Court intrigue fantasy books are very popular. They are stories that involve some sort of royal or other political court and are full of backstabbing and political manoeuvring.
There are many layers to these novels. The characters are often clever, witty and will go to any lengths to get what they want. The lines between “good” and “bad” are blurred, creating complex, morally grey characters.
This sub-genre of fantasy has been reviewed and discussed at The Fantasy Review quite a bit, so I have put together a list of recommendations for court intrigue fantasy books.
A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin
A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin is one of the most popular fantasy series with political intrigue. Characters like Cersei Lannister and Littlefinger in A Game of Thrones are the perfect villains for stories like this. They will stop at nothing to achieve their goals but there is another side to them which makes the reader wonder if they are truly evil after all.
“When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground.”
Individuals like Ned Stark do not often cope well in these scenarios as they are too honourable or naive for their own good. There are exceptions, of course, but these characters tend to learn how to manipulate the court for their own means eventually.
Read Our George R. R. Martin Book Reviews:
A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire #1)
A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire #2)
A Storm of Swords (A Song of Ice and Fire #3)
A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire #4)
A Dance With Dragons (A Song of Ice and Fire #5)
The Magician’s Guild by Trudi Canavan
My first introduction to court intrigue fantasy books was The Magician’s Guild by Trudi Canavan and I loved it. There are no kings or queens, but political maneuvering, alliances and power struggles are all heavily involved in the plot.
Canavan’s other series The Age of Five is another fantastic example of this sub-genre. I have talked about these books a lot on this site for a reason – they are incredible.
Read Our Trudi Canavan Book Reviews:
The Magician’s Guild (The Black Magician Trilogy #1)
The Novice (The Black Magician Trilogy #2)
The High Lord (The Black Magician Trilogy #3)
Priestess of the White (The Age of Five Trilogy #1)
Last of the Wilds (The Age of Five Trilogy #2)
Voice of the Gods (The Age of Five Trilogy #3)
The Wheel of Time Series by Robert Jordan
Have you ever heard of the Game of Houses? In Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time series we are introduced to this menacing, scheming game and soon find out how backstabbing and brutal it can be.
The Eye of the World might be a homage to J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring, but the later books quickly branch away and become full of court intrigue. Fantasy books are rarely as exciting as when the political system is at the heart of the story, and Robert Jordan’s books are no exception.
Read Our Robert Jordan Book Reviews:
The Eye of the World (The Wheel of Time #1)
The Great Hunt (The Wheel of Time #2)
The Dragon Reborn (The Wheel of Time #3)
The Shadow Rising (The Wheel of Time #4)
The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson
Any books in the cosmere could have been picked for this. The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson introduces us to the world of Roshar and the political mess it is in.
The lighteyed princes are spoilt but not stupid. They know how to play with the power they have and they won’t let anyone take that away from them easily.
The Mistborn trilogy is another example of court intrigue fantasy books that cannot go unmentioned. Vin struggles in a world of politics, princes and princesses that are so different from the streets she grew up in.
Brandon Sanderson is a master of political plots and well worth reading.
Read Our Brandon Sanderson Book Reviews:
The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive #1)
Words of Radiance (The Stormlight Archive #2)
Oathbringer (The Stormlight Archive #3)
The Final Empire (Mistborn #1)
The Well of Ascension (Mistborn #2)
The Hero of Ages (Mistborn #3)
Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb
This is the only book (so far) that I have read in Robin Hobb’s Farseer Trilogy but already it is clear that politics is at the heart of the plot. The main character in Assassin’s Apprentice, Fitz, is the bastard of a prince and he is given a place at court.
Fitz is trained, of course, as an assassin’s apprentice. This premise is teeming with potential for complex characters who want to take power and use others for their own gain. I will have to get back to this trilogy soon.
Read Our Robin Hobb Book Reviews:
Assassin’s Apprentice (Farseer Trilogy #1)
The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang
The Poppy War is a grimdark fantasy book by R. F. Kuang in a trilogy of the same name. The main character becomes involved in a complex, abusive, power-hungry war.
It is not quite like the other books on this list because we rarely see the inside of a throne room (or similar), but it certainly falls into this sub-genre. It is dark and the plot will drive you mad with twists, but that’s what makes it so good!
Talking of morally grey characters, not even the protagonist of this book is 100% good, and you will probably find yourself disagreeing with her a lot – most – of the time. This makes it fun and interesting to read. It is something new for this genre that surely needs it.
Read Our R. F. Kuang Book Reviews:
The Poppy War (The Poppy War #1)
The Dragon Republic (The Poppy War #2)
Similar to Court Intrigue Fantasy Books
(Amazon links are affiliate links)
Thanks for the recommendations, I want to read The Poppy War!
You should include The Queens Thief series in this list or the Lion Hunter series by Elizabeth Wein they both have a strong dose of court intrigue.
Thank you for the recommendations!