If you liked
Books like A Storm of Swords
by George R. R. Martin
A Storm of Swords is the book most readers call the peak of A Song of Ice and Fire, where the schemes of the earlier volumes finally detonate and no one is safe at the table. George R. R. Martin at full, ruthless power. If you want more epic fantasy that hits this hard, these are the reads.
The shortlist
What to read next
A Clash of Kingsby George R. R. Martin
“A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin 1998 review. Five claimants vie for the Iron Throne while a comet crosses the sky over Westeros. The middle volume of A Song of Ice and Fire and the one most committed Martin readers consider his peak.”
A Game of Thronesby George R. R. Martin
“A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin 1996 review. The book that rewrote what epic fantasy was allowed to do. Westeros, the Iron Throne, the deaths nobody saw coming. Required reading.”
The Way of Kingsby Brandon Sanderson
“The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson 2010 review. On the storm-blasted continent of Roshar, an enslaved bridgeman, a disgraced scholar, and a young prince converge as the world races toward a forgotten war. The most ambitious epic fantasy debut since A Game of Thrones.”
Mistborn: The Final Empireby Brandon Sanderson
“Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson 2006 review. A street urchin named Vin discovers she can use magic by ingesting and burning metals, and a crew of thieves recruits her for the impossible: kill the immortal Lord Ruler.”
The Fifth Seasonby N. K. Jemisin
“The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin 2015 review. On a continent where seismic activity defines life, three women's stories converge as a fifth season begins. Hugo Best Novel 2016, the first volume of the Broken Earth trilogy, and the most important fantasy debut of the 2010s.”
The Priory of the Orange Treeby Samantha Shannon
“The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon 2019 review. A standalone epic fantasy across four kingdoms preparing for the return of a banished ancient dragon. Canonical contemporary literary epic fantasy.”
FAQ
Common questions about A Storm of Swords read-alikes
- I want epic fantasy that will actually be finished.
- Brandon Sanderson is the standard answer. The Way of Kings begins his enormous Stormlight Archive and Mistborn: The Final Empire is the tighter entry point. He is famous for delivering the payoff, which is not something anyone can promise about Westeros.
- I want the shocking-turn intensity somewhere else.
- The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin pulls the rug out as hard as Martin does and won three straight Hugos doing it. If the reason you love A Storm of Swords is the way it refuses to protect anyone, this is the closest match.
- I want huge scope in fewer books.
- The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon gives you sprawling multi-court politics and dragons in a single standalone. All the ambition of Westeros without committing to an unfinished shelf.
- Should I go back to the start of the series?
- If you somehow began here, yes. A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings set up the alliances and betrayals that make A Storm of Swords land like a hammer. The payoff is much bigger with the full picture.
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