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Seven books every Game of Thrones fan should read

Vancouver Public Library and V.I.A. have teamed up to help you discover new reads, hidden book gems and surprising literary finds. Check back every couple of weeks for the latest reading recommendations from the experts at Vancouver’s library.

vpl-logo Vancouver Public Library and V.I.A. have teamed up to help you discover new reads, hidden book gems and surprising literary finds. Check back every couple of weeks for the latest reading recommendations from the experts at Vancouver’s library.

With Sunday night's new season opener for Game of Thrones, fans of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series are literally in uncharted territories! If your pulse is racing for the next episode, VPL's reading experts have just the thing to tide you over – they've scoured the library to bring you top reads that have received a solid 'thumbs up' from the Game of Thrones master himself:

Seven books every Game of Thrones fan should read

Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey

As Martin puts it, "It's been too long since we've had a really kickass space opera." This James S. A. Corey novel kicks off The Expanse series – where humanity has colonized the solar system and is now in turmoil. Mix in a reluctant ship's captain and a washed-up detective and you have the greatest conspiracy in human history.

The King Without A Kingdom by Maurice Druon

The final book of Maurice Druon's The Accursed Kings series, this book wraps up a real life 'game of thrones' based on actual historical events. Enter the Hundred Years War, turbulent politics, plundered lands, famine and the bubonic plague. Words of advice from Martin: "Whether you are a history buff or a fantasy fan, Druon's epic will keep you turning pages. This was the original game of thrones."

Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner

Swordspoint begins with a single drop of blood on a field of new-fallen snow, an image that burned itself forever into my mind the first time I encountered it," says Martin. This first volume of Ellen Kushner's Swords of Riverside series introduces us to a world of historical fantasy, where many live and die by the sword. In this dangerous place, duels settle disputes and the definition of hero and villain can change quickly.

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

This opening novel of Scott Lynch's Gentleman Bastard series follows the adventures of a con artist and his band of thieves. Shrouded in a swirl of lies and rumours, the company of con artists find itself caught up in a murderous game. Martin calls this book "a fresh, original, and engrossing tale by a bright new voice in the fantasy genre."

Wolfbreed by S. Andrew Swann

Part historical fiction, romance and the paranormal, S. Andrew Swann's Wolfbreed tells the story of a monk who discovers that a powerful military organization has raised werewolves to kill. One werewolf escapes this darkness and is unexpectedly taken in by a family who finds her injured and in human form. Will her secret ruin them all? This one is "vivid and visceral, dark and delicious," as Martin puts it.

The Coldest War by Ian Tregillis

Ian Tregillis' The Coldest War is the second volume of The Milkweed Triptych series, which follows the adventures of retired spy Raybould Marsh. It's 22 years after the Second World War and there's a delicate balance of peace between Great Britain and the U.S.S.R. With Nazi superhuman experiments and British warlocks, this series definitely excited Martin, who said, "I can't wait to see more."

The Praxis by Walter Jon Williams

Right on the front cover, Martin declares, "Interstellar adventure has a new king, and his name is Walter Jon Williams." The Praxis begins Williams' Dread Empire's Fall series with an interstellar saga that follows the decline and fall of the mighty Shaa Empire and the rise of a new galactic order amidst bloody chaos.

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