A Song of Ice and Fire: The Ultimate Reading Guide for Westeros Enthusiasts
George R.R. Martin's epic fantasy saga, A Song of Ice and Fire, has captivated readers for over two decades, achieving phenomenal success through its novels and HBO's acclaimed adaptations. With House of the Dragon continuing the Westerosi narrative, now's the perfect time to delve into the source material. This guide provides a chronological reading order for all Game of Thrones books, including companion works.
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Chronological Reading Order | Release Order | Upcoming Books | Total Number of Books
The A Song of Ice and Fire Saga:
Five novels comprise the main A Song of Ice and Fire series, with two more – The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring – still in progress. While Martin's completion timeline remains uncertain, the series' popularity persists, fueled by fan speculation and even AI-generated continuations.
Beyond the core novels, Martin has enriched the world with several companion books: three Dunk & Egg novellas (collected in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms), three Targaryen-focused novellas (expanded in Fire & Blood), and the comprehensive The World of Ice & Fire.
Game of Thrones Book Sets:
For collectors, several Game of Thrones book sets are available. A particularly noteworthy option is the currently discounted leather-bound edition on Amazon.
Chronological Reading Order:
(Mild spoilers regarding broad plot points and character introductions are included below.)
- Fire & Blood: This prequel chronicles the 300-year reign of House Targaryen, serving as the basis for House of the Dragon. Narrated by Archmaester Gyldayn, it spans roughly 150 years (with a second volume anticipated). While its narrative precedes A Game of Thrones, its writing timeframe overlaps with the main series' beginning.
- A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: This collection of three novellas features Ser Duncan the Tall and Aegon V Targaryen, set approximately 90 years before A Game of Thrones. While not directly impacting the main storyline, it offers engaging supplementary adventures.
- A Game of Thrones: The inaugural novel introduces Westeros, its key houses, and numerous characters, setting the stage for the War of the Five Kings.
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A Clash of Kings: The War of the Five Kings intensifies, with various factions vying for power.
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A Storm of Swords: This novel largely concludes the War of the Five Kings, though conflicts persist.
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A Feast for Crows: Published concurrently with A Dance with Dragons, this novel focuses on characters in King's Landing, the Iron Islands, and Dorne, while key figures from previous books are absent.
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A Dance with Dragons: This novel reunites readers with characters missing from A Feast for Crows, continuing the storylines from A Storm of Swords.
Bonus: The World of Ice & Fire: A comprehensive companion book detailing Westeros' history, including family trees and geographical information.
Release Order:
A Game of Thrones (1996) A Clash of Kings (1999) A Storm of Swords (2000) A Feast for Crows (2005) A Dance with Dragons (2011) The World of Ice & Fire (2014) A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (2015) Fire & Blood (2018)
Upcoming Books:
- A Feast for Crows: The Illustrated Edition: (November 4, 2025)
- The Winds of Winter: The highly anticipated sixth novel in the main series.
- A Dream of Spring: The planned final novel in the A Song of Ice and Fire series.
- Fire & Blood Volume 2: The sequel to the Targaryen history.
- Further Dunk & Egg Novellas: Martin has expressed his intention to write more stories featuring Dunk and Egg.
An HBO series adaptation of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is also in development. For further reading, explore our best fantasy books list.
