Correct Order to Read Game of Thrones & A Song of Ice and Fire Books

HBO's Game of Thrones and its prequel, House of the Dragon, have brought new fans to the epic fantasy universe created by George R. R. Martin.

Undoubtedly, the Westeros fan base will continue to grow as Season 2 of the prequel hits screens in 2024 and new spin-offs of Game of Thrones emerge.

In the meantime, it may be a good idea to see where the well-crafted world and beloved characters come from by reading Martin's bestselling book series, A Song of Ice and Fire. But if you've already looked into the Game of Thrones source material, you might have been taken aback by the number of books — but don't worry, we're here to tell you the best order in which the series should be read.

As a matter of fact, the A Song of Ice and Fire series is not complete. Two more novels, focusing on the fates of the families featured in the HBO core series, are still in the works, expected to be published at some point in the future. Unfortunately, the author has refrained from giving hard estimates for the novels' final release dates, but if the wait doesn't bother you, there are still thousands of highly addictive pages to get lost in.

Here is a list of all of Martin's works dedicated to the Game of Thrones universe, in the order that will be most beneficial to a new reader:

• A Game of Thrones
• The Hedge Knight (from A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms)
• A Clash of Kings
• A Storm of Swords
• The Sworn Sword (from A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms)
• A Feast for Crows
• The Mystery Knight (from A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms)
• A Dance with Dragons
• Fire & Blood

This order actually corresponds to the timeline in which the novels were published. George R. R. Martin has built his universe in such a way that you can focus on the main story and follow it continuously with interest. The stories collected in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms were written in different years, and it's best to mix them up in your reading list as the author intended.