Queen’s Thief, by Megan Whalen Turner
Eugenides is a thief, and not just any thief: he can steal anything, and he works for the Queen. But his cocky attitude puts him in a sticky situation…aka a prison cell. When approached to steal a priceless object, he has no choice but to accept, if he ever wants his freedom. This series spans multiple books, with each expanding the world beyond the original story.

Sister Light, Sister Dark, by Jane Yolen
In a community devoid of men, an orphan child learns to defend herself…not knowing that her mirror sister, a girl who comes to life only in the dark—and either one of them could be the child legend believes is reborn from a goddess.

Sorcerer to the Crown, by Zen Cho
Magic is upheld by the Royal Society of Unnatural Philosophers. But when they choose a man unfit for the role of Sorcerer Royal and the magic of England is depleted—but the sorcerer himself is trying to discover why magic suffers under his care. Which brings him to a woman with a gift of magic he never could have seen coming—since woman are not supposed to practice it at all. A reimagining of British history with adventure, intrigue, and action.

Certain Dark Thing, by Sylvia Moreno Garcia
Game of Thrones has zombies, so vampires are the next best thing to read about. They roam in this reimagined Mexico City, when Domingo meets Atl, who thinks he’s quite the specimen. But she’s on the run from a clan of narco Vampires, and Domingo decides to help her. Their alliance is purely practical for her, until she starts to fall for him—the man she should want to kill.

The Warded Man, by Peter Brett
Corelings are demons with the power to slaughter all of humanity. The humans are cloistered in the protection of magical wards, but their power is waning. Arlen flees his home after his mother dies; Leesha works to heal the wounded after her reputation is shamed by a man she trusted; Jongleur survived a demon attack and lost a friend, but has made himself responsible for her son in exchange for her sacrifice. When their stories intertwine, they must band together to defeat an evil greater than the tragedies they have faced.

Shadowshaper, by Daniel José Older
In this urban fantasy, strange things begin to happen to teen Sierra Santiago: corpses, family members losing their minds, and art starting to cry. Sierra discovers she is more than an artist; she is a shadowshaper, capable of magic that allows spirits to live in all forms of art. But the shadowshapers like her are being killed off, and if she doesn’t want to be next, Sierra must find the magic within to reveal the secrets of her family’s past to save the present.

Six of Crows, by Leigh Bardugo
This YA series is one of the darkest and most well-developed fantasies in the genre. Kaz Brekker is the kingpin of the Dregs, a community of criminals in the city of Ketterdam. His rise from a child of the slums to running the slums has been slow and torturous, but with one goal in mind: revenge. But to get his revenge—and for the audience to know why he wants it so much he would sacrifice anyone, even close friends, to get it—to occur, he needs more money, and more influence. To bring down the other wealthy power brokers, Kaz agrees to commit his team to accomplish an impossible heist. On the table: their freedom. And if they lose, everyone dies.

The Young Elites, by Marie Lu
Imagine if the villains of Game of Thrones had their own stories…that’s what you’ll find in The Young Elites, where a new villain begins to rise. After a blood fever sweeps the kingdom, many died. Those who survived were marked by their silver hair and a scar. Adelina Amouteru is one of those children—abhorred by her father and feared by the community, she seeks a new community of people like her…when a tragic accident (or an act entirely on purpose) leaves her father dead, and Adelina in need of a place to hide. That is, before she exacts vengeance.

A Court of Thorns and Roses, by Sarah J Maas
A sweeping epic fantasy with a Beauty and the Beast twist: when Feyre hunts a wolf that turns out to be one of the High Fae of the Spring Court, she is condemned to a fate worse than death: living as a captive of the Fae. But over time she comes to know the man who has held her prisoner, and the world he is struggling to protect. Villains run amok in this series—and one of them in particular holds a candle for Feyre. (Hint: read book two, A Court of Mist and Fury.)

Truthwitch, by Susan Dennard
Best friends on the run after a gamble gone wrong find their troubles are about to get much worse. Safiya is a truthwitch, allowing her to distinguish truth from lies—as a girl of noble birth, she’s used to people wanting her around, for both her influence and her power. Iseult is a Threadwitch, able to distinguish the relationships between people around her, even as she remains an outcast in society. Together, they are an unstoppable team. That is, until a dangerous Bloodwitch decides to target them, forcing them on a quest across their kingdom with tenuous alliances to either outrun or destroy him.

Earthsea, by Ursula K Leguin
This epic was originally published in the ’60s, but the lush and evocative writing makes it timeless. The coming of age story of a young boy trained in magic by his aunt, able to conceal things such as his own village when it was under attack. But when Sparrowhawk is taken on as an apprentice to learn more about magic, he finds himself learning about the darker side of his abilities.

