Stuff for the Teen Age

Fantasy of Power and Betrayal: "Game of Thrones" Readalikes for Teens

game of thrones

A recent trend in YA Lit is the fantasy sub-genre: court and political intrigue fantasy. It’s full of all the stuff that makes for great high stakes drama: power, family, politics, love, betrayal, swords, treachery, corruption, duplicity, vengeance, manipulation, secrets, nefarious plots, fighting, revenge, occasionally some dragons and usually, a good healthy dose of flirtation and swoon. All of which puts this fantasy sub-genre totally in my fantasy-reading wheelhouse and if you’re as big a fan of the TV series Game of Thrones as I am and as obsessed with the characters of Jon Snow, Daenerys Targaryen, Sansa and Arya Stark as I am, then it just might be in your wheelhouse too.

The only problem is that so much of it is written with lead female characters. There's plenty of smart, savvy girls outwitting and outfighting the men who underestimate them. However, boys are just as into this genre as well so it’s a shame I couldn’t find more titles full of male characters taking their own shot at destiny. Not that there aren't plent of great male characters in the books below. If you have any titles or series for me, that I’ve missed, please add them in the comments section.

Books listed in alphabetical order:

alanna

Alanna: The First Adventure (Song of the Lioness series) by Tamora Pierce (1983)- In a world where young women are treated more like chattel, 11 year old Alanna decides to trade places with her twin brother and disguise herself as a boy so that she may train as a knight. As she she gets older and progresses with her training, she makes many friends including, Jonathan, the Prince of Tortall, that get her involved in the politics of her kingdom and other neighboring countries. It is the story of her struggle to be true to herself and true to the country she has vowed to protect. Sequels: In the Hand of the Goddess, The Woman Who Rides Like a Man, Lioness Rampant.

ember

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir (2015) - In the Martial Empire, a brutal world inspired by ancient Rome, Laia is a scholar living an oppressed, poverty stricken existence with her family. When her brother is arrested for treason, she agrees to go undercover as a slave at a military academy for the rebels who promise to save him. There, she meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier but he wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. Together they will take on an Empire.

 

eon

Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman (2008) - In an Asian inspired world, power belongs to the emperor and the Dragoneyes, 12 men who harness the power of 12 energy dragons. Every year, a dragon picks an apprentice from a pool of 12 year old boys. Eon, a 16 year old girl disguising herself as boy is picked by the once extinct Mirror Dragon. Since there is no Mirror Dragoneye she must serve on the Dragoneye council herself plunging her into the dangerous world of the court. Caught between the emperor and a ruthless lord, Eon must navigate the danger all on her own. Sequel: Eona: The Last Dragoneye.

falling

Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes (2012) - Three kingdoms vie for riches and power as they plunge their people into war and chaos. A prophecy talks of a sorceress of unimaginable power, an ancient legend speaks of a ring that gives the wearer mastery over magical elements and a rebel who will betray his own to try and bring about an alliance. The interweaving lives of Princess Lucia, Princess Cleo, Prince Magnus and Jonas, the son of a wineseller, bring us a dark, epic tale of political machinations, revenge, betrayal and forbidden love. Sequels: Rebel Spring and Gathering Darkness.

Fire

Fire by Kristin Cashore (2009) - Set in the same world as Graceling, this takes place in the nearby kingdom of the Dells. Lady Fire is the last of her kind, a human-shaped monster of extreme beauty who can control the minds of those around her. Her father, used his powers to throw the kingdom into chaos but Fire only wants to use her power for good. The new King of the Dells, Nash and his brother Prince Brigan may not be able to resist her but neither do they completely trust her. However, now they desperately need Fire’s help to keep the Dells safe from enemies who would take the country to war.

fire & thorns

The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson (2011) - Thanks to a precious Godstone in her navel, the plain jane, and scholarly Princess Elisa is said to be “destined” for greatness but so far she’s not shown any promise. She much prefers eating pastries to learning diplomacy. To cement an alliance with a neighboring kingdom, she is married off to an indifferent king but before they can consummate the marriage she is kidnapped by rebels in hopes that the bearer of the Godstone can save them. Sequels: The Crown of Embers and Bitter Kingdom.

graceling

Graceling by Kristin Cashore (2008) - In the Seven Kingdoms, some people are born with “graces” or special talents, Katsa’s specialty is killing. Used and abused by her corrupt, royal uncle to be his “enforcer”, she balances this out by doing secret rescue missions where she dispenses her own form of justice. On one such mission she meets a prince named Po, who makes her question everything she has ever known. Sequel: Bitterblue.

 

grave mercy

Grave Mercy (His Fair Assassins series) by Robin LaFevers (2012) - In 15th century Brittany, Isme, a daughter of the God of Death, escapes an abusive husband for sanctuary at the Convent of St. Mortain. There, along with other daughters, she is trained to be a spy and an assassin. When the young duchess of Brittany requires a protector, Isme is sent to court in the guise of mistress to the duchess’s half-brother and spy-master, Duval. Sequels: Dark Triumph and Mortal Heart.

