Over the past 27 years, George R.R. Martin’s *A Song of Ice and Fire* has cemented its status as a landmark in fantasy literature. The saga's ascent into popular culture was propelled by a series of bestselling novels and HBO's groundbreaking adaptation. The franchise's cultural impact continues to thrive, particularly with the success of the follow-up series, *House of the Dragon*.
With all episodes of *House of the Dragon: Season 2* now available to stream, it's the perfect time to explore the source material and experience Westeros as envisioned by its creator. For those new to the *A Song of Ice and Fire* novels and their companion books, we've crafted a comprehensive guide on how to read the *Game of Thrones* books in chronological order.
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George R.R. Martin has published **five novels** in his *A Song of Ice and Fire* saga. He is currently working on two additional volumes: *The Winds of Winter* and *A Dream of Spring*. While fans eagerly await these books, some have turned to AI tools like ChatGPT to imagine possible endings. However, there's uncertainty about whether Martin will complete the series himself.
In addition to the main saga, Martin has also released several companion works. These include **three Dunk & Egg novellas** (collected in 2015’s *A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms*), **three Targaryen-focused novellas** (expanded in 2018’s *Fire & Blood*), and a comprehensive world guide titled *The World of Ice & Fire*. More details on these works are provided below.
For those who cherish physical books, purchasing a set of the *Game of Thrones* books is an excellent option. Several sets are available, but the leather-bound edition, currently on sale at Amazon, stands out as a collector's item.
52 Contains the set of 5 books.
$85.00 save 46%
$46.00 at Amazon
These brief plot synopses contain mild spoilers, focusing on broad plot points and character introductions to assist series newcomers.
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Fire & Blood, the source material for HBO’s House of the Dragon, chronicles the 300-year reign of House Targaryen in Westeros. Unlike the A Song of Ice and Fire novels, Fire & Blood is not told from the perspectives of characters involved in the plot but is instead framed as a historical account by Gyldayn, an archmaester of the Citadel. While Gyldayn's account begins around the start of A Song of Ice and Fire, the events recounted span from 300 years before A Game of Thrones over approximately 150 years. The second volume of Fire & Blood is expected to cover the remaining 150 years of the Targaryen dynasty.
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Fire & Blood covers the reigns of six Targaryen rulers, beginning with Aegon I Targaryen’s conquest of Westeros. It includes the pivotal event known as The Dying of the Dragons (or The Dance of the Dragons), which is depicted in House of the Dragon. The book also expands on three previously published ASoIaF novellas: The Princess and the Queen, or, the Blacks and the Greens (2013), The Rogue Prince (2014), and The Sons of the Dragon (2017). Additionally, The Rise of the Dragon offers a condensed, illustrated version of Fire & Blood.
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A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms compiles three novellas featuring Ser Duncan the Tall (Dunk) and his squire, Aegon V Targaryen (Egg). Set approximately 90 years before A Game of Thrones, these stories will serve as the basis for the upcoming TV adaptation, also titled A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. While not essential to the main narrative, these tales offer delightful additional adventures in the Seven Kingdoms. The novellas included are The Hedge Knight (1998), The Sworn Sword (2003), and The Mystery Knight (2010).
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A Game of Thrones, published in 1996, introduces readers to the world of Westeros, its regions, families, and the diverse characters that populate the series. Set during Robert Baratheon’s reign following his rebellion against the Targaryens, the novel ignites the War of the Five Kings, where five men vie for the Iron Throne. Themes of political intrigue, betrayal, family conflict, and violence are central to the narrative.
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The story unfolds through alternating points of view, featuring characters such as Eddard Stark, Catelyn Stark, Sansa Stark, Arya Stark, Bran Stark, Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister, and Daenerys Targaryen, whose journey takes place across the Narrow Sea in Essos. Blood of the Dragon, a novella, is largely a reworking of Daenerys' chapters from A Game of Thrones and is thus excluded from this list.
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A Clash of Kings continues the saga of the War of the Five Kings. The various claimants rally their forces, the Lannisters consolidate power in King’s Landing, Jon Snow ventures beyond the Wall with the Night’s Watch, and Daenerys navigates the challenges of a foreign land. The point-of-view characters include Catelyn Stark, Sansa Stark, Arya Stark, Bran Stark, Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister, Daenerys Targaryen, Theon Greyjoy, and Davos Seaworth.
