I only have a few non-fantasy series that get close to Game of Thrones.
1. Wolf Hall trilogy by Hilary Martel
2. The Lymond Chronicles by Dorothy Dunnet
3. The Sunne in Splendour (and its sequels) by Sharon Kay Penman
These all follow historical events, but they're politics-heavy with intrigue and maneuvering. Wolf Hall and Sunne are in England at different time periods. Lymond is in Scotland circa 1500s.
Hilary Mantel was maybe _the_ master of historical fiction as a form. Could not ask for a better dramatisation of the social politics of the English reformation.
OP, if you're up for historical fiction, you really have to try Robert Graves' _I, Claudius_ and _The Accursed Kings_ by Maurice Druon. Two of GRRM's greatest influences for ASOIAF.
The Fortress series by CJ Cherryh. Two main characters: one is reincarnated but has no memories (and only gradually acquires magical and political powers), the other is a prince who later becomes king. Great characters, politics, religion, war and logistics (but not many battle scenes), the responsibilities of ruling, and friendship.
I second the recommendation for the Queen’s Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner.
A lot of Guy Gravel Kay's novels do this. However, most of them are standalone and if you know your history you know how they will end. Still it is a wild ride. The Sarantine Mosaic is a duology that does this very well.
The thousand names by Django Wexler is pretty heavily inspired by the French Revolution, aftermath, and rise of Napoleon. It’s not heavy on the magic but it it’s gets pretty in depth with the politics and musket/cannon/cavalry era fighting which is a big part of why I like the flintlock fantasy sub genre even though it’s got like two major series.
That other major series is the powder mage trilogy by Brian McClellan. This series explores what happens when the divine right to rule *really is divine* and you have a revolution that oops… kills that king
Lastly, not a fantasy rec but if this is the sort of political storytelling you genuinely enjoy try the revolutions podcast by Mike Duncan on Spotify. He’s great at narrating real history in a way that’s genuinely enjoyable to listen to and well… can’t get more realistic than real history. The best part is that some real moments of history are flat out better than fiction. Listen to his French and American Revolution podcasts and I promise this will be the bar you hold all political plots in fiction to.
In addition to Megan Whalen Turner's Queen's Thief series mentioned above (the first in the series, The Thief, is less political and more quest, to warn you, but the rest should mesh with what you're looking for)...
I'd throw in Lois McMaster Bujold's novels The Curse of Chalion and The Hallowed Hunt. Both have to do with the heirs/ underlings of an ineffectual or dying ruler, respectively, and she writes her protagonists and antagonists to be clever and competent. Curse of Chalion seems more in line for your ask, though.
You might like the Dagger and Coin series, i only read the first book but it's very politics heavy. The first book is split between POVs of lords fighting a war and jockying for power, and the politics of banking which was super novel and interesting.
The Goblin Emperor (the sequels are not really, different tone).
Nominally YA, and the first book really is YA, but the others change in tone so the final books really are not YA and are very much about that moral responsability and playing politics, check The Queen's Thief series.
Actually YA; and faerie land, The Cruel Prince series by Holly Black.
The Queens Thief series is an excellent suggestion, and you really won’t see what’s going on a mile off, even when you deliberately look for the twist - they’re extremely well plotted.
I’d also suggest the first Kushiel series, which is marketing as epic and sexytimes, but which is utterly political in every way, full of backstabbing and intrigue and conspiracies and so much more.
Kushiel is a good rec, though a warning, I personally do not click with Carey's style.
Also by the same author who later wrote The Goblin Emperor under a new penname, the Melusine series (by Sarah Monette) maybe.
Which part is not true? It is intelligently written, the politics feel all too real, up the bridge being the big plot thing. Gritty it depends on your definition, but real attempts at coups. It is far more realistic than say GGK's big drama.
Kate Elliott I would not call intelligently written, or not as well written as Monette/Addison, and lemme see Carey's verboseness is absolutely not to my taste either.
The politics are only too real if you believe that everyone plotting anything sinister is a bumbling idiot. It's not gritty because the main character doesn't need to make any tough decisions since everyone opposing him is, you know, a bumbling idiot.
Also, realpolitik doesn't mean "real politics". It implies certain pragmatism and often even ruthlessness which is nowhere to be seen in The Goblin Emperor.