 

dragon moon

In the Time of the Dragon Moon by Janet Carey Lee (2015) - In an alternate 1210 A.D., Uma and her father are healers on their native Wilde Island when they’re kidnapped by the infertile, English Queen, Adela Pendragon, so they will treat her with a fertility treatment they’ve developed. The court is a nest of vipers and Adela is prone to fits of madness and when her father dies, Uma must navigate it all on her own - the King’s nephew Jackrun being her only ally. Companion novels: Dragonswood and Dragon’s Keep.

 

Kiss

Kiss of Deception by Mary Pearson (2014) - With tensions mounting with their neighboring kingdoms, First Daughter Princess Lia of Morrighan is being forced into an arranged marriage to forge an alliance. Refusing to submit, she escapes the night before the wedding, with her maid Pauline, to a distant fishing village. Unbeknownst to her, she is pursued by both her would-be husband and an assassin who we only know as “Rafe” and “Kaden” and then there’s that pesky problem of “destiny.” Sequel: The Heart of Betrayal, comes out in July.

poison study

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder (2007) - About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered a reprieve, become the food taster for the Commander of Ixia. She’ll eat the best meals, sleep in a luxurious room and only risk death if someone is trying to kill the Commander. But there’s a catch, everyday she will be fed a poison by Valek, the Chief of Security and unless she shows up for the daily antidote she’ll die an agonizing death. Caught up in the politics of Ixia, Yelena’s choices become more and more complicated. Sequels: Magic Study and Fire Study.

queen

The Queen of Attolia by Megan Whalen Turner (2006) - Clever Eugenides is the Royal Thief of Eddis and when his country goes to war with the formidable Attolia he will face his biggest challenge yet, stealing a beautiful Queen and if successful, stealing peace as well. The only person perhaps more clever than Eugenides is the Queen herself and It will take all his skills, charm and wit to capture her. Prequel: The Thief. Sequels: The King of Attolia and A Conspiracy of Kings.

 

tearling

The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen (2014) - On her 19th birthday, the sheltered and inexperienced Princess Kelsea comes out of exile to take the throne from her morally reprehensible uncle and protect her people from a neighboring kingdom, ruled by an evil sorceress. What she finds is a kingdom awash in corruption and crime and desperately in need of a strong leader willing to stand up to tyranny. Sequel: Invasion of the Tearling, comes out in June.

 

red queen

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (2015) - Mare is a poor, Red Blood, destined to serve the Silver Blood elites who have superhuman abilities. During a competition at the palace, Mare unwittingly shows that she has abilities of her own. In order to cover up this secret, she is forced, by the king, to pretend to be a lost Silver Blood daughter and betrothed to one of his sons. But trouble is brewing at court, Red rebels are planning mayhem and Mare needs to trust someone if she’s going to get out alive.

 

gorlan

The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger’s Apprentice series) by John Flanagan (2006) - Set in the kingdom of Araluen, it begins with Will discovering that he’s been rejected from Battleschool and taken as a (reluctant) apprentice by the Rangers to be trained as a spy. Meanwhile, the exiled lord Morganrath, plots his revenge against Araluen and builds an army as he plans to unleash his power against the kingdom. Many many sequels, including: The Burning Bridge, The Icebound Land, The Battle of Skandia and many more.

 

seraphina

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman (2012) - In a world, where dragons and humans uneasily coexist, Seraphina has a secret that could ruin her. As the court’s music mistress, she lives uncomfortably close to the royal family, particularly to Lucien, the crowned princess’s fiance. As tensions mount and politics come into play, Seraphina must balance safe-guarding her secret and helping to keep a fragile peace. Sequel: Shadow Scale.

 

throne of glass

Throne of Glass by Sarah Maas (2012) - In the treacherous kingdom of Adarlan, Caelena, an assassin, is doing hard time in the salt mines. She’s offered release on condition that she serve as the Crown Prince’s champion during a competition to find a new royal assassin. With her only choices being, freedom and servitude, death or the salt mines Caelena must navigate her new role very carefully. Sequels: Crown of Midnight and Heir of Fire. Companion: The Assassin's Blade. - Summer Reading 2015 title.

 

winner's curse

The Winner’s Curse by Maria Rutkoski (2014) - As the daughter of a prominent general, Kestrel has been educated in weapons, war and strategy her entire life. Her father respects her keen mind and intellect but she's no soldier. Her aristocratic, best friend wants her to join the social whirl of high society with its parties, pretty dresses and flirtatious boys but Kestrel wants more than that as well. With no clear choice Kestrel is torn. When she impulsively buys a male slave named Arin at a slave auction, she may find that the choice gets made for her. Sequel: The Winner’s Crime.

"WHEN YOU PLAY THE GAME OF THRONES, YOU WIN OR YOU DIE" —Cersei Lannister