For the last few months, ever since Game of Thrones first aired on HBO, I’ve been hearing about G.R.R. Martin’s tremendous hit everywhere. Have you seen Game of Thrones yet? My answer: Um, yeah, totally. I, like, read the books, like, years before it came out even. I don’t blame people for taking to the televised version though because they’ve truly done the series justice. I can hardly wait for next the upcoming season to start. Already the set photos look amazing.
Future episodes aside, many have taken to reading the books themselves. The series isn’t finished yet (and won’t be for a few years yet) but they truly are a fantastic read if you’re a fan of medieval fiction.
Although when you’ve finished A Dance with Dragons and you’ve closed the book what do you do then? Well I’ll tell you what you do. You pick up some of the other amazing books available; Game of Thrones ain’t the only game around, squirt. And as always, your friendly neighbourhood sifter is here to put you on the right track.
Below you’ll find some of the best medieval and historical fiction available today. They obviously vary in different degrees to Game of Thrones and for some only come close to achieving the same level of deliciousness. Yet all of them are enjoyable and if you give them a chance you won’t regret the commitment.
Acacia – by David Anthony Durham
This is a highly entertaining trilogy which just wrapped up in October. David Anthony Durham, the author of the series, has written some good stuff before but this really is my type of read. It starts off very much like Game of Thrones but is less politically-oriented and is more family-centric. Basically, if you like the Stark family you’ll probably love the Akarans even better since they evolve drastically and in a much more direct and satisfying way.
Emperor – by Conn Iggulden
I heart Conn Iggulden. He writes as if he’s simultaneously inside your head describing what you want him to describe when you want him to describe it. He makes you feel like you’re in the story, an observer to the action itself. In this series he tackles the rise and fall of Julius Caesar and does it magnificently.
I’m a huge fan of Roman and Greek history so this series was particularly delightful but you will enjoy it j
ust the same if you like great story-telling. There are four books so far in the series but really I felt that the last book ended well enough for me. I haven’t been pinning for the sequel (no offence Iggulden).
Conqueror – also by Conn Iggulden
Alright, so I have to include the Conqueror series. I have to say, when I first picked up the first book based on the life of Genghis Khan I didn’t expect to enjoy it. Mongolians? Who cares? Well, now I do. Based on the recommendation of a friend and my love for his Emperor books I gave this one a chance. I can honestly say that I loved this series just a touch less than the Emperor novels only because of my bias towards Roman history. Aside from that this series is simply brilliant.
A Dream of Eagles – by Jack Whyte
This series is by far and without exaggeration the best Arthurian legend I’ve ever read. Many have been too fantastical or too mundane. Others have been good but are too short. This series however is the best of the best. It’s eight books long (plus a bonus stand-alone book just for some icing on the cake), has a perfect mix of eloquence, pacing, history, character development, and mystery to keep you wanting more.
Jack Whyte writes beautifully and recounts the legend of King Arthur in a way that makes it believable. His descriptions seem so accurate you forget that you’re reading a story. Even more than Iggulden I feel that Whyte brings the images into your mind as if recalling a memory. Truly a mesmerizing read.
These books should tide you over for quite a while so I’ll end it here. But if you’re looking for more great books then post a comment for what you’re looking for, or better yet head over to the Citynet Magazine Facebook page. Let us know what you like and what you don’t and we’ll probably have a recommendations that’ll be right up your alley.
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