Within the last decade, Game of Thrones achieved what many series can only aspire to do: become a cultural juggernaut, forever imprinted into society’s collective memory.
But before Emilia Clark’s expressive face became synonymous with the silver-haired Daenerys Targaryen, the Mother of Dragons’ features only existed in the imagination of George R.R. Martin and the millions of fans of the A Song of Ice and Fire series.
If you’re eager to dip your toes in the pages of this fantastic universe or have wondered how many Game of Thrones books there are, rest assured—despite its intimidating aura, it is much more straightforward than it seems.
- Main Entries in the Song of Ice and Fire Book Series
- Spinoffs, Novellas, and Prequels
- Supplementary Material to Explore the World of a Song of Ice and Fire
- How to Read the Game of Thrones Books by Release Date
- How to Read the Game of Thrones Books in Chronological Order?
- Upcoming Game of Thrones Books
- Game of Thrones and Movie Adaptations
- Would You Like to Visit the Pages of Westeros?
Main Entries in the Song of Ice and Fire Book Series
The main story of A Song of Ice and Fire is a high fantasy work of fiction that encompasses five books to date. They are the quintessential pillars of the universe and what people mean when they refer to the Game of Thrones books, as they are the material source for the show.
The epic storyline follows multiple characters and points of view through Westeros and Essos, two continents marked by complex court politics, battlefield woes, and interpersonal misfortunes shadowed by the looming threat of imminent supernatural tragedy.
A Game of Thrones
The first book in the series, A Game of Thrones lent its name to the HBO series, even long after the show surpassed the events depicted in its pages.
After his head advisor dies in mysterious circumstances, King Robert Baratheon visits the northern castle of Winterfell to ask his old friend, Lord Eddard ‘Ned’ Stark, to assume the vacant position. Wary and reluctant to exchange his home for treacherous courtroom politics, Ned accepts the newfound responsibility.
His fears prove well-funded as he encounters treachery and secrets threatening to destroy his family—and the kingdom. Meanwhile, across the sea, a young, disposed prince plots to reclaim his family’s throne at any cost, even his sister.
A Clash of Kings
Peace is dead, beheaded in front of the Great Sept of Baelor. Now, the stain of blood divides the kingdoms once again—and without a king to unify them, only chaos reigns supreme.
A Clash of Kings features the power struggle resulting from A Game of Thrones’s shocking events. Across the Seven Kingdoms, unity has fallen, and five contenders have risen to arms to defend their right to be called kings. In the far north, in the fields beyond their control, a king poses a threat unlike any before, while across the sea, a queen establishes herself after rising from the ashes.
A Storm of Swords
Even as King Joffrey Baratheon sits on the throne, his power remains nominal. At the same time, the War of the Five Kings continues to rage on—with one contender less. However, things change as the pieces on the board make their moves. Pawns become queens or knights, and for good or bad, the war must end.
A Storm of Swords has been considered the magnum opus in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, with masterful plot progression and heart-wrenching plot twists, where trustworthy allies prove to be treacherous enemies and conniving villains showcase their heroism.
A Feast for Crows
As a new king is crowned, the Lannister faction, now more broken than ever, enjoys its pyrrhic victory. But even in a dying fire, the embers still burn—and they claim for revenge.
Originally intended to be only one book alongside A Dance with Dragons, A Feast for Crows expands the plot and widens the range, focusing for now on the epicenter of Westeros’ politics. With the Martells of Dorne and the Greyjoys of the Iron Isles joining the game of thrones, it’s time to see how war continues long after it is over.
A Dance with Dragons
Far away from the heart of Westeros—in the cold north, distant east, and rough seas—things change. The stories intertwine as newfound revelations promise to shake up the quest for the Iron Throne.
A Lannister crosses the ocean to meet the famed Daenerys Targaryen, busy trying to reign from her new throne. Two young princes may alter the game forever. In the north, Jon Snow faces unmeasurable challenges and countless enemies, both alive and dead.