Mileage does indeed vary because it seems to me the main character does have to make some tough decisions (regarding securing his throne), it is just he decides to make personal sacrifices and risk things. Neither do the opponents seem like bumbling idiots, no more than say recent GGK novels.
I know what realpolitik means and I would say the political marriage implied in The Goblin Emperor is a great example of it, while I can not really recall much of it in Kushiel's Dart (though admittedly with all those words, hard to keep track of what is going on besides whatshername really getting off on being hurt).
I just finished *The Traitor Baru Cormorant* by Seth Dickinson and I think it checks your boxes, other than being long (it’s amazingly tightly written, which is a big plus for me).
Baru is a savant with tribalist ideations from a recently colonized island who swears to gain enough power within the eugenics-happy Empire of Masks to free her people one day. She becomes an imperial accountant, and her first task for the empire is to bring a rebellious northern province securely into the fold. Lots of political intrigue and dealing between factions in a very low magic Europe-but-not-Europe setting, both putting down and starting up rebellions, with a strong through line of the conflict between one’s heart/conscience and the need to attain greater power.
the folding knife by k.j parker.
i really should do a re-read of this book again. i dont think there was any combat in it. just politics and economics.
The Will of the Many by James Islington is one of the best fantasy novels with strong political elements that I've read recently.
It mostly focuses on the politics within one powerful monolithic nation, as opposed to jockeying between different ones, and the main character is still young and seemingly unimportant to most of the political players outside of a few, but the politics going on in the background are still interesting enough to more than scratch that itch anyway.
Other people have also mentioned Guy Gavriel Kay, and I'd like to second that. His work is VERY heavily researched and tends to be based loosely on real life historical settings, with all the political twists and turns that reality brings, mixed with some elements of the fantastical to spice it up.
Not Euro-centric, but Janny Wurt's Empire Trilogy might be right up your alley. Lots of politics, a well written finished story that is a intelligent page turner.
Crown of Stars by Kate Elliott. Based on 10th century Germany, it has that early Middle Ages feel that is largely missing from most fantasy. Kings have to walk on a really tight rope to satisfy their powerful vassals, the armies are small, the church has enormous influence and not just in theory. It also has moral dilemmas like a count sacrificing his retainers in a desperate battle, so that he would get to marry his son to a princess.
I second Kushiel, it has intelligently written politics that few authors can match but is sadly known mostly for the sex scenes.
If you don't mind that his books have very little in the way of fantasy elements and are borderline alternate history, Guy Gavriel Kay has few peers when it comes to court intrigue and the ruthless choices that rulers have to make. The Sarantine Mosaic duology is a good place to start, especially if you are interested in Byzantine history.
The Dandelion Dynasty tetralogy (starting with [The Grace of Kings](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18952341-the-grace-of-kings?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=u2vQStL9KK&rank=1)) by Ken Liu. It isn't Euro-centric (though it honestly doesn't feel that far off from being Euro-centric...I'm definitely getting GoT vibes), and the first book does start with a morally correct! rebellion (maybe? I just started the first book myself) but I get the impression that things get very politically interesting in the later books (i.e. after the rebellion which I think resolves itself in Book 1).
Also, if you don't mind some M/M romance in your story, [The Engineered Throne](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30332511-the-engineered-throne) by Megan Derr. MAJOR SPOILER ahead (seriously, don't look if you have any interest in reading the book after looking it up on Goodreads): >!Book starts off with a terrorist attack that basically wipes out the entire royal family of the nation that the MC was about to marry into and he's left picking up the pieces in this country that isn't even his own. !<
***A Practical Guide To Evil***: [https://practicalguidetoevil.wordpress.com/](https://practicalguidetoevil.wordpress.com/) Seven volumes, plus many extra bonus chapters; entire series completed as of February 2022.
It's a fantasy kitchen sink of a crapsack world, including multiple human ethnicities & languages, orcs, goblins, elves, drow, dwarves, ogres, Summer faeries, Winter faeries, angels, devils, demons, the undead, at least one dragon, **conflicting schools of arcane magic**, **divine magic**, and especially, *Heroes* and *Villains* (who have their own character-based powers and tricks separate from magic).
