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Quick answer: If you loved Green Rider, try First Rider's Call, The Blue Sword, The Hero and the Crown, Alanna: The First Adventure, Arrows of the Queen and Sabriel. Each one is a classic fantasy adventure with a brave heroine, magical messengers and a kingdom in danger.
Kristen Britain's 1998 debut follows Karigan G'ladheon, a student who runs away from school and meets a dying messenger, a Green Rider, shot with arrows. She promises to deliver his message to the king and is drawn into a dangerous conspiracy, magic and a call she cannot refuse. Readers love its adventure, its horses and its heroine. These books share its brave heroines, its quests and its kingdoms.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Heat level | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Rider's Call | Kristen Britain | None | readers who want the sequel |
| The Blue Sword | Robin McKinley | None | readers who want a classic heroine |
| The Hero and the Crown | Robin McKinley | None | readers who like dragon-slaying heroines |
| Alanna: The First Adventure | Tamora Pierce | None | readers who like girls disguised as knights |
| Arrows of the Queen | Mercedes Lackey | None | readers who love magical horses |
| Sabriel | Garth Nix | None | readers who like brave journeys |
| Throne of Glass | Sarah J. Maas | Medium | readers who like heroine assassins |
| Graceling | Kristin Cashore | Low | readers who like gifted heroines |
| Assassin's Apprentice | Robin Hobb | None | readers who like royal intrigue |
| The Name of the Wind | Patrick Rothfuss | Low | readers who like a gifted youth |
| The Wheel of Time: The Eye of the World | Robert Jordan | None | readers who like long epics |
| Mistborn: The Final Empire | Brandon Sanderson | None | readers who like clever magic |
| Uprooted | Naomi Novik | Low | readers who like forests and magic |
| The Goblin Emperor | Katherine Addison | None | readers who like court intrigue |
| Dealing with Dragons | Patricia C. Wrede | None | younger readers |
1. First Rider's Call by Kristen Britain
Karigan returns to the Green Riders.
Best for: readers who want the sequel.
2. The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
A girl is kidnapped by a desert king and discovers her destiny.
Best for: readers who want a classic heroine.
3. The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley
A princess becomes a dragon slayer.
Best for: readers who like dragon-slaying heroines.
4. Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce
A girl disguises herself to train as a knight.
Best for: readers who like girls disguised as knights.
5. Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey
A girl is chosen by a magical horse.
Best for: readers who love magical horses.
6. Sabriel by Garth Nix
A girl uses bells to walk into death.
Best for: readers who like brave journeys.
7. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
An assassin competes for the king.
Best for: readers who like heroine assassins.
8. Graceling by Kristin Cashore
A girl with a killing gift fights tyranny.
Best for: readers who like gifted heroines.
9. Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb
A royal bastard is trained as an assassin.
Best for: readers who like royal intrigue.
10. The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
A legendary hero tells his story.
Best for: readers who like a gifted youth.
11. The Wheel of Time: The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
A farm boy is drawn into a war.
Best for: readers who like long epics.
12. Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
A thief joins a rebellion.
Best for: readers who like clever magic.
13. Uprooted by Naomi Novik
A village girl is taken by a wizard.
Best for: readers who like forests and magic.
14. The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
A half-goblin becomes emperor.
Best for: readers who like court intrigue.
15. Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede
A princess runs away to live with dragons.
Best for: younger readers.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Green Rider: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Green Rider. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most. If a pick is part of a longer series, read the first book before you commit, and check the age or content notes in the table before passing a book to a younger reader.
How to Choose
Continue the series with First Rider's Call. If you love horses and messengers, Arrows of the Queen is the closest match. For classic heroines, The Blue Sword, Alanna and Sabriel are essential. Readers ready for more political fantasy can try Assassin's Apprentice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Green Rider about?
A runaway student takes on a dying messenger's mission and becomes caught in a magical conspiracy.
How many Green Rider books are there?
There are seven main books so far, with an eighth planned.
What age is Green Rider for?
It suits readers about 13 and up, including adults.
Is there romance in Green Rider?
There is a slow-burn romance across the series, but adventure comes first.
What is a Green Rider?
A magical messenger of the king.
Who is Karigan G'ladheon?
The heroine, a merchant's daughter turned Green Rider.
What should I read next?
The Blue Sword or Arrows of the Queen.