Spinoffs, Novellas, and Prequels
While waiting for the upcoming (yes, it will come out!) Winds of Winter, you can satisfy your craving for more Game of Thrones books and Planetos adventures with the following side stories, each expanding the already rich world built from George R. R. Martin’s mind.
Tales of Dunk and Egg Series
An ongoing collection of novellas, Tales of Dunk and Egg is set almost a century before the A Song of Ice and Fire series starts. It follows the adventures of hedge knight Ser Duncan the Tall and his young squire, a bald kid nicknamed Egg—both destined to become emblematic figures in Westerosi history.
It comprises three novellas thus far: The Hedge Knight, The Sworn Sword, and The Mystery Knight. Although you can purchase them separately, all three have been released together under the name A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
If you’re interested, consider reading it between A Storm of Swords and A Feast for Crows.
The Princess and the Queen
Originally published in the Dangerous Women anthology series, The Princess and the Queen is a short novella detailing the origins behind the Dance of the Dragons, a civil war between two factions of dragon-riding Targaryens set over 150 years before the main story.
The novella is written as if it were a detailed historical book recalling the succession war between Crown Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and her half-brother Aegon Targaryen, the latter backed up by Rhaenyra’s stepmother, Queen Dowager Alicent Hightower.
The Rogue Prince
Although it was published after The Princess and the Queen, The Rogue Prince works as a prequel to the former.
It follows the complex relationship between reigning king Viserys I and his charming yet dangerous brother Daemon and how these mishaps plant the seeds for the civil war involving Viserys’ firstborn daughter, Rhaenyra, and his eldest son, Aegon.
The Sons of the Dragon
The last of the novellas is also the first, at least chronologically—it dates back to the very first Targaryens to rule the Seven Kingdoms.
Upon his death, Aegon the Conqueror leaves behind two sons: his successor, Aenys, and his younger brother, Maegor. In this tale, somewhat reminiscent of Cain and Abel, you follow the stories of both brothers, knowing they are both destined to sit on the throne and succumb to it.
Supplementary Material to Explore the World of a Song of Ice and Fire
If you find yourself intrigued by the fascinating world built by George R.R. Martin’s imagination, you can explore it thoroughly with the supplementary material released to date.
Fire & Blood tells the complete story of House Targaryen in the manner of a historical document. It includes The Princess and the Queen, The Rogue Prince, and The Sons of the Dragon, with the former two inspiring the current HBO hit series House of the Dragon.
Meanwhile, The World of Ice and Fire is a companion book that, while not written exclusively by Martin, works as a complete history guide featuring maps, family trees, and historical supplements.
How to Read the Game of Thrones Books by Release Date
If you’re eager to read the Game of Thrones books in order, keep in mind that the Universe of A Song of Ice and Fire is one that most readers prefer to engage with by release date, as it helps them get in George R.R. Martin’s mindset and see the world evolve as he envisioned.
To read the core Game of Thrones books by release order, the order would be:
- A Game of Thrones (1996)
- A Clash of Kings (1998)
- A Storm of Swords (2000)
- A Feast for Crows (2005)
- A Dance with Dragons (2011)
If you’d like to account for every tale within the story’s shared universe, including the novellas and short stories, you have two options: the purist and compilation approaches.
The purist approach involves reading each book and novella in a strict publishing order. In such case, the list would be as follows:
- A Game of Thrones (1996)
- The Hedge Knight (Tales of Dunk and Egg #1) (1998)
- A Clash of Kings (1998)
- A Storm of Swords (2000)
- The Sworn Sword (Tales of Dunk and Egg #2) (2003)
- A Feast for Crows (2005)
- The Mystery Knight (Tales of Dunk and Egg #3) (2010)
- A Dance with Dragons (2011)
- The Princess and the Queen, or, The Blacks and the Greens (2013)
- The Rogue Prince, or, a King’s Brother (2014)
- The World of Ice and Fire (2014)
- The Sons of the Dragon (2017)
- Fire & Blood (2018)
Nonetheless, the most efficient way to read the Game of Thrones books in order of publication is to stick to novella compilations, which, although published much later than the original stories, allow for a more cohesive reading experience.
