Nathan‘s list of the Top 5 Underrated Series for Fans of Game of Thrones.
You can also check out our other list of 5 Must-Read Fantasy Novels for Fans of Game of Thrones.
The Dagger and the Coin by Daniel Abraham
In this is a completed five book series starting with The Dragon’s Path, Daniel Abraham explores the all important question – what wins empires, banks or armies? Like A Song of Ice and Fire, the conflict here starts relatively small but steadily grows into a continent-wide war by the final book. Following five major POV character, this series is full of political intrigue, different species of human-like creatures, spider-gods, and, yes, dragons. The star of this show is one of the POV characters (I won’t say who because spoilers!) who becomes one of fantasies all-time greatest villains. While a bit more “magic and fantasy” heavy than A Song of Ice and Fire, fans of politics, money, big battles, and ancient lore will find a lot to love here.
Crown of Stars by Kate Elliott
Readers looking for a completed and long fantasy series should look no further than A Crown of Stars. Starting with The King’s Dragon, this fantasy series is set in a fictional world reminiscent of medieval central Europe. Readers who enjoyed the more “real” or “historical” feel to A Game of Thrones will be right at home here as A Crown of Stars has a similar low magic feeling to it. This series also does an absolutely fantastic job of tackling issues related to religion and politics. After reading this series, I can confidently say that if Martin doesn’t finish his series and allows someone else to do it for him, my vote is Kate Elliott.
Chronicles of the Wolf-Queen by K.S. Villoso
While as dark and brutal as George R.R. Martin’s works, this series is told in the first-person by its main character – a queen who must try and find her runaway husband to protect her child and her throne. Set in a world based on the real-life Philippines, this series demonstrates that it is possible for a world and story to feel epic without needing multiple POV characters. Readers who enjoy this trilogy should also check out the completed prequel trilogy, Legacy of the Lost Mage (which is self-published).
Age of Uprising by R.S. Ford
Spiritually this series might be the most similar to A Game of Thrones more so than any other series on this list. This trilogy follows the Hawkspurs, one of many powerful Guild families in the nation of Torwyn. The Hawkspurs feel like the Starks in the early goings of Martin’s series – they start off the series all in one place before quickly spreading across the continent as the politics and drama deepens. Like with A Game of Thrones, the first book in this series (Engines of Empire) starts with a ancient and mysterious dark magical force rising back before the narrative jumps to the competing Guilds. This series lacks the depth and detail of A Song of Ice and Fire, but the plot moves much faster.
There is currently one published book in this trilogy, with the second book, Engines of Chaos, set to be published in April 2023.
Brotherhood of the Eagle Series by Tim Hardie
A Norse-inspired series with three books currently published, this series is perfect for A Game of Thrones fans who love twists and turns, political intrigue, character deaths, and big battles. There is a scene in the first book, Hall of Bones that rivals the infamous Red Wedding in its twistiness and intensity. The first book is very political, while the second book shifts to a more military fantasy (think Battle of the Blackwater but for an entire book). Fair warning: like A Song of Ice and Fire this book has a lot of characters!
The fourth and final book in the series is set to be published in early 2024. A companion series, The Samarak Tales, which is set in the same world as the Brotherhood of the Eagle series but is otherwise separate has just started. The first book in this series, A Quiet Vengeance, will be published in April 2023.
