Reading Order
A Song of Ice and Fire
by George R.R. Martin
A Song of Ice and Fire Reading Order
The series that redefined epic fantasy for a generation. Five books of political chess, moral complexity, and the systematic destruction of the idea that protagonists are safe. No character is guaranteed survival; no storyline is guaranteed resolution. Read the books — they are significantly richer than the show. A Game of Thrones is where to start. The ASOIAF reading order is linear; the series is currently unfinished at five books, with The Winds of Winter still unannounced.
Looking for the complete A Song of Ice and Fire reading order? This guide covers all 7 George R.R. Martin books in A Song of Ice and Fire in order — including which are essential, which are optional, and the best place to start. Whether you're reading A Song of Ice and Fire for the first time or catching up before the next release, this is the order we recommend.
⚡ The Peak
A Storm of Swords is the series at its best — dense, brutal, and with some of the most discussed chapters in modern fantasy. Do not look anything up before reading it.
📖 Books 4 & 5
Martin split the story by POV character across two books covering the same timeline. A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons are best read back-to-back.
⚠️ The Wait
The Winds of Winter has been in progress since 2011 with no confirmed release date. Read the published books knowing this.
Reading Order
Publication order is the only order. There are no prequels or companion novels required for the main series.
A Game of Thrones
A Song of Ice and Fire #1
Core★ 4.45
1996
A Clash of Kings
A Song of Ice and Fire #2
Core★ 4.39
1998
A Storm of Swords
A Song of Ice and Fire #3
Core★ 4.56
2000
A Feast for Crows
A Song of Ice and Fire #4
Core★ 3.89
2005
A Dance with Dragons
A Song of Ice and Fire #5
Core★ 4.09
2011
The Winds of Winter
IncompleteA Dream of Spring
IncompleteWhere to start
- → New to the series? Start with A Game of Thrones — there is no other entry point. The series requires sequential reading.
- → Watched the show? Still start from book one. The books diverge significantly from season 5 onwards and have substantially richer plotting throughout.
- → Should you read the prequels? Fire & Blood and The World of Ice and Fire are supplementary lore — not required, best read after completing the main series.
What to know
- → No character is plot-armoured. Major POV characters die. Do not get attached to narrative convention.
- → The first 100 pages of A Game of Thrones are slow world-building. The series earns its reputation from chapter 6 onwards.
- → A Feast for Crows is the most divisive book — slower pace, unfamiliar POVs. Push through; Dance rewards it.
- → The Dunk & Egg novellas (Tales of Dunk and Egg) are standalone prequels set 90 years earlier. Good but non-essential.
- → Avoid the wiki. Seriously. This series is best experienced blind.
Darkness progression
Scale: 🕯️ Lighthearted → 🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️ Brutal
Finished the published books?
More reading orders