There's no denying the cultural impact of George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire book series, but Game of Thrones is far from the best fantasy book available. Currently spanning five books, Martin's seminal series started with the infamous A Game of Thrones in 1996, with the most recent title— A Dance with Dragons— releasing in 2011.
The Wheel of Time
Author: Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson
While A Song of Ice and Fire has more subdued magic, The Wheel of Time is a nuanced fantasy world with its own mythos, mystical powers, and prophetic character arcs. Robert Jordan began the best-selling series with 1990's The Eye of the World, but Brandon Sanderson appeared to co-author the final three entries following Jordan's death in 2007.
From a three-season Prime Video series to a beloved video game to an ongoing comic book series, there have been many adaptations of The Wheel of Time that prove it has just as much staying power as Game of Thrones. Furthermore, every detail is accounted for, allowing even the most novice fantasy fans to make sense of the series' magic.
Night Watch
Author: Sergei Lukyanenko
Most readers only turn to Russian authors for classic novels like Anna Karenina and War and Peace, but Sergei Lukyanenko crafted an entrancing fantasy series with his six-story saga exploring the world of The Others. From Night Watch to Day Watch to Twilight Watch, the novels explore light and dark magic through familiar motifs, pitting humans against each other.
Similar to how Game of Thrones focuses on a world where humanity has already become accustomed to magic, Night Watch explores the fallout of a supernatural event rather than the emergence of the magical Twilight realm. The aftermath is far more interesting, as Lukyanenko expertly proves with his poignant writing, stellar world-building skills, and innovative novel structures.
Realm of the Elderlings
Author: Robin Hobb
Some book series only need a handful of titles to cement their spot in literary history, but other authors— like the immensely talented Robin Hobb— can keep a story going for years without growing stale. Thus was born one of the most ambitious fantasy book series ever: the Realm of the Elderlings saga, running from 1995 to 2017.
The Realm of the Elderlings series is composed of four distinct trilogies and a tetralogy, but it never feels as though the story got away from Hobb. Rather, each entry retains her refreshing, character-driven writing style while expanding a sprawling world of intrigue, betrayal, and fascinating allegories of queerness that, thankfully, hold up well over a decade later.
Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn
Author: Tad Williams
It's easy to root for a book's main character when they feel like the de facto hero, but Tad Williams' Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series throws a wrench into the typical reader response formula by offering the audience vastly different perspectives. Over the course of the trilogy, readers identify with protagonists and antagonists alike, reverse-engineering more meaningful introspection.
Fantasy readers have long celebrated Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, and it's no secret that Tad Williams wrote some of the biggest books that inspired Game of Thrones in the first place. Regardless, Williams has a far firmer grasp on his characters, making his novels feel more grounded than anything from A Song of Ice and Fire.
The Lord of the Rings
Author: J. R. R. Tolkien
If Game of Thrones is the biggest fantasy franchise of the past decade, then The Lord of the Rings is the most pivotal release of the 20th century. While the main story is contained to The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King, J. R. R. Tolkien's adventures in Middle-earth span numerous additional titles.
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Furthermore, while HBO's adaptation of Game of Thrones is widely regarded as one of the best TV shows of modern history, The Lord of the Rings' film trilogy is a tour de force of its own. Super-fans of Middle-earth far outnumber those of Westeros, and Tolkien's writing will likely be remembered much more fondly in perpetuity.
Earthsea
Author: Ursula K. Le Guin
Not only is Ursula K. Le Guin's Earthsea series one of the most beginner-friendly fantasy sagas on the market; all six titles in the series are award-winning, ranging from a Newbery Honor award to the Nebula Award for Best Novel. In the aptly-titled series, the main characters journey to understand the true nature of their world— a mystical archipelago.
Aside from being one of the earliest reflections of the Tolkienian influence, Earthsea is rightfully lauded for its existential systems of magic, philosophy, and identity itself. There are cliché quests and fearsome dragons, but Earthsea goes beyond the low-hanging fantastical fruit to deliver truly confronting plots that ensure each reader leaves a changed person.
The Faithful and the Fallen
Author: John Gwynne
The Faithful and the Fallen by John Gwynne is far more recent than A Game of Thrones, but it is more than deserving of some praise. Gwynne's masterful debut saga incorporates classic elements of the prototypical sword & sorcery genre, but it pushes the boundary with its heartfelt characters and their emotional expeditions.
The Faithful and the Fallen is a simply perfect fantasy book series, with each title improving on the last. Malice, Valour, Ruin, and Wrath all have their strengths, but they're genuinely better together. A Song of Ice and Fire precedes Gwynne's tetralogy by over 20 years, but that makes The Faithful and the Fallen's accomplishments all the more impressive.
Crown of Stars
Author: Kate Elliott
High fantasy can often feel inaccessible to readers who aren't already familiar with the genre, but Kate Elliott's Crown of Stars series is incredibly plausible for speculative fiction. The seven-book series explores the history of the fictional continent known as Novaria. How the world came to be ironically mirrors many major historical battles— and the subsequent indoctrination of lower classes.
To this day, Crown of Stars sadly remains an unadapted fantasy book series, but fans eagerly await the moment the iconic series is translated for screen via television or film. Without question, Elliott's voice remains one of the most interesting in the industry, but her magnum opus unfortunately remains a hidden gem to many fantasy readers.
The First Law
Author: Joe Abercrombie
Joe Abercrombie is a generational writer who has authored multiple flawless fantasy book series, but The First Law is arguably his best. Though it began as a simple trilogy, The First Law has expanded to include a second trilogy—the Age of Madness collection—, three standalone books, and a collection of short stories that are set in the same universe.
|
Title |
Original Release Year |
|
The Blade Itself |
2006 |
|
Before They Are Hanged |
2007 |
|
Last Argument of Kings |
2008 |
Whether you read The First Law trilogy or The First Law series in its entirety, Abercrombie's talent is clear from the opening lines. His work is so meticulous, even the book's titles are a fitting culmination of their themes, with some derived from famous books and others inspired by memorable real-life quotes that reflect the depth of Abercrombie's storytelling.
Malazan Book of the Fallen
Author: Steven Erikson
There are countless fantasy book series that are just as good as A Song of Ice and Fire, but few are as analogous as Malazan Book of the Fallen. The world of Malazan has set the stage for dozens of novels, prequels, and sequels. The high fantasy saga seamlessly balances a large ensemble of characters, a complex world, and more.
The Malazan Book of the Fallen series shares the same world with the Novels of the Malazan Empire series by Ian Cameron Esslemont.
What makes the Malazan Book of the Fallen series such a fan-favorite alternative to A Song of Ice and Fire is its satisfying ending. The series hits all the same notes as A Game of Thrones and its successors, but it has a definitive finale to boot, which rewards readers for their 12-year commitment.
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