Team Green or Team Black? All Must Choose!

Book recs for fans on either side of the war in 'House of the Dragon'

Season one of House of the Dragon, a Game of Thrones prequel based on George R. R. Martin's Fire & Blood, ended with an intractable division over the question of who would take the iron throne after the death of King Viserys. Two indomitable women stand at the center of this conflict. Princess Rhaenyra has long known that, as Viserys's eldest child, she would succeed him. Meanwhile, his wife Queen Alicent attended the king's death bed and claims that his dying words proclaimed their son Aegon, Rhaenyra's younger half brother, as his successor.

Now, in anticipation of the June 16 premiere of season two, fans are lining up on either side of the impending war: Team Green or Team Black. And HBO is getting into the spirit of it, even putting out two different trailers. Whichever you choose, we've got book recs for you!

What to read if you're Team Green

Alicent could simply have been a pawn of the men around her. But she declared her own strength when she donned that green dress for Rhaenyra's bloody wedding to Laenor. She is a strong mother who will do anything to protect the legacy of her son. And if having him on the throne also serves her own interests, so be it. These are stories of unlikely power players like Alicent, who may not have chosen the battle, but are determined to come out on top.

Seven Deaths of an Empire by G. R. Matthews
The Emperor is dead. Long live the Empire. General Bordan has a lifetime of duty and sacrifice behind him in the service of the Empire. But with rebellion brewing in the countryside, and assassins, thieves and politicians vying for power in the city, it is all Bordan can do to protect the heir to the throne.

Engines of Empire by R. S. Ford
The nation of Torwyn is run on the power of industry, and industry is run by the Guilds. Chief among them are the Hawkspurs, who can see that their nation is facing many threats. That's why matriarch Rosomon Hawkspur sends each of her heirs out to prove themselves worthy and save the empire.

The Bloody Throne by S. C. Emmett
The great Zhaon empire is in turmoil. The emperor is dead and the crown prince has fallen to hidden schemes, leaving the most dangerous prince to assume the throne. Komor Yala, her position deeply uncertain, finds shelter in marriage to the cunning Third Prince?but there is little safety in Zhaon.

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
Seraphina is a half-dragon, descended from a dragon mother who took human form and a father who, like most everyone else, doesn't care for Seraphina's kind. After the brutal murder of a member of the royal family, Seraphina, much like Allicent, is an outsider navigating palace politics at a treacherous time.

The Priory Of The Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
A world divided. A queendom without an heir. An ancient enemy awakens. The House of Berethnet has ruled Inys for a thousand years. Still unwed, Queen Sabran the Ninth must conceive a daughter to protect her realm from destruction—but assassins are getting closer to her door.

The Ruin of Kings by Jenn Lyons
Kihrin is a bastard orphan who grew up on storybook tales of long-lost princes and grand quests. When he is claimed against his will as the long-lost son of a treasonous prince, Kihrin finds that being a long-lost prince isn't what the storybooks promised. Maybe he isn't the hero everyone thinks he is.

Wicked Like A Wildfire by Lana Popovic
Like all the women in their family, twins Iris and Malina have unique magical abilities. But their mother has strict rules to keep their gifts a secret and, above all, they are forbidden from falling in love. When their mother is mysteriously attacked, the sisters face unsettling truths.

Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Violet wanted to be a Scribe like her father. But when he dies, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—orders Violet to join the ranks striving to become dragon riders. Does Alicent resemble the scrappy Violet or her formidable mother, General Sorengail? Maybe a little of both. 

What to read if you're Team Black

Rebel Rhaenyra has never followed the prescribed path. She is willful and scrappy. She cares little for propriety. She's a powerful feminist and an adventurer. As the first queen of the realm, she would break new ground. Her complicated, feisty love affair with her unscrupulous uncle Daemon adds some volatility to the mix. These are stories that feature riotous rebels with a cause like Rhaenyra.

The Shadow of the Gods by John Gwynne
As whispers of war echo across the land of Vigrid, fate follows in the footsteps of three warriors: Orka is a huntress on a dangerous quest, Elva, a noblewoman pursuing battle fame, and Varg, a thrall seeking vengeance among the mercenaries known as the Bloodsworn. Orka gives us serious Rhaenyra vibes.

When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill
The Mass Dragoning of 1955: Alex Green is a young girl, when hundreds of thousands of ordinary women sprouted wings, scales, and talons and took to the skies. In a world that wants to keep women small, what happens when they rise up en masse and take up the space they deserve?

Moon Witch, Spider King by Marlon James
Sogolon is a 177-year-old witch locked in a fascinating, century-long battle between different factions of a mythical African empire. Part adventure tale, part chronicle of an indomitable woman who bows to no man, this fascinating novel explores power, personality, and the places where they overlap.

Daughter of No Worlds by Carissa Broadbent
Ripped from her homeland as a child, Tisaanah learned how to survive with nothing but a sharp wit and a touch of magic. But the night she tries to buy her freedom, she barely escapes with her life. Now Tisaanah will stop at nothing to save those she abandoned. Even if it means wielding death itself.

Nettle & Bone by T. Kingfisher
This isn't the kind of fairy tale where the princess marries a prince. It's the one where she kills him. When Princess Marra realizes no one else is going to step up, the shy, convent-raised, third-born daughter embarks on a strange and enchanting journey to save her sister and topple a throne.

Fireborne by Rosaria Munda
Annie and Lee were just children when a brutal revolution changed their world. Growing up in the same orphanage forged their friendship. And now they are both rising stars in the new regime—and rivals for the top spot in the dragonrider fleet. A Game of Thrones meets Fourth Wing in this fiery YA romantasy.

The Rage Of Dragons by Evan Winter
Born into a society built around war and only war Tau is not one of the lucky ones born with powers. Luckily, Tau has a plan of escape. But when those closest to him are brutally murdered, his grief turns to anger. Fixated on revenge, Tau dedicates himself to an unthinkable path.

Bow Before the Elf Queen by J. M. Kearl
In hiding all her life, Layala prepares for the day the wicked High Elf King Thane will come to take her as his powerful mate. When the day comes and she’s shoved into a black carriage that will take her to Thane's realm, Layala renews her vengeful intent to kill her captors and secure her freedom.

Are you Team Green or Team Black? All must choose.

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Read more by Ashly Moore Sheldon