Range of Ghosts , by Elizabeth Bear
A kingdom in the midst of war finds two characters at a crossroads: Temur was left for dead after his cousin and brother waged war in order to gain the throne. Even though he is the legitimate heir to the throne, he goes into exile instead, determined to evade his cousin’s grasp for power. Far away, the Princess Samarkar seeks answers to questions greater than life or death from the wizards at the Citadel. She had nothing to live for there, anyway; her father got a new son from a new wife, stripping her of her claim to the throne, and her marriage to a Prince ended in catastrophe. Together, Temur and Samarkar must wage a war of their own against those who have conspired against them and the kingdom they still hold dear.

City of Brass, by S.A. Chakraborty
Nahri claims to have power, but what she really has is tricks—as a conman on the streets of eighteenth-century Cairo, she’s learned all the street smarts she needs to con people out of their valuables. But when she inadvertently summons a djinn, Nahri learns of the city of brass, a place she is called to seek out. What she finds ther will surprise her—more than magic, tribes of djinn with tricks of their own, and power struggles stronge than metal, is a young prince who seeks rebellion.

American Gods, by Neil Gaiman
A modern-day fantasy pitting old gods against new ones, Gaiman’s epic (now also a star-studded TV show!) stars Shadow, a man looking forward to his freedom. But when the two things he loves most—his wife, and his best friend—are killed, Shadow’s release from prison seems bleak. So when he meets a man named Wednesday who offers him an opportunity, he has no reason to say no. Together they set off on a quest across the country to unite the old gods against the new gods who threaten to destroy them.

The Lord of the Rings, by JRR Tolkein
Obviously. Frodo Baggins lives a peaceful life in the Shire with his hobbit friends and family. But one of those family members has a secret: a ring in his possession that is dangerous, incredibly valuable, and worth killing for if anyone knew it still existed. Frodo must take possession of this ring and by any means necessary destroy it—or at the very least keep it from the evil forces who seek to use it for their own ends.

The Lions of Al Rassan, by Guy Gavriel Kay
The Asharites used to be pious and righteous rulers, but they have been corrupted by the gifts of the land in which they rule; divided by warring desires, their respective kingdoms are rules by King Almalik—until he is betrayed by someone close to him. Across the kingdom, a mercenary leads his soldiers towards the capital at its most vulnerable time. And torn between them is Jehane, a healer, who try as she might may not be able to heal the rift in her kingdom.

Saga, by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
I’ve been getting more into graphic novels recently, and this series was my introduction. A girl is born on a warring planet to Alana, a soldier, and Marko, a POW. The catch? They are not supposed to be together, because their planets are at war. The birth of their child means they must continue to run, but also fight for a peace they are increasingly unsure is possible. There story of survival is addictive (and not unreminiscent of the trials of the Stark children); I promise when you read one, you’ll go buy the next six.

The Lies of Locke Lamora, by Scott Lynch
On the island of Camorr, orphan Locke Lamora is a gifted thief, narrowly avoiding capture and death thanks to the skills he’s acquired. He leads a group of grifters called the Gentleman Bastards, but soon someone arrives that threatens to usurp the power he’s risked everything to acquire.

The White Queen, by Philipa Gregory
You’re watching Game of Thrones, so might as well read about the real-world conflict that inspired it! The war of the Roses (aka, the Cousin’s War) is a bloody mark on England’s history. Reimagined in this novel, it starts when Elizabeth Woodville secretly marries Edward VI, who has taken the throne for himself. Elizabeth is a York, and the only way to bring peace is to unite their two families…but over time, her own children become pawns in the war when brother betrays brother, and a forgotten heir grows up to take back a throne he believes is his godgiven right.

The Wheel of Time, by Robert Jordan
This sprawling fantasy series begins as many do: with a group of reluctant heroes who are forced to take up the mantle when their world is threatened by darkness. When their village is attacked by monsters, Rand, Mat and Perrin flee their home. Facing an evil they thought was gone, they must face separation, capture, visions, and more in order to protect the Eye of the World.

The Devourers, by Indra Das
An evocative fantasy with eerie imagery begins in India when a professor, Alok, hears the story of a strange man. Entranced by the tale, Alok agrees to write it down on any surface he can find…revealing another story, that of a man in the 17th century who falls in love with a woman—which ultimately is his downfall. But as the story deepens and Alok’s interest in the story grows, the story begins to change him into someone different than he was before.