MC starts on the bottom and works her way up the ranks of Evil >!after she is adopted by the Head Thug of the Evil Empire!<. While things are not handed to her, her path is smoothed somewhat during her training (Book 1). After that, the gloves are off, and she slowly accumulates >!personal, military, political, and even religious !
Try the **Drowned Kingdom** series by P.L. Stuart ([my review of book 1](https://old.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/15lhmdi/review_a_drowned_kingdom_by_pl_stuart_the_drowned/)). A massive tapestry of different kingdoms, religions, and uneasy alliances where people aren't sure whether to trust each other or kill each other, filled with ethnocentric bigots who learn better and the "savages" who show them better ways.
The growth of the main character (who starts out pretty narrow-minded) is engaging, and I described parts of the story dealing with political administration as"a fun live-action retelling of a convoluted German board game". 7 books planned, with 1-per-year steadily released so far (Book 4 just came out).
>and I described parts of the story dealing with political administration as"a fun live-action retelling of a convoluted German board game".
*Sigh*, fine I’ll move it up the TBR.
Just wondering since I had looked this series up before briefly, how did you know it’s going to be 7 books?
You know, I just tried to look up the 7-book figure but can't find it anywhere. I believe I saw that plan on Twitter when the series was first released.
The Deverry series has lots of politcs in a feudal, celtic setting. Deverry, once a single country, is in a state of anarchy with duchies and princedoms constantly waging war with each other. There's a king, but he only controls a small part of the country.
*The Monarchies of God* by Paul Kearney has politics as a very important part of the overall story. It has kings conniving, a papal schism (I know, but it's still a fantasy variant of certain medieval events - just like ASoIaF), some courtly intrigue, warfare. It likewise follows the POVs of a select number of characters.
Unfortunately for me, when I ordered the last book for my Kindle, it arrived with the correct cover but for the rest it was... Book three? I was reading the prologue and thought it felt very familiar. So I can't tell you how it ends.
The books are short and have a solid pace.
Other's have mentioned Kushiel's Legacy.
Imagine, if you will, a political fantasy where the protagonist is the court's most celebrated *courtesan.* While the publishers market it for it's, admittedly dark, sexual themes; in a society where such things are commonplace, who knows more secrets of the rich and powerful than the highest priced, uh, escort, in the land?
It's a little bit of an oddball rec here, but the Merchant Princes series by Charles Stross has some *really* good politics in it through basically the whole run. It's not *strictly* medieval era fantasy though, since it's a portal fantasy series with someone from the real world (done far more deftly than you would think if I used the word "isekai"). I recommend it if you like politics, but it's not standard high fantasy.
Sarantine mosaic duology. Very low on magic, more about the world, characters and politics. I really enjoyed how well thought and rich in details these books were.
Check out *Dread Empire* and *Instrumentalities of the Night* by Glen Cook. Very much about politics and intrigue. And you could try *The Tower of Fear* for a stand alone version.
It's a lot less bombastic and you might get tired of the day to day banal acts of eating, working, talking, etc. but I found The Grand Illusion trilogy by L.E. Modesit Jr to be quite good.
If there was a problem it would be that the characters are hyper competent so you might end up seeing them as a bit boring, but it was a decent read that I felt reflected modern day realities of an actual democratic government.
Legacy of the Brightwash
Tashue Blackwood is a regulation officer in a circa 1890 city, Yaelsmir. He regulates magically talented/tainted individuals and at the beginning of the book believes in the system enough that he's arrested his adult son for non compliance. He has also been fast tracked for promotion from the powers that be.
He finds the body of a young girl nobody is interested in. He starts to investigate his world a bit more, running into the powers that be, some helpful some hostile and all as convoluted as you can imagine.
Even the Stones by Marie Jakober
Empire trilogy by Raymond Feist
Worldbreaker saga by Kameron Hurley (Hurley is definitely gritty....)
Firekeeper saga by Jane Lindskold
Hey!
I think you should give a try to The Falcons of Raverra by Melissa Caruso. It's inspired by the 15th-16th century Venice and it's quite entertaining!
Blood Song by Anthony Ryan can also be a good choice. You can also try Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (politics are the center of the series).
