The last season of the hit HBO series “Game of Thrones” (based on George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” book series) has been controversial at times, but I think we can all agree on one point – it’s over. But don’t despair – your library is here to fill the dragon-shaped hole in your life.
If you want to stay in the realm (heh) of acclaimed fantasy novels adapted for prestige television, read the Philip Pullman series “His Dark Materials.” There are no dragons, but there are polar bears and prophecies, and Lyra is one of the most memorable characters you’ll ever spend time with. The first season of the show will premiere on HBO later this year. Lin-Manuel Miranda is in it!
Maybe you want to start another fantasy series with superb world building and a villain you can love to hate. “The Kingkiller Chronicle,” by Patrick Rothfuss, is well-written and propulsive and you’ll want to pick up the second book as soon as you close the first. However, this series and “A Song of Ice and Fire” have something else in common – neither series has had a book published since 2011. “The Kingkiller Chronicle” is also being adapted into a movie. Lin-Manuel Miranda is writing it!
If you haven’t yet read the series that partly inspired George R.R. Martin to write “A Song of Ice and Fire,” dive into the high fantasy epic “The Lord of the Rings,” by J.R.R. Tolkien. It has elves and kingdoms and poems and some great film adaptions. The ending of the series also has many parallels to the ending of “Game of Thrones,” so it could be fun to look for those. (I feel like this is where I can insert my nerd credentials. I’ve read “The Silmarillion” – Tolkien’s mythopoeic tome – three times.)
If you want an atmospheric work, but don’t need high fantasy, read Jeff VanderMeer’s “Southern Reach Trilogy.” It is weird, so weird. It is also immersive and surprising and has a critically-acclaimed movie adaption in 2018’s “Annihilation.”
Maybe you want intrigue, but need a break from magic, check out the first season of “Big Little Lies.” You could also read Liane Moriarty’s novel and see whether you think the adaptation does the book justice. The second season premieres June 9th on HBO.
Lastly, if you watched “Game of Thrones” but haven’t yet read the (incomplete) book series “A Song of Ice and Fire,” there are a TON of characters that you haven’t met, divergent plots with characters you do know, and detailed descriptions of feasts. The show was beautiful to behold – stunning vistas, textured costumes, excellent cast and dragons! But one of the main things I miss about the books is the first-person narration. After having finished the show, I’m more excited than ever to jump back into the minds of the characters.
Valar Morghulis.
