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A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has a very different feel from the rest of the Song of Ice and Fire books. There is a humor and levity to the short story collection that gives it a distinct personality. This shines through exceptionally well in the new HBO adaptation, which takes great pains to introduce elements of levity into the otherwise bleak and dour land of Westeros. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is also different in that it has a much smaller scope. Rather than focusing on great lords and kings, the focus is on a simple hedge knight who is caught up in the machinations of those who are far more powerful than himself. Sir Duncan the Tall’s journey is humble and righteous, much more akin to a more traditional reluctant hero’s journey than any of those experienced by the narrators in Game of Thrones.

It’s also different by virtue of the very fact that it’s a collection of three short novellas (The Hedge Knight, The Sworn Sword, and The Mystery Knight), rather than a single novel. As the author of my own short story collection, I can tell you that the pacing and composition of these kinds of books can make for a very different kind of read–especially when compared to the long and winding high-fantasy novels that they share a world with.

Those who’ve just finished A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms might have an itch to read something similar. There aren’t a lot of books with exactly the same feel as this particular gem, but there are a few out there that might just fill that Dunk-sized gap in your reading list.

Fire and Blood by George R. R. Martin

If you’ve already read the entirety of the main Song of Ice and Fire series (at least until Winds of Winter drops), and then read A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, it’s probably fair to say that you might want to spend as much time in the world of Westeros as possible. Luckily, there’s another side book in the series for dragon fans to sink their fangs into.

Fire and Blood isn’t a novel, per se, but more of a fictional written history that explores the rise and rule of House Targaryen. The first half begins with Aegon’s conquest of the Seven Kingdoms, covering the invasion and the many wars that followed across the generations of Targaryen kings that came after. This also includes expanded versions of Martin’s three other previously published novellas that were written in the Song of Ice and Fire universe: The Sons of the Dragon, The Rogue Prince, and The Princess and the Queen. Many of the events featured in these later stories about the Targaryen dynasty served as the source material for HBO’s other series: House of the Dragon.

This isn’t overly similar to A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms in terms of character, tone, or even prose, but it’s an easy recommendation for Martin fans who want to soak up as much of the world as they can.

The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski

One of the closest books to A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms in terms of popularity, structure, and tone has to be the first book in The Witcher series: The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski. You might not know this if you haven’t looked into The Witcher books before, but the first two published volumes are actually collections of short stories, all of which follow Geralt as he journeys up and down the continent fighting monsters. Both The Last Wish and Sword of Destiny are set before the events of the first novel, Blood of Elves, so some people who bought certain box sets might not have even realized that they were skipping the first part of the series. These two books also served as the source material for much of The Witcher Netflix series, which is why you might have noticed that the show’s timeline and story were a bit jumpy in the early seasons. 

Geralt and Dunk’s journeys have a lot of parallels. Both are traveling swordsmen and both are frequently embroiled in wars and political machinations that they would have preferred to stay out of. In spite of its generally dark tone, there is also a dry humor to The Witcher books that comes up often as a contrast to the murderous monsters and equally murderous nobility that Geralt often has to contend with. 

The Sheepfarmer’s Daughter by Elizabeth Moon

The Sheepfarmer’s Daughter by Elizabeth Moon is the first book in The Deed of Paksenarrion trilogy–a criminally underrated fantasy series by one of the genre’s most accomplished contemporary authors. This is a great choice for fans of Sir Duncan, as it’s one of the closest books to A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms in terms of its protagonist.

Paks is an exceptionally tall woman born on a small, poor farm. From these humble beginnings, she leaves home to join a mercenary army, learns to fight, and grows into one of the greatest warriors of her age. I won’t get into anymore details, since I don’t want to accidentally tread into spoiler territory, but there are enough similarities between Paks and Dunk, both in characterization and in their stories, that I can’t help but imagine that Martin might have borrowed more than a little of his inspiration for the character from Moon’s writing. 

You can get The Sheepfarmer’s Daughter on its own, but the initial trilogy is also frequently sold as an omnibus. This trilogy was completed back in 1989, but Moon started a new sequel series in the same world called Paladin’s Legacy in 2011, starting with the first volume, Oath of Fealty. So, if you end up liking Paks, you might just find yourself crossing the bridge into another epic fantasy universe.

Between Two Fires by Christopher Buehlman

There’s something people love about stories that involve an adult taking care of a child in a hostile environment. If the “Knight and the Child” dynamic of Dunk and Egg is what drew you into A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, then Between Two Fires might just scratch that same itch. Set in 1348 during the height of the Black Plague in France, the story follows Thomas, a disgraced, brigand knight who has lost his way. He encounters a young girl who claims to see angels and believes she can end the pestilence, and he reluctantly agrees to protect her on a journey across a hellish landscape.

This book leans much further into horror and the supernatural than A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, but it captures that same feeling of two people on a difficult and often perilous journey. The world is bleak, but the bond between the grizzled knight and the mysterious girl provides a core of warmth and levity that mirrors the heart of Martin’s novellas. It’s a grounded, visceral look at chivalry in a world that has largely forgotten it, much like what we see in Dunk himself.

The White Company by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is best known for his authorship of Sherlock Holmes, but that isn’t all that he wrote. The real-life knighted author also penned an excellent historical adventure novel called The White Company. This book was set during the Hundred Years’ War, which took place from 1366-1367 and spanned a vast swath of western Europe. It follows a young man named Alleyne Edricson who leaves the sheltered life of a monastery to become a squire.

This was written long before Tolkien redefined modern fantasy. There are no dragons or spells or white walkers. Even so, it has an adventurous energy to its medieval setting that feels like a spiritual ancestor to A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. It captures the same sense of high adventure, the pageantry of tournaments, and the colorful, often humorous camaraderie of soldiers on the road. Despite being written over a century ago, the prose is surprisingly accessible and witty. If you enjoyed Dunk’s earnest attempt to navigate the complex social hierarchy of knights and lords, you might just find Alleyne’s journey through the ranks of the famous “White Company” to be a delightful parallel.

Honorable Mentions: Martin’s other Westeros stories

George R. R. Martin has three other short stories set in the world of Westeros outside of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. The original versions of these aren’t sold in a single collection, only the expanded versions in Fire and Blood. So, you’ll have to purchase three separate books if you want them all. The Rogue Prince is part of the Rogues collections alongside works from authors like Gillian Flynn, Patrick Rothfuss, and Joe Abercrombie. The Sons of the Dragon is in The Book of Swords collection, along with stories from authors including Robin Hobb, Scott Lynch, and Ken Liu. And finally, the original version of The Princess and the Queen is included in the Dangerous Women collection alongside works from authors including Joe Abercrombie, Brandon Sanderson, and Diana Gabaldon.

Those who are particularly interested in the history of Westeros and want Martin’s official compendium to the world may also wish to check out The World of Ice and Fire: The Untold History of Westeros and the Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin and Elio M. García Jr. This is a detailed history of the land where the story is set. It also includes some incredible illustrations.