“The gods have yet to make a man who lacks the patience for absolute power.”
During its peak, Game of Thrones was the ultimate fantasy series. Exploding in popularity thanks to its HBO adaptation, George R.R. Martin’s source material presents an expansive, fascinating world in Westeros and beyond, filled with high-octane action, political intrigue and everything from witchcraft, giants, zombies, and, of course, dragons. And now House of the Dragon is set to keep the excitement and suspense going. Set centuries before the events of Thrones, House of the Dragon sees the dragon-riding Targareyans on the Iron Throne and introduces a world that has just enough familiarity for fans, whilst simultaneously feeling like something altogether different. If you love stories filled with strong female protagonists, dragons, court intrigue, plotting, scheming and magic, check out the best books like House of the Dragon ahead of the second season of the show here at What We Reading!
Fire & Blood (A Targaryen History #1) – George R.R. Martin
If you loved House of the Dragon, the most natural place to kick off our list of the best books like it has to be the source material it’s based on, George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood. Set three centuries before the events of A Song of Ice and Fire, the book centres around the Targaryen royal house during the peak of its powers.
The only surviving family of dragonlords to have survived the Doom of Valyria, Fire & Blood chronicles the conquest of Aegon, his descendants who fought to hold the Iron Throne and the civil war that nearly split the dynasty apart. Featuring over eighty vivid illustrations by Doug Wheatley, Martin’s 2018 work is the ultimate resource on bringing the Targareyeans to life, answering some of the biggest mysteries from across the Game of Thrones universe and providing the most comprehensive picture of the fascinating, albeit bloody, history of Westeros.
Check Out The Best Books Like Game Of Thrones
The Priory Of The Orange Tree (The Roots Of Chaos #1) – Samantha Shannon
The House of Berethnet has ruled the land of Inys for a thousand years. Queen Sabran the Ninth is still yet to marry or conceive an heir to the throne. A power struggle is looming on the horizon, and assassins are everywhere. Ead Duryan is an outsider at court but has risen to the position of a lady-in-waiting, secretly watching over Sabran with her forbidden magic. Elsewhere, Tane has trained to be a dragon rider all her life but soon finds herself grabbling with a choice that could see her whole life unravel.
The Priory of the Orange Tree is a 2019 fantasy book by Samantha Shannon. Like House of the Dragon, it features an epically-built world filled with dragons, magic and intrigue, and its female-led storytelling is sure to make it a hit for any Rhaenyra fans.
Wicked Like A Wildfire (Hibiscus Daughter #1) – Lana Popovic
All the women in Iris and Malina’s family have the magical ability to ‘gleam’ and manipulate beauty. Malina interprets moods as music, whilst Iris turns all of her visions into impressive glasswork. Yet, their mother has rules for keeping their magic a secret from their sleepy seaside town; they are not allowed to share their magic with anyone and are strictly forbidden from falling in love.
But when the mother is suddenly attacked, the pair are forced to unearth the truth behind the life she has fastened for them. During their investigation, they will discover a malevolent curse that plagues their family line and are forced to reckon whether their gifts, the thing that has held them together, may end up being the thing that pulls them apart.
Seraphina (Seraphina #1) – Rachel Hartman
Seraphina is the New York Times bestselling and Morris Award-winning 2019 debut novel by Rachel Hartman. In it, she introduces the kingdom of Goredd where four decades of uneasy peace have existed between humans and dragons. Now finding themselves masquerading in human form, the dragons attend court as ambassadors, lending their minds to universities, academics and teachers. But, as the anniversary of their peace treaty approaches, tensions between the two sides remain high.
For, Seraphina Dombegh, she has a reason to fear both camps. A uniquely talented musician, she joins the court just as one of the royal family members is murdered. Teaming up with the captain of the Queen’s Guard, she soon begins to uncover a sinister plot to destroy Goredd’s fragile peace. An epic high fantasy featuring dragons, queens and schemes, Seraphina is undoubtedly one of the best books for any fans of House of the Dragon.
Blazewrath Games (Blazewrath Games #1) – Amparo Ortiz
Lana Torres has always preferred dragons over people. In a few weeks, sixteen countries will compete against each other at the Blazewrath Games World Cup, a tournament where dragons and their riders jostle in a dangerous relay. For Lana, her dream has always been to represent her native Puerto Rico. And after the nation’s champion is kicked off the team, she finds herself being given that chance.
But then she discovers that a former Blazewrath icon has teamed up with the Sire – an infamous dragon cursed into human form – suddenly jeopardising the safety of the cup and those competing. Dragon sanctuaries are being burned down, and the pair refuse to stop unless the World Cup is cancelled. All Lana wanted to do was compete for her nation, but she suddenly finds herself embroiled in a clandestine international conspiracy with potentially deadly consequences.
Talon (Talon #1) – Julie Kagawa
To take her rightful place in the legendary Talon organisation, young dragon Ember Hill needs to demonstrate her ability to hide her dragon identity and blend in with the humans. Initially, she’s delighted by the prospect of a summer filled with ‘normal’ teen experiences. However, this is quickly taken away once she discovers that she is still expected to train for her destined career in Talon.
As Ember struggles with her future, St. George soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian is tasked with bringing her to justice. Yet, when faced with her confidence, bravery and all-too-human desires, Garret soon finds himself questioning his own loyalties to the order and his place in the world. Before long, he begins musing on how far he is willing to go to uncover the truth about the dragons. One of the best fantasy books about dragons, Julie Kagawa’s Talon is the perfect read for any fans of House of the Dragon.
The Ruin Of Kings (A Chorus Of Dragons #1) – Jenn Lyons
Kihrin is an orphan who grew up on fabled tales of princes and epic quests. But, when he is claimed as the long-lost son of a treasonous prince, he soon learns that being a prince isn’t like what the storybooks promised.
Far from living a dream, Kihrin finds himself living as a prisoner, a pawn in the power plays and ambitions of his new found family. There, he begins to understand how the storybooks lied to him about many other things: dragons, gods, demons, prophecies, true love and how the hero always emerges victorious. But, perhaps Kihrin’s destiny isn’t to save his empire after all. Perhaps it is to destroy it. For anyone who loved the epic feel of the Targareyans and their dragon-riding conquests in House of the Dragon, Jenn Lyons’ 2019 fantasy book The Ruin of Kings is the perfect read.
The Rage Of Dragons (The Burning #1) – Evan Winter
The Omehi people have been locked in an unwinnable war for nearly two centuries. Their society is built around conflict and only conflict. One in every two thousand women have the power to call down dragons, whereas one in every hundred men can transform themselves into bigger, more efficient killing machines.
For the remainder of the population, they are nothing but expendable fodder, destined to die in the war. Tau, born without a gift, knows this all too well and is planning on wounding himself to escape the violence and settle down for a quiet life. But, when those closest to him are brutally murdered, his plans very much turn to vengeance. He forges a path to becoming the greatest swordsman who ever lived, a man willing to give anything to see those who betrayed him brought to justice. With dragons, war and revenge, Evan Winter’s high fantasy book The Rage of Dragons is the perfect book similar to House of the Dragon.
Check Out The Best Fantasy Books Like The Witcher
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
