A Game of Thrones 5-Book Box Set Review
4.7 / 5
Overall Rating
George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones 5-Book Boxed Set (Song of Ice and Fire Series)
George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire 5-book box set is the source for HBO's Game of Thrones + House of the Dragon. We reviewed it for show fans.
Check PriceWe may earn a commission if you make a purchase through our links.
HBO's Game of Thrones (2011-2019) and House of the Dragon (2022-present) are adapted from George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. The 5-book box set ($35, 4.7 stars, 56,000+ reviews) collects the published novels: A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, A Dance with Dragons. We reviewed for HBO viewers wanting deeper world-building.
TL;DR
The right epic-fantasy entry for HBO Game of Thrones + House of the Dragon viewers wanting source-material depth. 5 books published (1996-2011); books 6 + 7 still pending (2026 update: Winds of Winter unannounced). Multi-POV political intrigue + multi-continent epic fantasy. Pair with HBO seasons 1-4 (faithful) before going beyond what HBO covered. Skip if you only enjoy the show and don't want spoilers about characters HBO didn't develop.
Why It Matters
A Song of Ice and Fire's literary contribution is the multi-POV political-intrigue structure that HBO popularized. Each chapter follows a different character; readers learn information staggered with characters; political maneuvering matters more than fantasy combat. This style has become the standard for modern epic fantasy (Wheel of Time, Stormlight Archive, even Discworld late-period).
For HBO viewers, the books offer: (1) book 4-5 content (HBO seasons 5-8 deviated), (2) characters cut from HBO entirely (Lady Stoneheart, Aegon Targaryen, Arianne Martell), (3) deeper context for House of the Dragon's source (Fire & Blood, separate book — see below).
Key Specs
- Author: George R.R. Martin
- Books in set: 5 (Game of Thrones, Clash of Kings, Storm of Swords, Feast for Crows, Dance with Dragons)
- Total pages: ~5,000
- Original publication: 1996-2011
- Format: Mass-market paperback box set
- Genre: Epic fantasy / political intrigue
- Setting: Westeros + Essos
- HBO adaptation: Game of Thrones (2011-2019, 8 seasons)
- Reading time: ~80-100 hours total series
Pros
- 5-book mass-market box set value. ~$7 per book vs $11+ individual.
- Multi-POV political intrigue. Genre-defining structure.
- Westeros world-building depth. Decades of in-universe history.
- HBO seasons 1-4 source. Faithful adaptation comparison.
- Books 4 + 5 cover content HBO compressed. New material for show-only viewers.
- Audiobook is excellent. Roy Dotrice narration; 200+ hours total.
- Fire & Blood expansion. House of the Dragon source book (separate from this set; pair purchase).
Cons
- Books 6 + 7 unfinished. As of 2026, no firm release date for The Winds of Winter.
- 5,000 pages. Massive commitment.
- Slow middle (Feast for Crows / Dance with Dragons). Many readers stall in book 4.
- Dense with characters. ~700 named characters; appendices help.
- HBO seasons 5-8 deviate substantially. Show-fans get spoilers in books, but books are different.
- Mass-market paperback build. Spines crack with rereading.
Who It's For
- HBO Game of Thrones fans wanting source material.
- House of the Dragon viewers wanting Targaryen lore.
- Multi-POV political fantasy readers. After Wheel of Time / Stormlight Archive.
- Long-form fantasy committers. 5-book + future books.
- Genre-influence trackers. ASOIAF reshaped modern fantasy.
- Audiobook listeners. Roy Dotrice narration is genre-defining.
- Skip if HBO show is sufficient, if you can't tolerate unfinished series, or if 700+ characters exhaust you.
How to Use
- Read in order: Game of Thrones → Clash of Kings → Storm of Swords → Feast for Crows → Dance with Dragons (4+5 happen in parallel; some readers re-arrange chronologically)
- Watch HBO season 1 first (faithful) for visual reference; then alternate book 1+2 with seasons 2+3
- Use the appendices in back of each book for character lookup
- For House of the Dragon viewers: read Fire & Blood (separate book) for Targaryen history
- Pair audiobook with print for re-reads — different experiences
- Don't research book 6+7 ending speculation; speculation has filled 10+ years of community discussion
How It Compares
- vs Fire & Blood ($25): Targaryen history; House of the Dragon source. Different category — pair with this set.
- vs HBO Game of Thrones Blu-ray ($150): Show is adapted. Pair both.
- vs The Wheel of Time series ($70 box set): Comparable epic-fantasy commitment. 14 books vs 5 (so far). Pick by genre preference.
- vs The Stormlight Archive (Sanderson): Comparable scope. Different style — Sanderson is more action-oriented.
- vs The Lord of the Rings (Tolkien): Foundational genre work. Different tone (Tolkien is heroic; ASOIAF is cynical political).
- vs The Witcher series (Sapkowski): Comparable dark-fantasy. Different scope.
Bottom Line
A Game of Thrones 5-Book Box Set is the right entry to A Song of Ice and Fire for HBO + House of the Dragon viewers. Multi-POV political intrigue, decades of Westeros history, $35 value vs individual purchase. Fire & Blood is the House of the Dragon source companion; HBO Blu-ray is the visual companion; Wheel of Time is the comparable commitment. For "the fantasy series HBO adapted," this earns the slot at $35.
Streaming Service Cost Optimizer
Google Sheet template that calculates your true cost-per-hour watched across Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+, and more. Find which services are actually worth keeping.
Average user saves 23 dollars per month
Instant download. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Affiliate Disclosure
Discussion
Sign in with GitHub to leave a comment. Your replies are stored on this site's public discussion board.