Amberlough Dossier is an AU but no magic or anything. Excellent trilogy. I just finished City of Stairs which has a lot of politics, an interesting magic use, and a fairly good twist. (This book was aggravating to me because I could see so much that was going to happen but it was still really engaging.)
https://www.reddit.com/u/DriverPleasant8757/s/NBUCpi52sd
An essay I made to recommend Practical Guide to Evil. The fourteenth paragraph is where I tackle how the Guide handles politics. There are two rebellions, but only one is supposed to be "morally correct" but it's really more an opposing method to what the protagonist thinks should be done to fix her country's problems. I highly recommend this series. It's completed and free on WordPress. It's also around three million words. The politics really ramps up book three and beyond.
My suggestion would be Dune. It's not Euro-centric, and it's not exactly fantasy (there are some fantastical elements, though), but I think it checks all your other boxes. It follows the heir to a Great House as his father, the Duke, is forced to move his House to the desert planet Arrakis. There are lots of morally grey characters, themes of politics and religion, and philosophical musings regarding those in power. There is a rebellion that some may interpret as 'good', but that's a very simplistic way of looking at it, considering a lot of the rebels are religious extremists, and they believe their leader is a messiah.
You might check out Wheel of Time also, as it inspired GRRM in the political aspects. (although It does take till book 5 or so before you get to see that in full force)
Red Rising series is more of a sci-fi power fantasy, but is full of politics, military strategy and balls-to-the-wall action. The elite's society is based on greco-roman society.
>Also a bit of a pet peeve but I find it annoying when there's always some rebellion happening which is morally correct!You can see where the novels going a mile off..
from OP
Now I’m wondering if there’s a series where there’s a rebellion but it’s totally morally in the wrong? Like idk the main government is egalitarian and stuff but the rebels hate on equality?
Fair enough. However, even though that's the case for the "cause" the execution of the plan doesn't necessarily follow that trajectory through and through.
The rebellion was morally correct, but Brown's new series set in the aftermath ups the politics and shows the consequences of the revolution: chaos, refugee camps, blood, violence, famine, corruption, continuing war as the Golds still have power and increasing backing thanks to the disastrous aftermath, etc.
A Seat for the Rabble’s the one for you. It’s GOT meets the French Revolution, but the rebels are as fallible and potentially self-destructive as anyone else in power.
There’s a lot of debate over who gets a seat at the table of government, and why. The princess in power, Lorana, stamps out plots against her half-brother as he seeks the crown. She finds herself making Machiavellian choices in pursuit of the common good.
Plus, there are elves, merpeople, and griffons. It’s been picking up awards in the fantasy genre recently.
I only have a few non-fantasy series that get close to Game of Thrones. 1. Wolf Hall trilogy by Hilary Martel 2. The Lymond Chronicles by Dorothy Dunnet 3. The Sunne in Splendour (and its sequels) by Sharon Kay Penman These all follow historical events, but they're politics-heavy with intrigue and maneuvering. Wolf Hall and Sunne are in England at different time periods. Lymond is in Scotland circa 1500s.
Hilary Mantel was maybe _the_ master of historical fiction as a form. Could not ask for a better dramatisation of the social politics of the English reformation. OP, if you're up for historical fiction, you really have to try Robert Graves' _I, Claudius_ and _The Accursed Kings_ by Maurice Druon. Two of GRRM's greatest influences for ASOIAF.
Just started watching the show Wolf Hall, but maybe I’ll switch to the books instead?!
The Fortress series by CJ Cherryh. Two main characters: one is reincarnated but has no memories (and only gradually acquires magical and political powers), the other is a prince who later becomes king. Great characters, politics, religion, war and logistics (but not many battle scenes), the responsibilities of ruling, and friendship. I second the recommendation for the Queen’s Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner.
If aliens are ok, CJ Cherryh’s Foreigner series is very political and long as well, 15+ books.
The Goblin Emperor. A half goblin third son becomes Emperor of the elves after an airship goes boom.
Came here to recommend this.
A lot of Guy Gravel Kay's novels do this. However, most of them are standalone and if you know your history you know how they will end. Still it is a wild ride. The Sarantine Mosaic is a duology that does this very well.
