If You Liked A Game of Thrones, Try These...

By Lynn Ann Lobash, Associate Director, Readers Services and Engagement
May 29, 2018
ReadingIsLit

This summer at The New York Public Library, Reading Is Lit.

Everything starts with a great story! If you love pop culture hits from HBO, you can go even deeper by reading the books that inspired the shows and discovering more great titles that strike similar chords. Meet unforgettable characters and explore new authors with these expert recommendations from our librarians.

If you’re in New York, use your library card to get these books, the HBO shows, and everything NYPL has to offer! Borrow books and ebooks, download digital media, access online databases, and more. Visit nypl.org/librarycard for more information and to apply for your card. You can also get these books on your smartphone with our free e-reader app, SimplyE.

If you're in New York, use your library card to get these books, the HBO shows, and everything NYPL has to offer! Borrow books and ebooks, download digital media, access online databases, and more. Click here for more information and to apply for your NYPL card. You can also get these books on your smartphone with our free e-reader app, SimplyE, available for iPhone/iPad and Android.

Game of Thrones

For fans of A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin, here are more epic, world-building fantasy novels.

The Fifth Season

The  Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin [ebook]

The first book in the formidable Broken Earth series, set in a richly detailed world inhabited by complex races and cultures undergoing a climate-change apocalypse.

Mistborn the Final Empire

Mistborn the Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson

Epic fantasy with a dark lord theme. The monstrous Lord Ruler teams up with orphan Vin in a desperate plot to save the world.

Sorcerer to the Crown

Sorcerer to the Crown by Zen Cho [ebook]

Historical fantasy with court intrigue. Born a slave, Zacharias Wythe has just been appointed England's new Sorcerer Royal. Let the plotting begin!

A Wizard of Earthsea

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. LeGuin [ebook]

Classic high fantasy including a wizard academy that predates Hogwarts. Sparrowhawk, a sorcerer's apprentice, unwittingly unleashes evil. 

Graceling

Gracelingby Kristin Cashore [ebook]

More court intrigue and a strong female lead in an action-packed storyline. In a world where some people are born with extraordinary skills called "Graces," Katsa struggles with her own powerful Grace and fights a corrupt king. 

Fans of George R.R. Martin have seen his imagined worlds brought to the screen in the popular HBO series, Game of Thrones. Martin's ideas have inspired readers to imagine dragons and queens, witches and conquerors, direwolves and White Walkers, dynasties and destinies.  So it's natural to wonder what informed Martin's own imagination—the books that he credits as his own favorites, and that doubtlessly lingered in his mind as he was building worlds of his own. Now you can find out with this list of reading recommendations from George R.R. Martin himself.

Summer is the perfect time to discover the power of reading. This year, the New York Public Library is partnering with HBO to spotlight great stories and introduce readers to their new favorites. With over 55 million items in its collections, The New York Public Library is one of three public library systems providing New Yorkers with free access to books, online resources, and programming.  

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Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.

Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!