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A Storm of Swords largely concludes the War of the Five Kings, though some conflicts persist. As peace returns to the Seven Kingdoms, the Stark children face various challenges, Jon Snow explores beyond the Wall, and Daenerys learns to lead. The point-of-view characters are Catelyn Stark, Sansa Stark, Arya Stark, Bran Stark, Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister, Daenerys Targaryen, Davos Seaworth, Jaime Lannister, and Samwell Tarly. Path of the Dragon, another novella, is primarily a reworking of Daenerys' chapters from A Storm of Swords and is thus excluded.
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A Feast for Crows picks up where the previous novel left off and runs concurrently with A Dance with Dragons. It focuses on new and returning characters in King’s Landing, the Iron Islands, and Dorne as winter approaches Westeros. Due to the book's size, Martin split the narrative into two volumes, with A Feast for Crows covering half the characters. The point-of-view characters include Sansa Stark, Arya Stark, Jaime Lannister, Samwell Tarly, Cersei Lannister, Brienne of Tarth, Aeron Greyjoy, Victarion Greyjoy, Arianne Martell, Asha Greyjoy, Areo Hotah, and Arys Oakheart. Arms of the Kraken, a novella, is largely a reworking of the Iron Islands chapters from A Feast for Crows and is thus excluded.
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A Dance with Dragons reintroduces the beloved characters absent from A Feast for Crows and continues the narrative from A Storm of Swords. The novel is parallel to A Feast for Crows but eventually moves beyond its events, making it the furthest along in the ASoIaF chronology. Key events include a new Lord Commander at the Night’s Watch, Daenerys grappling with leadership, the Greyjoys' eastward journey, a Martell's dangerous ambition, Brienne's reunion, Arya's ongoing training, Tyrion's fugitive status, and the emergence of a new claimant to the Iron Throne. The point-of-view characters are Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister, Daenerys Targaryen, Bran Stark, Arya Stark, Theon Greyjoy, Quentyn Martell, Davos Seaworth, Barriston Selmy, Asha Greyjoy, Cersei Lannister, Jaime Lannister, Jon Connington, Victarion Greyjoy, Areo Hotah, and Melisandre. A Dance with Dragons was published in 2011, and fans have been eagerly awaiting its sequel, The Winds of Winter, for over a decade.
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The World of Ice & Fire serves as a comprehensive companion to the ASoIaF novels. This richly illustrated book delves into the history of Martin’s world, starting from the arrival of the First Men in Westeros during the Dawn Age (approximately 12,000 years before A Game of Thrones). It covers the Targaryen reign and Robert’s Rebellion, including family trees for the Targaryens, Starks, and Lannisters, and details about the Seven Kingdoms, the Free Cities of Essos, and beyond.
The Iron Throne as depicted by artist Marc Simonetti in The World of Ice & Fire (Image: George R.R. Martin)
Martin has announced the upcoming release of A Feast for Crows: The Illustrated Edition, set for November 4, 2025. This follows the illustrated edition of the third book, released five years earlier.
Out November 4, 2025
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Martin has two more novels planned to complete his seven-book saga. The Winds of Winter, the sixth book, will follow the events of A Dance with Dragons. Martin has shared preview chapters and blog posts, confirming point-of-view chapters from characters like Tyrion, Cersei, Sansa, Arya, Theon, and Barriston Selmy. He has stated that The Winds of Winter will diverge significantly from the TV series. Despite being "13 years late," Martin considers it a priority, estimating it to be 75% complete and predicting a length of over 1,500 pages.
The final book in the series, A Dream of Spring, remains in the planning stages.
Martin is also working on the second volume of Fire & Blood, which will cover the remaining 150 years of the Targaryen dynasty.
Martin has expressed interest in writing more Dunk & Egg novellas, though he plans to prioritize The Winds of Winter first. He has outlined plans for additional stories, including a novella set in Winterfell titled "The She-Wolves" and another in the Riverlands called "The Village Hero." Martin has also mentioned potential titles for future stories such as The Sellsword, The Champion, The Kingsguard, The Lord Commander, and others.
An HBO series based on the Dunk & Egg novellas, titled A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, is in development. Season 1 will adapt The Hedge Knight, with Steve Conrad leading the project. The series is expected to premiere on Max and HBO in late 2025.
For more, check out the best fantasy books reading list or pick up one of the best reading lights.
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