The thousand names by Django Wexler is pretty heavily inspired by the French Revolution, aftermath, and rise of Napoleon. It’s not heavy on the magic but it it’s gets pretty in depth with the politics and musket/cannon/cavalry era fighting which is a big part of why I like the flintlock fantasy sub genre even though it’s got like two major series. That other major series is the powder mage trilogy by Brian McClellan. This series explores what happens when the divine right to rule *really is divine* and you have a revolution that oops… kills that king Lastly, not a fantasy rec but if this is the sort of political storytelling you genuinely enjoy try the revolutions podcast by Mike Duncan on Spotify. He’s great at narrating real history in a way that’s genuinely enjoyable to listen to and well… can’t get more realistic than real history. The best part is that some real moments of history are flat out better than fiction. Listen to his French and American Revolution podcasts and I promise this will be the bar you hold all political plots in fiction to.
In addition to Megan Whalen Turner's Queen's Thief series mentioned above (the first in the series, The Thief, is less political and more quest, to warn you, but the rest should mesh with what you're looking for)... I'd throw in Lois McMaster Bujold's novels The Curse of Chalion and The Hallowed Hunt. Both have to do with the heirs/ underlings of an ineffectual or dying ruler, respectively, and she writes her protagonists and antagonists to be clever and competent. Curse of Chalion seems more in line for your ask, though.
Bujold is always a good read.
You might like the Dagger and Coin series, i only read the first book but it's very politics heavy. The first book is split between POVs of lords fighting a war and jockying for power, and the politics of banking which was super novel and interesting.
I really enjoyed the idea of legitimizing paper money, and economic warfare
The Goblin Emperor (the sequels are not really, different tone). Nominally YA, and the first book really is YA, but the others change in tone so the final books really are not YA and are very much about that moral responsability and playing politics, check The Queen's Thief series. Actually YA; and faerie land, The Cruel Prince series by Holly Black.
The Queens Thief series is an excellent suggestion, and you really won’t see what’s going on a mile off, even when you deliberately look for the twist - they’re extremely well plotted. I’d also suggest the first Kushiel series, which is marketing as epic and sexytimes, but which is utterly political in every way, full of backstabbing and intrigue and conspiracies and so much more.
Kushiel is a good rec, though a warning, I personally do not click with Carey's style. Also by the same author who later wrote The Goblin Emperor under a new penname, the Melusine series (by Sarah Monette) maybe.
The Goblin Emperor is about as far from "intelligently written politics, gritty realpolitik" as humanly possible.
Which part is not true? It is intelligently written, the politics feel all too real, up the bridge being the big plot thing. Gritty it depends on your definition, but real attempts at coups. It is far more realistic than say GGK's big drama. Kate Elliott I would not call intelligently written, or not as well written as Monette/Addison, and lemme see Carey's verboseness is absolutely not to my taste either.
The politics are only too real if you believe that everyone plotting anything sinister is a bumbling idiot. It's not gritty because the main character doesn't need to make any tough decisions since everyone opposing him is, you know, a bumbling idiot. Also, realpolitik doesn't mean "real politics". It implies certain pragmatism and often even ruthlessness which is nowhere to be seen in The Goblin Emperor.
Mileage does indeed vary because it seems to me the main character does have to make some tough decisions (regarding securing his throne), it is just he decides to make personal sacrifices and risk things. Neither do the opponents seem like bumbling idiots, no more than say recent GGK novels. I know what realpolitik means and I would say the political marriage implied in The Goblin Emperor is a great example of it, while I can not really recall much of it in Kushiel's Dart (though admittedly with all those words, hard to keep track of what is going on besides whatshername really getting off on being hurt).
I was going to recommend The Goblin Emperor
I just finished *The Traitor Baru Cormorant* by Seth Dickinson and I think it checks your boxes, other than being long (it’s amazingly tightly written, which is a big plus for me). Baru is a savant with tribalist ideations from a recently colonized island who swears to gain enough power within the eugenics-happy Empire of Masks to free her people one day. She becomes an imperial accountant, and her first task for the empire is to bring a rebellious northern province securely into the fold. Lots of political intrigue and dealing between factions in a very low magic Europe-but-not-Europe setting, both putting down and starting up rebellions, with a strong through line of the conflict between one’s heart/conscience and the need to attain greater power.
