Complete Game of Thrones Watch Order Guide – Easily Rewatch Series

Game of Thrones is one of the best fantasy-drama shows of all time if we ignore the final season. While the ending was pretty underwhelming, the overall show was a masterpiece when it comes to storytelling.

Game of Thrones until season 5 was based on the book series A Song of Ice and Fire (ASOIAF) by George R. R. Martin. While the author has penned other books in the franchise, seasons 6, 7, and 8 diverted from the storyline in the books, and the creators wrapped it all up in season 8.

The Game of Thrones franchise currently consists of 2 shows, 6 novels, and other novellas and anthologies. There are more shows in the scripting stage and 2 more books yet to be released in the series, A Song of Ice and Fire.

1. How to Watch Game of Thrones in Order?

The recommended way to watch Game of Thrones in order is by following the release order:

• Game of Thrones: Season 1 (2011)
• Game of Thrones: Season 2 (2012)
• Game of Thrones: Season 3 (2013)
• Game of Thrones: Season 4 (2014)
• Game of Thrones: Season 5 (2015)
• Game of Thrones: Season 6 (2016)
• Game of Thrones: Season 7 (2017)
• Game of Thrones: Season 8 (2019)
• House of the Dragon: Season 1 (2022)

The universe currently has two shows: Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. The latter is a prequel that dates back 300 years before the events depicted in the OG show. The release order is as follows:

2. Game of Thrones Chronological Order

• House of the Dragon: Season 1
• Game of Thrones: Season 1
• Game of Thrones: Season 2
• Game of Thrones: Season 3
• Game of Thrones: Season 4
• Game of Thrones: Season 5
• Game of Thrones: Season 6
• Game of Thrones: Season 7
• Game of Thrones: Season 8

Considering House of the Dragon is a prequel and takes place much before GOT, you can watch it before. However, if you are new to the world and are just being inducted into the fandom, it’s better to watch Game of Thrones first. It will set the tone for what’s to come perfectly.

Besides these, there are four more shows in the scripting stage. The most-awaited one amongst all is ‘Snow.’ It’s a working title for the Jon Snow spin-off, which takes the story of GOT forward and depicts what happens to Jon Snow after the battle at King’s Landing.

3. Game of Thrones Books

I. Release Order

The complete set of books can be categorized into four categories. The tales are essentially around the events of Game of Thrones (The Show), House of the Dragon, and other stories in the form of an anthology or novella. The release order is as follows:

• A Game of Thrones (ASOIAF Book 1), 1996
• The Hedge Knight (Dunk & Egg Story 1), 1998
• A Clash of Kings (ASOIAF Book 2), 1998
• A Storm of Swords (ASOIAF Book 3), 2000
• The Sworn Swords (Dunk & Egg Story 2), 2003
• A Feast for Crows (ASOIAF Book 4), 2005
• The Mystery Knight (Dunk & Egg Story 3), 2010
• A Dance with the Dragons (ASOIAF Book 5), 2011
• The Princess and the Queen (Targaryen Novella), 2013
• The Rogue Prince (Targaryen Novella), 2014
• A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (Dunk & Egg Compilation), 2015
• The Sons of the Dragon (Targaryen Novella), 2017
• Fire & Blood (Targaryen Prequel, ASOIAF Book 1), 2018

I’ve not included two upcoming books in the list. They are called:

• The Winds of Winter
• A Dream of Spring

These books will continue the story of ASOIAF after A Dance with the Dragons. They have been in development for the longest time, and we don’t know their release date yet. If you’re confused or overwhelmed with this don’t worry, I’ve got a reading order for you.

II. Read Order

• A Song of Ice and Fire:
  • A Game of Thrones
  • A Clash of Kings
  • A Storm of Swords
  • A Fear for Crows
  • A Dance with the Dragons

You must be familiar with these, considering they were adapted into the popular show. But there’s more.

• A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms AKA Dunk & Egg Stories
  • The Hedge Knight
  • The Sword Swords
  • The Mystery Knight

These stories are a prequel to the previous series and are set 90 years before. They tell the tales of Ser Duncan the Tall and Egg (Future King Aegon V Targaryen). All these three can be bought separately as graphic novels.

• Targaryen Novellas
  • The Rogue Prince
  • The Princess and the Queen

These two stories are narrated by Archmaester Gyldayn and share anecdotes from the Targaryen History.

• Fire and Blood

House of the Dragon is adapted from this novel. The story essays the battle for the throne between King Viserys I’s daughter Rhaenyra and his brother, Prince Daemon, after his death. Currently, George R. R. Martin has planned another book in this series, but we don’t know when it will be released.

An interesting thing to note about the novellas and graphic novels is that they appear in the main books as chapters, which would help you understand the timeline of their stories.

4. Complete Watch and Read Order

As someone who would read the books first, the above order would be inclined towards them. However, if you prefer watching the series first, watch Game of Thrones before reading A Song of Ice and Fire and watch House of the Dragon before reading Fire and Blood. The remaining order will stay the same.

• A Song of Ice and Fire (5 Books)
• Game of Thrones (8 Seasons)
• A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (3 Graphic Novels)
• Targaryen Prequels (2 Novellas)
• Fire and Blood (1 Book)
• House of the Dragon (1 Season)

5. Runtime/Reading Time and Binge Duration

Watching the series will take about a week if you space it out and take breaks that don’t disrupt your sleep. However, when it comes to reading the books, that depends on your pace and how quickly you can flip through those pages.

6. Where to Watch

All seasons of Game of Thrones and the upcoming show, House of the Dragon show are/will be available on HBO Max. The books are all available on Amazon for you to buy.

7. About Game of Thrones

A television phenomenon, Game of Thrones is an American fantasy drama series created by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss for HBO. 

Set in the fictional universe of Westeros, nine dignified families fight to mark their claim to the Iron Throne and rule over the Seven Kingdoms. The HBO production is based on the A Song of Ice and Fire novel series by George R.R. Martin and features a number of converging arcs convoluted by political conflicts among factions.

 The series features a large ensemble cast including Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, Nikolaj-Coster Waldau, Kit Harrington, Sophie Turner, Maisie Williams, Emilia Clarke and many others.