The Winner’s Curse, by Marie Rutkoski
A YA novel with a world as complex and divided as Westeros introduces a military society that has taken over the rightful land of an artistic, spiritual people—and Kestrel, the daughter of a general, is caught in between both worlds. Kestrel knows her destiny is either to marry or join her father in war, but when she purchases a slave at a market and finds in him the same spirit of defiance she has begun to cultivate within herself, it takes very little time for them to connect on an emotional level. But no matter how much she feels for him, Arin is still a slave with secrets of his own, and betraying Kestrel may be the key to securing his freedom.

And I Darken, by Kiersten White
There’s no shortage of bloodshed and villainy in this YA novel with a unique twist: imagine if Vlad the Impaler was a woman. Lada Dragwlya and her brother, Radu, are hostages in the Ottoman courts after their father abandoned them to secure forces for his army. But Lada is no longer a willing participant in their game of chess and blood; she wants to wield her own power so she and Radu can return home. But when the Sultan’s son, Mehmed, begins to divide their allegiances, Lada is torn between following her heart and tearing it out so she can do what must be done.

The Library of Fates, by Aditi Khorana
To appease the Emperor Sikander and prevent him from massacring her village, Princess Amrita decides to marry him. But despite her attempt at peace, the Emperor attacks anyway, and the only one Amrita can rely on is one of his slaves, Thala. Together they must decide: protect Amrita’s people, or seek out the Library of All Things, where it may be possible to change the fate of their kingdom.

Traitor’s Blade, by Sebastien de Castell
Fans of The Count of Monte Cristo will love this one! Falcio Val Mond was once a high-regarded Greatcoat, but after the King’s death he and his men have fallen from grace. And they fall further still when they are set up for murder, even though they know they are innocent. In order to restore their good names and reunite the Greatcoats, they need to find the root of the conspiracy and cut it out—with blades sharpened by betrayal.

The Goblin Emperor, by Katherine Addison
The Emperor has three sons in line for the throne…and one half-goblin son who will never inherit it. He lives in exile until his family is murdered—and then the throne is his, unless whoever killed them comes after him nex. Tyrion fans will love the story of an underdog outcast’s rise to power.

His Majesty’s Dragon, by Naomi Novik
Dragons, at last! In this reimagining of the Napoleonic wars, a dragon egg is stolen from the French, changing the life of captain Will Laurence forever.

The House of Shattered Wings, by Aliette de Bodard
A paranormal fantasy in 1900’s Paris in the aftermath of a terrible war leaving the Great Houses of France to pick at the carrion left behind. House Silverspires has fallen as a result of this conflict, but when an angel who has fallen from grace, an alchemist, and a sorcerer come together they determine to save the future of their house. Or destroy it, whichever comes first. Did we mention there are dragons living beneath the Seine?

Miranda and Caliban, by Jaqueline Carey
Game of Thrones can be downright Shakespearean at times between the doomed romances, betrayals, and people baked into pies. In this retelling of The Tempest, Caliban, a slave, finds comfort in his captor’s daughter, Miranda, despite her father conjuring vengeance across the island.

Kindred, by Octavia Butler
Another time travel fantasy—fitting, since season 7 of the show will probably continue to explore Bran’s abilities. In this novel by seminal sci-fi author Octavia Butler, a twenty-six year old girl named Dana is brought back to the Antebellum South. The son of a slaveowner is drowning and Dana must save him.

The Dark Tower, by Stephen King
A Western twist on the King Arthur myth introduces Roland Deschain, the last living Gunslinger and final heir of the Arthur Eld. Roland is tasked with finding the Dark Tower, which is rumored to connect all universes—in order to save his own world, he must trust a dangerous Man in Black.

Station Eleven, by Emily St. John Mandel
Imagine the end of the world. Now, imagine what happens after: twenty years after a flu pandemic desroyts civilization, Kirsten travels with a group of actors and musicians dedicated to preserving anything they can find from their previous world alive.

Seraphina, by Rachel Hartman
More dragons! In this bestselling middle-grade novel, Seraphina is a half-dragon whose father doesn’t love her and whose mother is now in human form. Even though dragons and humans live together, there are prejudices and dangers between them—and when a murder occurs, it’s up to Seraphina and a mysterious Prince Lucian to discover the truth.

The Girl Who Drank the Moon, by Kelly Barnhil
A magical story that defies age; Xan is a witch who lives in the woods and once a year finds an abandoned baby at the edge of the forest who she takes through the trees to find a good family on the other side. But one baby she decides to keep as her own—especially when due to an accident, the baby’s magic becomes a danger to herself and drastic measures must be taken to keep her safe.
How do you keep yourself busy between episodes?