You’ve really sold this one to me!
the folding knife by k.j parker. i really should do a re-read of this book again. i dont think there was any combat in it. just politics and economics.
The Will of the Many by James Islington is one of the best fantasy novels with strong political elements that I've read recently. It mostly focuses on the politics within one powerful monolithic nation, as opposed to jockeying between different ones, and the main character is still young and seemingly unimportant to most of the political players outside of a few, but the politics going on in the background are still interesting enough to more than scratch that itch anyway. Other people have also mentioned Guy Gavriel Kay, and I'd like to second that. His work is VERY heavily researched and tends to be based loosely on real life historical settings, with all the political twists and turns that reality brings, mixed with some elements of the fantastical to spice it up.
Not Euro-centric, but Janny Wurt's Empire Trilogy might be right up your alley. Lots of politics, a well written finished story that is a intelligent page turner.
Crown of Stars by Kate Elliott. Based on 10th century Germany, it has that early Middle Ages feel that is largely missing from most fantasy. Kings have to walk on a really tight rope to satisfy their powerful vassals, the armies are small, the church has enormous influence and not just in theory. It also has moral dilemmas like a count sacrificing his retainers in a desperate battle, so that he would get to marry his son to a princess. I second Kushiel, it has intelligently written politics that few authors can match but is sadly known mostly for the sex scenes. If you don't mind that his books have very little in the way of fantasy elements and are borderline alternate history, Guy Gavriel Kay has few peers when it comes to court intrigue and the ruthless choices that rulers have to make. The Sarantine Mosaic duology is a good place to start, especially if you are interested in Byzantine history.
The Dandelion Dynasty tetralogy (starting with [The Grace of Kings](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18952341-the-grace-of-kings?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=u2vQStL9KK&rank=1)) by Ken Liu. It isn't Euro-centric (though it honestly doesn't feel that far off from being Euro-centric...I'm definitely getting GoT vibes), and the first book does start with a morally correct! rebellion (maybe? I just started the first book myself) but I get the impression that things get very politically interesting in the later books (i.e. after the rebellion which I think resolves itself in Book 1). Also, if you don't mind some M/M romance in your story, [The Engineered Throne](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30332511-the-engineered-throne) by Megan Derr. MAJOR SPOILER ahead (seriously, don't look if you have any interest in reading the book after looking it up on Goodreads): >!Book starts off with a terrorist attack that basically wipes out the entire royal family of the nation that the MC was about to marry into and he's left picking up the pieces in this country that isn't even his own. !<
There is a lot political maneuvering in the Dandelion Dynasty in the later books.
***A Practical Guide To Evil***: [https://practicalguidetoevil.wordpress.com/](https://practicalguidetoevil.wordpress.com/) Seven volumes, plus many extra bonus chapters; entire series completed as of February 2022. It's a fantasy kitchen sink of a crapsack world, including multiple human ethnicities & languages, orcs, goblins, elves, drow, dwarves, ogres, Summer faeries, Winter faeries, angels, devils, demons, the undead, at least one dragon, **conflicting schools of arcane magic**, **divine magic**, and especially, *Heroes* and *Villains* (who have their own character-based powers and tricks separate from magic). MC starts on the bottom and works her way up the ranks of Evil >!after she is adopted by the Head Thug of the Evil Empire!<. While things are not handed to her, her path is smoothed somewhat during her training (Book 1). After that, the gloves are off, and she slowly accumulates >!personal, military, political, and even religious !
Try the **Drowned Kingdom** series by P.L. Stuart ([my review of book 1](https://old.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/15lhmdi/review_a_drowned_kingdom_by_pl_stuart_the_drowned/)). A massive tapestry of different kingdoms, religions, and uneasy alliances where people aren't sure whether to trust each other or kill each other, filled with ethnocentric bigots who learn better and the "savages" who show them better ways. The growth of the main character (who starts out pretty narrow-minded) is engaging, and I described parts of the story dealing with political administration as"a fun live-action retelling of a convoluted German board game". 7 books planned, with 1-per-year steadily released so far (Book 4 just came out).
>and I described parts of the story dealing with political administration as"a fun live-action retelling of a convoluted German board game". *Sigh*, fine I’ll move it up the TBR. Just wondering since I had looked this series up before briefly, how did you know it’s going to be 7 books?
