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It would be untrue to say that people hadn't heard of George R. R. Martin's series A Song of Ice and Fire before the success of Game of Thrones. However, it is obvious that the popularity of the series grew exponentially after people watched the show. Not only that, even the success of House of the Dragon can be linked to the fact that Martin's books have amassed a considerable worldwide readership.
Adaptations can often be tricky because readers already have set expectations but both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon have proved that when done right, they can achieve record viewership. In order to appease the growing fantasy fanbase, authors are pushing the envelope to create imaginative fictional worlds with interesting characters and creatures.
In this list, we take a look at some other exciting novel series that, if given the opportunity, could very well mimic the success that Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon have enjoyed in the last few years.
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Disclaimer: This list contains information from various sources. It contains some spoilers.
Mistborn, The Folk of the Air and eight other novel series that are likely to become as popular as Game of Thrones
1) Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb (1995-1997)
Bookworms are well aware that George R. R. Martin is a master storyteller which is why whenever he praises other authors, people tend to take it quite seriously. And the brains behind Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon has had only good things to say about Margaret Astrid Lindholm Ogden who goes by the pen name Robin Hobb.
This particular trilogy by Robin Hobb was published from 1995 to 1997. The central protagonist is FitzChivalry Farseer and the story is set in the Six Duchies, a fictional realm rife with conflicts and instability. The illegitimate son of a prince, Fitz is seen as a threat to the crown because he possesses powerful magical abilities. Understandably, the journey to realizing his potential is packed with tribulations.
The complex personalities, power plays within royalty, and compelling world-building in the series will draw the reader in. Even though there have been no reports about Hobbs selling the television or film rights to date, it is obvious that if this trilogy does end up getting an adaptation, it could give Game of Thrones a run for its money.
Books in the series: Assassin's Apprentice, Royal Assassin and Assassin's Quest.
2) Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson (2006-2022)
The Mistborn series is divided into two eras. Era One, published between 2006 and 2008, comprises three books. Upon seeing the warm reception to the books, Brandon Sanderson came out with four more titles in Era Two. In the first trilogy of Mistborn, set in the dystopian world of Scadrial, the focus is on a group of Allomancers who gain abilities with the help of specific metals.
Their main aim is to overthrow the tyrannical "Lord Ruler" who has divided the society into the affluent nobles and the oppressed peasantry. In Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, it is painfully obvious that when power falls into the wrong hands, chaos follows. Similar dynamics are at play in Sanderson's fantasy series.
Like Martin in Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, Sanderson has also been praised for his attention to detail in terms of world-building. Even though there has been some chatter about a movie adaptation, Sanderson admitted last year that due to certain hiccups, the work has been put on hold. Given its exciting premise, it would surely be a shame if Mistborn doesn't make it to the screen.
Books in the series: The first trilogy comprises The Final Empire, The Well of Ascension, and The Hero of Ages.
3) The Broken Empire Trilogy by Mark Lawrence (2011-2013)
Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon fans are well-versed with tragic story progressions which is why they won't have any trouble following the harrowing journey of Jorg Ancrath who witnessed the death of his mother and brother at the young age of nine. After he becomes the leader of a band of vicious outlaws, the runaway prince makes an elaborate plan to ascend the throne.
The fact that two books from the series ended up as finalists in the annual Goodreads Choice Award for Best Fantasy, in 2011 and 2012, is a good indicator that bookworms found the narrative compelling and praise-worthy. It is interesting to note that even the executives at Paramount Pictures recognized the series' potential as the company acquired the film rights back in 2017.
Given the interest in the novel series, it can be said with certainty that there will be a lot of eyes on the adaptation once it does get to the production phase.
Books in the series: Prince of Thorns, King of Thorns, and Emperor of Thorns.
4) A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (2015-2021)
This famous series by Sarah J. Maas is all over BookTok and for good reason. Like Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, A Court of Thorns and Roses has all the things that fantasy fans enjoy - magic, mystery, romance, rivalry, and so much more. At the center of the narrative is 19-year-old Feyre who is forced to go to the land of the faerie, Prythian, for killing a wolf.
Three titles in the popular series have won Goodreads Choice Awards. Not to mention, A Court of Thorns and Roses also made the New York Times Best Seller list. It is well-established that fantasy storylines thrive on detailed world-building and Maas certainly doesn't hold back. Her poetic descriptions and well-developed characters create a riveting tale that hooks the reader from page one.
Unlike A Song of Ice and Fire which amassed a mass readership after the release of Game of Thrones, this novel series is already extremely popular. The fact that it has been optioned by Hulu for a TV show adaptation by Ronald D. Moore is just the cherry on top.
Books in the series: A Court of Thorns and Roses, A Court of Mist and Fury, A Court of Wings and Ruin, A Court of Frost and Starlight and A Court of Silver Flames.
5) Shades of Magic by V. E. Schwab (2015-2017)
Fantasy readers must already be acquainted with the works of V. E. Schwab as her novel The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue lasted 37 consecutive weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list in 2021.
