Books to Read After Game of Thrones
With the seventh season over, we're at a loss of what books to read after Game of Thrones.
The story concerns warring families in the fictional land of Westeros. They compete to be the ruler of the seven kingdoms and sit on the Iron Throne against a backdrop of dragons, zombies and giant direwolves. But how do you decide what books to read after Game of Thrones? Whether you relate more to the conniving Cersei Lannister, headstrong Arya Stark, or mother of dragons Daenerys Targaryen, here are books to read based on each family to tide you over until the next series:
The Lannisters: Making Money - Terry Pratchett
The Lannister family are known across Westeros as having an extraordinary amount of power, with the best armies and a ruthless leader. The only way they were able to make it to the top is by sticking to their unofficial house words: The Lannisters Always Pay Their Debts. This could get expensive! In order to keep on top of all their shady dealings they need one huge pile of cash, which is where Moist von Lipwig comes in.
In Making Money, Moist von Lipwig has grown tired of his perfectly running postal system in the city of Ankh-Morpork. Through a series of incidents and blackmail (Cersei Lannister's favourite pastime), Moist ends up taking charge of the Mint and tries to change the prospects of the failing currency producer. While the hilarious consequences that occur in Terry Pratchett's novel aren't quite as dire as what befalls the Lannisters, Cersei, Jamie and Tyrion would certainly be capable of matching the wit and charm of Moist von Lipwig.
Listening Books members can download or stream Making Money.
The Greyjoys: Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson
The Greyjoy family have long been rulers of the high seas around Westeros. They pillage anything they need and take charge of their beloved Iron Islands. At their heart though, the iron-born seafarers are explorers and discoverers. I'm sure they've found their fair share of buried treasure along the way too!
The antagonist of Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island is a ruthless and evil captain who only cares about glory and looks to take advantage of the young Jim Hawkins. While Theon Greyjoy isn't missing a leg, he does sometimes show his ruthless and aggressive side in leading his army very much like Long John Silver causing a mutiny on his ship.
Listening Books members can borrow Treasure Island on MP3 CD number 07122.
The Starks: The Cry of the Wolf - Melvin Burgess
The ferociously loyal Stark family look after one another and care for their brethren because of their house words: Winter is Coming. The Stark family hold a lot of old traditions and are keen fighters. Most importantly, however, their sigil is a grey direwolf, much like Greycub, the main character in The Cry of the Wolf.
In Melvin Burgess' novel we follow Greycub, the last of the wolves in Great Britain, as he tries to survive being killed by the obsessive Hunter. Despite being the last wolf, Greycub is completely loyal to his own kind, spending many years looking for other wolves. The Hunter is coming, but Greycub is ready to turn the tables and let the Hunter become the hunted - much like Jon Snow and the White Walkers!
Listening Books members can borrow The Cry of the Wolf on MP3 CD number 07624.
The Tyrells: The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side - Agatha Christie
While it may appear that a man is in charge of the Tyrell family, the women very much run the show. Olenna Tyrell is the head of the family, an old lady full of cunning and wit, and always three moves ahead.
Miss Marple, the creation of Agatha Christie, is a wily old lady who uses her intuition and intrigue to solve the toughest mysteries in 20th Century Britain. She is always three steps ahead of the game, despite her innocent, elderly appearance. Does that sound familiar? Olenna Tyrell and Miss Marple would make a formidable team that could take over the entirety of Westeros, and I'm sure they'd have excellent stories to share with each other too.
Listening Books members can download and stream The Mirror Crack'd From Side to Side.
The Targaryens: Eragon - Christopher Paolini
Dragons! Who doesn't love a good dragon? Daenerys Targaryen (Dany to her friends) and Eragon (Eragon to his friends) have more in common than just the scaly, fiery beasts they pop to the shops on!
Daenerys starts in Game of Thrones from humble beginnings, rising to power through the hatching of dragon eggs into beautiful, ferocious creatures that she wants to use to fulfill her destiny of ruling on the Iron Throne. Eragon, on the other hand, starts life working on a farm before being given a mysterious egg that eventually hatches into a dragon. This attracts the forces of evil, which means Eragon has to step up quickly to save the day. Both of these characters learn as they go, changing from being young and innocent to grown leaders. I think they'd get on just fine. Plus, they could have dragon races, which would be a great spectacle to watch. I'll bring the marshmallows.
Listening Books members can download or stream Eragon or borrow it on MP3 CD number 09830.
Got through all of these and want to re-read the Song of Ice and Fire books? We've got you sorted. Download or stream the full series now.
Do you think Daenerys Targaryen would like Eragon? Let us know in the comments!
You may also want to read Popular TV Shows and the Books They Were Based on: Game of Thrones or our Interview with Christopher Paolini!
This post was written by Nicholas de Garis.
Picture Credit: Flickr - twipzdeeauxilia
