What to read next
10 books like A Dance with Dragons
Jon and Daenerys discover that ruling requires compromises heroism never prepared them for, while Theon receives the series' most painful reconstruction of identity.
Read my review of A Dance with Dragons by George R. R. Martin.
Best matches
Three strong places to start
If you only want three picks, start here.
Best overall
Fastest read
Best alternative
Choose by reading mood
Where to start
For the fastest pace
A Storm of Swords
BalancedFor the darkest read
Alchemised
DarkFor the strongest romance
The Immortal Rules
MinimalFor the easiest entry
Wind and Truth
AccessibleThe full shortlist
Why each book belongs here
See what each pick shares with A Dance with Dragons, and where it goes in a different direction.
1
A Feast for Crows
- Pace
- Measured
- Darkness
- Gentle
- Romance
- Minimal
- Difficulty
- Moderate
Why this matches
- Similar because
- A Feast for Crows covers the same postwar period in other regions and follows people living with the conflict's residue. The two books share absences, delayed news, and institutions struggling after apparent victory.
- Different because
- Feast covers parallel regions and should be read before or alongside Dance for the full postwar picture.
2
A Storm of Swords
- Pace
- Balanced
- Darkness
- Moderate
- Romance
- Minimal
- Difficulty
- Accessible
Why this matches
- Similar because
- A Storm of Swords gives the earlier choices and betrayals that Dance forces rulers to inherit. Jon, Daenerys, and the divided families all discover that power makes moral intention harder to preserve.
- Different because
- Storm provides far stronger structural payoff and shows how much the later series has expanded.
3
Wind and Truth
- Pace
- Balanced
- Darkness
- Gentle
- Romance
- Minimal
- Difficulty
- Accessible
Why this matches
- Similar because
- Wind and Truth also asks an enormous cast to carry accumulated promises through war, leadership, and supernatural crisis. Neither book can be separated cleanly from the volumes before it.
- Different because
- Wind and Truth is also enormous and continuity-heavy, but delivers the end-of-arc climax Dance withholds.
4
A Clash of Kings
- Pace
- Balanced
- Darkness
- Moderate
- Romance
- Minimal
- Difficulty
- Moderate
5
The Immortal Rules
- Pace
- Balanced
- Darkness
- Moderate
- Romance
- Minimal
- Difficulty
- Accessible
6
Fire and Blood
- Pace
- Balanced
- Darkness
- Gentle
- Romance
- Minimal
- Difficulty
- Accessible
7
A Christmas Carol
- Pace
- Balanced
- Darkness
- Gentle
- Romance
- Minimal
- Difficulty
- Moderate
8
The Cloud Roads
- Pace
- Balanced
- Darkness
- Gentle
- Romance
- Minimal
- Difficulty
- Accessible
9
Witch King
- Pace
- Balanced
- Darkness
- Gentle
- Romance
- Minimal
- Difficulty
- Moderate
10
Alchemised
- Pace
- Balanced
- Darkness
- Dark
- Romance
- Significant
- Difficulty
- Accessible
Side-by-side
Pace, darkness, romance, and difficulty
| Book | Pace | Darkness | Romance | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Dance with Dragons | Balanced | Gentle | Minimal | Moderate |
| A Feast for Crows | Measured | Gentle | Minimal | Moderate |
| A Storm of Swords | Balanced | Moderate | Minimal | Accessible |
| Wind and Truth | Balanced | Gentle | Minimal | Accessible |
| A Clash of Kings | Balanced | Moderate | Minimal | Moderate |
| The Immortal Rules | Balanced | Moderate | Minimal | Accessible |
| Fire and Blood | Balanced | Gentle | Minimal | Accessible |
| A Christmas Carol | Balanced | Gentle | Minimal | Moderate |
| The Cloud Roads | Balanced | Gentle | Minimal | Accessible |
| Witch King | Balanced | Gentle | Minimal | Moderate |
| Alchemised | Balanced | Dark | Significant | Accessible |
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