This series, released ahead of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, is still quite underrated but has the potential to blow up if given the chance. A young magician named Kell is the central protagonist who has the rare ability to travel between four parallel Londons. When finds himself in a spot of trouble, Kell is forced to go on the run and cross paths with a daring thief with questionable motives.
Like Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, this series offers plenty of intrigue and deception with the addition of parallel realities which is always exciting. As per reports, a movie based on the first book is in the works. Fans were particularly excited when Derek Kolstad, creator of the beloved John Wick franchise, joined as the screenwriter in 2019.
Books in the series: A Darker Shade of Magic, A Gathering of Shadows, and A Conjuring of Light.
6) Red Queen Series by Victoria Aveyard (2015-2018)
One of the reasons why viewers are so invested in Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon is because of the interesting character development arcs. This series by Victoria Aveyard also gives precedence to showcasing the growth of the characters which makes it unputdownable.
It is set in a dystopian era wherein the society is divided based on blood. Those with silver possess supernatural abilities and are regarded as the elite while those with red are considered lowly and crude. But when the 17-year-old protagonist, a Red, Mare Barrow discovers that she has powers, her life takes her on an adventurous journey filled with danger and deceit.
Aveyard won the 2015 Goodreads Choice Award for Debut Goodreads Author for the first title in the series. Like Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, it has many shocking twists and turns that help maintain the suspense. It is interesting that Peacock will be adapting the first book into a TV show with Elizabeth Banks in the director's seat.
Books in the series: Red Queen, Glass Sword, King's Cage and War Storm.
7) The Folk of the Air by Holly Black (2018-2019)
Like many novel series on this list, The Folk of the Air also made it to the New York Times Best Seller list. In Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, the cause of all chaos and violence can be traced back to the coveted Iron Throne. In this series, the scene of the action is the High Court of Faerie.
The protagonist, Jude Duarte is a mortal girl who was brought to live in Elfhame, a faerie world, against her will. After ten years in Elfhame, she wants nothing more than to win a place at the Court but it won't be easy as many of the fey are adamantly opposed to it, including Prince Cardan.
Given that this series is YA, fans of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon will notice the lack of provocative themes but it still has all the angst, hostility, political intrigue, backstabbing and more to make up for it. It is also encouraging that Universal Pictures and Michael De Luca have optioned the first title in the series for a movie adaptation.
Books in the series: The Cruel Prince, The Wicked King and The Queen of Nothing.
8) A Chorus of Dragons by Jenn Lyons (2019-2022)
It would be hard to argue that Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon wouldn't be half as entertaining without the dragons. This is why it is fortunate that A Chorus of Dragons by Jenn Lyons boasts many awe-inspiring dragons.
The central protagonist is Kihrin who grew up as an orphan but his life changes dramatically when it is claimed that he is the long-lost son of a treasonous prince. He cannot quite wrap his head around all the treachery and double standards within the family but soon realizes that his role in the grand scheme of things is not to save the kingdom but to destroy it.
The thing that will appeal to fans of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon is the complex storytelling. As the narrative doesn't always follow a chronological structure, it does lend an air of suspense and anticipation. As per reports, Annapurna Television has optioned the rights to the first book in the series.
Books in the series: The Ruin of Kings, The Name of All Things, The Memory of Souls, The House of Always, and The Discord of Gods.
9) Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout (2020-2024)
Both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon have some epic battles that are hard to ignore but it also has plenty of romance and desire to spice things up. In a similar vein, Jennifer L. Armentrout also delivers a good deal of steamy passion that would make readers blush.
At the heart of the story is Poppy, who has been raised as a Maiden and her sole purpose is to Ascend. But when a mysterious man becomes her guard, she starts to see things differently. Romance is central to the story but it isn't the only reason to pick it up. The Blood and Ash series also has a generous helping of adventure, mystery, friendship and much more.
As per reports, Amazon Studios is looking to adapt the series into a TV show which is not surprising given the potential of Armentrout's elaborate world-building and charming characters.
Books in the series: From Blood and Ash, Kingdom of Flesh and Fire, The Crown of Gilded Bones, The War of Two Queens, A Soul of Ash and Blood and Visions of Flesh and Blood.
10) The Empyrean by Rebecca Yarros (2023-present)
Another Booktok sensation, this is an ongoing fantasy series by Rebecca Yarros. The first book made it to the top spot on The New York Times bestseller list. Like the White Walkers in Game of Thrones, The Empyrean has its own version of powerful enemies known as the venin.
The central protagonist is Violet who enrolls in Basgiath War College to become a dragon rider at the behest of her mother. Although she starts as the underdog, Violet slowly starts to realize her true potential once she begins training. Like Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, the clever narrative in this series is fast-paced and extremely unpredictable.
Even though only two books have released from the series which is set to have five books in total, The Empyrean is being regarded as one of the strongest candidates for a successful adaptation. And so, fans weren't exactly shocked when Amazon announced that it plans to develop a TV show based on the first installment of the series.
Books in the series: Fourth Wing and Iron Flame. The remaining three are yet to be released.
When it comes to novel series adaptations, very few have close to the popularity of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon but the titles on this list have a fighting chance if the adaptations can stay true to the author's vision.
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