The eighth and final season of Game of Thrones premiered this week and there's only a handful of episodes left to answer all of our questions! Who will sit on the Iron Throne? Who will survive? Why wouldn't the showrunners include Lady Stoneheart, this librarian's favorite character, in the show?!
Perhaps the biggest question for us readers is, will George R.R. Martin ever finish the books? While we definitely don't have the answers to any of these questions, we do have recommendations for what to read next to get your epic fantasy fix. These titles have great characters, political intrigue, and magical realms, andwith the exception of a few titles, are the first book in a series! If you'd like more suggestions for your next read, please contact the Reference Desk at 978-623-8430 or rdesk@mhl.org.
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The Name of the wind
by Patrick Rothfuss What it's about: An illustrated, 10th anniversary edition of the New York Times best-selling fantasy novel describes how the magically gifted orphan, Kvothe, brazenly attends a legendary school of magic and must live as a fugitive after the murder of a king. Why read it? If you for some reason enjoy having to wait years for a series conclusion, you should check out this unfinished series. Rothfuss is working on the third and final book, all while it's being developed for TV with the help of Lin-Manuel Miranda. |
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Who fears death
by Nnedi Okorafor What it's about: Born into post-apocalyptic Africa by a mother who was raped after the slaughter of her entire tribe, Onyesonwu is tutored by a shaman and discovers that her magical destiny is to end the genocide of her people. Why read it? This new classic of Afro-fantasy is being adapted for HBO by George R.R. Martin himself! It's also a great introduction to prolific author Okorafor's works. |
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The gunslinger
by Stephen King What it's about: Roland, the world's last gunslinger, tracks an enigmatic Man in Black toward a forbidding dark tower, fighting forces both mortal and other-worldly on his quest. Why read it? If you like following up on hints and clues throughout a massive amount of pages and trying to anticipate the plot's next moves, you'll like all the Easter eggs and tie-ins from King's other works in this series. |
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Black leopard, red wolf
by Marlon James What it's about: Hired to find a mysterious boy who disappeared three years before, Tracker joins a search party that is quickly targeted deadly creatures in the first novel of a new trilogy from the author of A Brief History of Seven Killings. Why read it? James has stated he set out to write the "African Game of Thrones" and definitely created an expansive and epic story in the Afro-fantasy genre. |
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The Black Tides of Heaven
by J. Y. Yang What it's about: Mokoya and Akeha, the twin children of the Protector, were sold to the Grand Monastery as infants. While Mokoya developed her strange prophetic gift, Akeha was always the one who could see the strings that moved adults to action. While Mokoya received visions of what would be, Akeha realized what could be. What's more, they saw the sickness at the heart of their mother's Protectorate. Why read it? If you're looking for innovative, epic fantasy but desire to move outside of Medieval-esque Europe, Yang's "silkpunk" novels are a great place to start. |
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The Eye of the World
by Robert Jordan What it's about: Set in a world where two kinds of magic exist, one female and the other male, the Wheel of Time series features as its hero Rand, who begins the first volume as a simple shepherd. A visitor soon sends Rand on an epic journey to unite the people of his planet against the Dark One, who threatens vast destruction. Rand's quest takes him through a dazzling array of meticulously detailed alien cultures and such unforgettable characters as the mysterious and lovely Egwene, the sorceress Moiraine, and Moiraine's companion, Lan. Why read it? If you want a series that will keep you going for a while, Jordan's Wheel of Time series, has 14 books in it! |
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Sabriel
by Garth Nix What it's about: Sabriel, daughter of the necromancer Abhorsen, must journey into the mysterious and magical Old Kingdom to rescue her father from the Land of the Dead. Why read it? Although it's a Young Adult series, this series also has an interesting setting loosely based on Britain, some seriously creepy (and undead) bad guys, and a charming book lover just like Sam Tarly! |
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The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms
by N. K. Jemisin What it's about: After Yeine Darr is summoned to the majestic city of Sky and named an heiress to the king of the Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, she is thrust into a vicious power struggle with cousins she never knew she had, drawing ever closer to the secrets of her mother's death and her family's bloody history. Why read it? If you love the political machinations of various characters in Game of Thrones, you're certain to enjoy this series by the multiple Hugo and Nebula award winning Jemisin. |
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The Palace of Illusions
by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni What it's about: Panchaali, wife of the five legendary Pandavas brothers, offers her own version of the The Mahabharat, as she chronicles the story of her magical birth, the problems of dealing with five husbands who have been cheated out of their birthright, the trials she endures, her friendship with Krishna, and her attraction to her husband's enemy. Why read it: If you liked how Martin's Game of Thrones is loosely - ok, very loosely since I don't think there were dragons or White Walkers in 15th century England - based on the actual English Wars of the Roses between the Lancaster and York families, you might enjoy another loose story retelling, this one based on the ancient Indian epic, The Mahabharat. |
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Half a king
by Joe Abercrombie What it's about: Heir to the throne Yarvi, prompted by the murder of his father, embarks on a kingdom-transforming journey to regain the throne, even though having only one good hand means he cannot wield a weapon. Why read it? If you like the grit and the gore of Game of Thrones then Abercrombie's works are a nice match. This is the first book of just one of his many series. |