- A Game of Thrones (1996)
- A Clash of Kings (1998)
- A Storm of Swords (2000)
- A Feast for Crows (2005)
- A Dance with Dragons (2011)
- The World of Ice and Fire (2014)
- A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (Tales of Dunk and Egg 1-3) (2015)
- Fire & Blood (contains The Princess and the Queen, The Rogue Prince, and the Sons of the Dragon) (2018)
How to Rea
d the Game of Thrones Books in Chronological Order?
If you’d prefer to explore the world of A Song of Ice and Fire as the events unfolded, then reading the Game of Thrones books in chronological order would be your best bet. However, there are a few caveats you need to be aware of before jumping ahead.
Many short stories and novellas in the Song of Ice and Fire universe take place decades, if not centuries, before the main story. As such, reading all the content chronologically would mean starting with stories only tangentially related to George R. R. Martin’s primary narrative.
- Fire & Blood (containing the three novellas)
- Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (Tales of Dunk and Egg 1-3)
- A Game of Thrones
- A Clash of Kings
- A Storm of Swords
- A Feast for Crows
- A Dance with Dragons
Upcoming Game of Thrones Books
George R.R. Martin’s infamous delays in publishing his books have left many upcoming projects without a precise release date, as fans eagerly await the conclusion of multiple storylines.
Upcoming Books in the Main A Song of Ice and Fire Series
George R.R. Martin estimates two books are left to wrap the main story, although that number may change.
Winds of Winter is the next book to be released, made famous due to its many delays. Fans have been waiting over a decade for its release, but Martin has not given any concrete publishing deadline after failing to meet the previous ones. However, fans can enjoy some of the free chapters the author shared online.
The next book, A Dream of Spring, is expected to be the last entry in the Game of Thrones book series and conclude the main storyline. As with its predecessor, it also has an undetermined release date.
Upcoming Novellas and Other Books
Fire & Blood is conceived as a historical text narrating the history of the Targaryen rule in Westeros. Yet, the first entry stops at Aegon III, leaving approximately a century’s worth of kings and events uncovered until the Mad King himself. George R. R. Martin has mentioned the sequel, which is tentatively called Blood & Fire, but he does not plan to release it before Winds of Winter.
The Tales of Dunk and Egg are similarly inconclusive, but fans know the potential topics and titles of the upcoming entries, once again set to be released after Winds of Winter. The fourth book is tentatively titled The She-Wolves of Winterfell, and the subsequent working titles are The Village Hero, The Sellsword, The Champion, The Kingsguard, and The Lord Commander.
Game of Thrones and Movie Adaptations
There are no plans for Game of Thrones movie adaptations thus far, but it all can change.
The main Game of Thrones book series has a well-known adaptation that earned critical appraisal and became a pop culture phenomenon throughout the years—although not without controversy and an ending of hotly debated quality. However, this adaptation was meant for the silver screen, as the series is too long and convoluted for a movie.
Two other TV series set in the world of Game of Thrones exist. The first one is the ongoing House of The Dragon, a loose adaptation of The Princess and the Queen and The Rogue Prince with historical aspects taken from Fire & Blood. Next is the upcoming Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, whose first season is meant to adapt the first Tales of Dunk and Egg novella.
Future adaptations and spinoffs are in the works, but many have been shelved or canceled. Only time will tell which projects will see the light of day.
Would You Like to Visit the Pages of Westeros?
How many Game of Thrones books are there depends on your eagerness to explore the world they are in—or how optimistic you are about George R. R. Martin finishing the series.
While the main storyline is just five books, Martin’s rich worldbuilding and intricate relationships are worth exploring and respecting, as they are among the most valuable and revered in high fantasy fiction.
Feel free to check out must-read books by celebrated authors: Anne McCaffrey, Anne Lamott, Pat Conroy, Kurt Vonnegut, and Arthur Conan Doyle. Hope you elevate your reading experience with these diverse and compelling recommendations from BookScouter.
