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Quick answer: If you loved The Priory of the Orange Tree, try A Day of Fallen Night, His Majesty's Dragon, A Natural History of Dragons, Seraphina, The Goblin Emperor and Jade City. They share dragons, courts and women who shape the fate of kingdoms.
Samantha Shannon's 2019 epic follows Ead, a secret mage in a queen's court, Tané, who dreams of riding a dragon, and Sabran, the Queen of Inys. The book tells a world-spanning story of East and West, with good dragons, wyrms and politics. Readers who finish it want more standalone-sized epics with complex women, dragons and tight plots. These 15 books fit the bill.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Day of Fallen Night | Samantha Shannon | Adult | more by the same author |
| The Bone Season | Samantha Shannon | Adult | readers who like urban dystopia |
| His Majesty's Dragon | Naomi Novik | Adult | readers who want dragon friendship |
| A Natural History of Dragons | Marie Brennan | Adult | readers who like scholarly adventures |
| Seraphina | Rachel Hartman | Teen/Adult | readers who like gentle fantasy |
| The Goblin Emperor | Katherine Addison | Adult | readers who like courtly drama |
| Jade City | Fonda Lee | Adult | readers who like family sagas |
| Eragon | Christopher Paolini | Teen/Adult | readers who want a dragon bond |
| Fourth Wing | Rebecca Yarros | Adult | readers who like romance |
| A Game of Thrones | George R.R. Martin | Adult | readers who like big casts |
| The Poppy War | R.F. Kuang | Adult | readers who like dark fantasy |
| The Fifth Season | N.K. Jemisin | Adult | readers who like inventive worldbuilding |
| Mistborn: The Final Empire | Brandon Sanderson | Adult | readers who like clear magic |
| Daughter of the Moon Goddess | Sue Lynn Tan | Adult | readers who like mythic quests |
| Throne of Glass | Sarah J. Maas | Teen/Adult | readers who like romance and action |
1. A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon
The prequel set 500 years earlier, with new characters and an ancient threat. A good choice if you want to return to the world.
Best for: more by the same author.
2. The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon
Paige Mahoney, a clairvoyant in a future London, is captured by a secret city. The start of a series in a different world.
Best for: readers who like urban dystopia.
3. His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik
During the Napoleonic Wars, Will Laurence bonds with the dragon Temeraire. A warm and clever start to the Temeraire series.
Best for: readers who want dragon friendship.
4. A Natural History of Dragons by Marie Brennan
Lady Isabella Trent recalls her youth as a scholar studying dragons. Witty, in a Victorian-style voice.
Best for: readers who like scholarly adventures.
5. Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Seraphina, a musician at court, hides that she is half-dragon. Thoughtful, with dragon-human politics.
Best for: readers who like gentle fantasy.
6. The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
Maia, a half-goblin, becomes emperor and must survive court intrigue. Kind, quiet and gripping.
Best for: readers who like courtly drama.
7. Jade City by Fonda Lee
Two crime families fight over magic jade in a city inspired by East Asia. Gritty, like a gangster movie.
Best for: readers who like family sagas.
8. Eragon by Christopher Paolini
A farm boy finds a dragon egg and becomes a Dragon Rider. Classic quest fantasy.
Best for: readers who want a dragon bond.
9. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Violet enters a war college for dragon riders. Fast, spicy and addictive.
Best for: readers who like romance.
10. A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
Noble families fight over the Iron Throne. Violent and political.
Best for: readers who like big casts.
11. The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
Rin tests into an elite military academy and discovers a deadly power. Brutal and powerful.
Best for: readers who like dark fantasy.
12. The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin
In a land of frequent apocalypses, Essun searches for her daughter. Winner of the Hugo Award.
Best for: readers who like inventive worldbuilding.
13. Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson
Vin, a street thief, learns she has metal-based powers and joins a plot to overthrow a god-emperor.
Best for: readers who like clear magic.
14. Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan
Xingyin trains in the Celestial Kingdom to free her mother. Based on Chinese myth.
Best for: readers who like mythic quests.
15. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Celaena, an assassin, competes to become the king's champion. First in a long series.
Best for: readers who like romance and action.
How to Choose
For more Shannon, begin with A Day of Fallen Night or The Bone Season. For dragons, pick His Majesty's Dragon, Seraphina or A Natural History of Dragons. For political epics with strong women, read The Goblin Emperor or Jade City. If you want a long adventure, try A Game of Thrones or The Fifth Season. Most are long, so plan for a few weeks of reading.
Related: Printable List Of Magic Tree House Books In Order · 12 Dystopian Books Like the Hunger Games | Best Books to Read Like Hunger Games
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Priory of the Orange Tree a standalone?
Yes. It is a complete story in one long book, about 800 pages.
Is there a sequel?
There is a prequel, A Day of Fallen Night, which you can read before or after.
Does it have a romance?
Yes. It includes a slow-burn romance between two women, as part of a larger plot.
How scary are the dragons?
There are two kinds, the fire-breathing wyrms and the water dragons of the East, and the book has battles and some deaths.