If you’re wondering how many Game of Thrones books there are, the quick answer depends on whether you mean the main series, companion books, or the larger world of Westeros. The core story is still unfinished, but the central novel sequence is easy to count and read in order.
Below is a simple guide to the books, the reading order, and what to expect if you’re starting the series for the first time.
How many Game of Thrones books are there in the main series?
There are five published books in George R. R. Martin’s main A Song of Ice and Fire series, the saga most readers mean when they ask about Game of Thrones. A sixth novel, The Winds of Winter, has been announced but not published, and a seventh is planned.
What are the Game of Thrones books in order?
The main series should be read in publication order, which is also the story order. Each book continues the same sprawling political, military, and family conflict across Westeros and beyond.
- A Game of Thrones (1996)
- A Clash of Kings (1998)
- A Storm of Swords (2000)
- A Feast for Crows (2005)
- A Dance with Dragons (2011)
Why the order matters
These novels are not stand-alone episodes. They build on one another through shifting viewpoints, political reversals, and unresolved character arcs, so starting at the beginning gives the clearest sense of the series’ structure and momentum.
What counts as a Game of Thrones book?
The phrase can mean different things. Some readers mean only the five main novels, while others include novellas, companion texts, and related lore books set in the same fictional world.
Main novels versus companion books
- Main series: the five novels listed above.
- Companion and world-building books: works such as The World of Ice & Fire and Fire & Blood, which expand the history of Westeros.
- Novellas: shorter stories set in the same universe, including the Tales of Dunk and Egg series.
If your question is purely “How many Game of Thrones books are there?” the safest answer is that there are five main books published so far, with more planned but not yet released in the central sequence.
What is the series about?
A Song of Ice and Fire is a high fantasy series known for dynastic rivalry, shifting alliances, and the tension between personal ambition and public duty. Although it includes magic, dragons, and ancient threats, much of its drama comes from human politics and moral compromise.
Major themes
- Power and legitimacy: who has the right to rule, and how that right is claimed.
- Family and inheritance: bloodlines, succession, and the burden of legacy.
- Honor versus survival: characters often face choices where virtue and safety conflict.
- History and memory: old wars and old grievances shape present events.
- Chaos and order: the series repeatedly asks what happens when political systems break down.
How does the narrative style work?
Martin uses a multi-point-of-view structure, which means the story is told through many different characters rather than a single hero. This technique lets the series show the same world from conflicting perspectives and keeps readers aware that no one character fully understands the whole conflict.
Why readers respond to it
The shifting viewpoints create suspense and complexity. They also make the series feel larger than a typical fantasy quest, because the plot moves through courts, battlefields, prisons, and remote regions with different social rules and stakes.
Who are the key characters?
The books feature a large cast, but a few families and figures anchor the story. Readers often begin with the Starks, Lannisters, Targaryens, and Baratheons, though the series gradually widens beyond them.
Important character groups
- House Stark: associated with duty, family loyalty, and the North.
- House Lannister: tied to wealth, power, and court politics.
- House Targaryen: connected to exile, dragons, and claims of restoration.
- Other major players: knights, advisers, outlaws, priests, and rulers whose goals often collide.
Because the series is unfinished, some character arcs remain unresolved in the books even if readers know them from the television adaptation. The novels and the show are related, but they are not identical versions of the story.
Should you start with the books or the TV series?
If your goal is to understand the literary source, start with the books. They offer more interior detail, more political context, and a broader cast than the television adaptation, which condenses and alters parts of the plot.
Books versus show: a practical difference
- The books are denser, slower, and more expansive.
- The show is faster-moving and more visually immediate.
- The reading experience gives you more of the world’s history, symbolism, and character interiority.
If you already watched the series, the novels can still feel fresh because they develop different emphases, additional characters, and alternative narrative paths.
Are there prequels or related books?
Yes. If you finish the main series or want more of the world before committing to the long saga, there are several related books that expand the setting in different ways.
Notable related titles
- Fire & Blood — a fictional history of House Targaryen.
- The World of Ice & Fire — an illustrated companion history and reference work.
- A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms — a collection of the Dunk and Egg novellas.
These books are not substitutes for the main series, but they can deepen your understanding of Westerosi history, dynastic conflict, and the long memory that shapes the novels.
What is the best reading path for new readers?
If you are new to the franchise, the simplest path is to read the five main novels in order, then explore the companion material if you want more background. That approach preserves the mystery and pacing of the original narrative.
Recommended reading order
- A Game of Thrones
- A Clash of Kings
- A Storm of Swords
- A Feast for Crows
- A Dance with Dragons
- Optional: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, The World of Ice & Fire, and Fire & Blood
If you prefer shorter entry points, the novellas are more manageable, but they do not replace the central narrative arc of the main series.
Why do readers keep asking how many Game of Thrones books there are?
The question comes up because the series is famous, unfinished, and surrounded by adaptations, companion volumes, and online discussion. It is easy to hear “Game of Thrones” used as shorthand for the books, the show, or the entire fictional universe.
That ambiguity is part of the series’ cultural footprint. The title of the TV adaptation became more widely recognized than the name of the book series, even though the novels remain the foundation of the world and its major characters.
Quick answer for readers in a hurry
There are five published main Game of Thrones books in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series. The books should be read in order, and the series is not yet complete, with additional volumes planned but unpublished.
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