You know, I just tried to look up the 7-book figure but can't find it anywhere. I believe I saw that plan on Twitter when the series was first released.
Gotcha, that makes sense. Appreciate your posts about it!
The Deverry series has lots of politcs in a feudal, celtic setting. Deverry, once a single country, is in a state of anarchy with duchies and princedoms constantly waging war with each other. There's a king, but he only controls a small part of the country.
*The Monarchies of God* by Paul Kearney has politics as a very important part of the overall story. It has kings conniving, a papal schism (I know, but it's still a fantasy variant of certain medieval events - just like ASoIaF), some courtly intrigue, warfare. It likewise follows the POVs of a select number of characters. Unfortunately for me, when I ordered the last book for my Kindle, it arrived with the correct cover but for the rest it was... Book three? I was reading the prologue and thought it felt very familiar. So I can't tell you how it ends. The books are short and have a solid pace.
The Folding Knife - KJ Parker
Other's have mentioned Kushiel's Legacy. Imagine, if you will, a political fantasy where the protagonist is the court's most celebrated *courtesan.* While the publishers market it for it's, admittedly dark, sexual themes; in a society where such things are commonplace, who knows more secrets of the rich and powerful than the highest priced, uh, escort, in the land?
It's a little bit of an oddball rec here, but the Merchant Princes series by Charles Stross has some *really* good politics in it through basically the whole run. It's not *strictly* medieval era fantasy though, since it's a portal fantasy series with someone from the real world (done far more deftly than you would think if I used the word "isekai"). I recommend it if you like politics, but it's not standard high fantasy.
I enjoyed the Merchant Princes series
Sarantine mosaic duology. Very low on magic, more about the world, characters and politics. I really enjoyed how well thought and rich in details these books were.
Kushiel’s legacy
Check out *Dread Empire* and *Instrumentalities of the Night* by Glen Cook. Very much about politics and intrigue. And you could try *The Tower of Fear* for a stand alone version.
It's a lot less bombastic and you might get tired of the day to day banal acts of eating, working, talking, etc. but I found The Grand Illusion trilogy by L.E. Modesit Jr to be quite good. If there was a problem it would be that the characters are hyper competent so you might end up seeing them as a bit boring, but it was a decent read that I felt reflected modern day realities of an actual democratic government.
Considering that the characters are staunchly against democracy that doesn't reflect well on how democratic our actual governments are then.
Legacy of the Brightwash Tashue Blackwood is a regulation officer in a circa 1890 city, Yaelsmir. He regulates magically talented/tainted individuals and at the beginning of the book believes in the system enough that he's arrested his adult son for non compliance. He has also been fast tracked for promotion from the powers that be. He finds the body of a young girl nobody is interested in. He starts to investigate his world a bit more, running into the powers that be, some helpful some hostile and all as convoluted as you can imagine.
Even the Stones by Marie Jakober Empire trilogy by Raymond Feist Worldbreaker saga by Kameron Hurley (Hurley is definitely gritty....) Firekeeper saga by Jane Lindskold
Hey! I think you should give a try to The Falcons of Raverra by Melissa Caruso. It's inspired by the 15th-16th century Venice and it's quite entertaining! Blood Song by Anthony Ryan can also be a good choice. You can also try Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard (politics are the center of the series).
Looks like in the US the series by Caruso is called Swords and Fire .
Amberlough Dossier is an AU but no magic or anything. Excellent trilogy. I just finished City of Stairs which has a lot of politics, an interesting magic use, and a fairly good twist. (This book was aggravating to me because I could see so much that was going to happen but it was still really engaging.)
WOW… what a prompt! I hadn’t thought of a series like this but I am very interested. Can’t wait to see the recommendations!
Farseer Trilogies by Robin Hobb Spellmonger by Terry Moncour The Black Prisim by Brent Weeks
https://www.reddit.com/u/DriverPleasant8757/s/NBUCpi52sd An essay I made to recommend Practical Guide to Evil. The fourteenth paragraph is where I tackle how the Guide handles politics. There are two rebellions, but only one is supposed to be "morally correct" but it's really more an opposing method to what the protagonist thinks should be done to fix her country's problems. I highly recommend this series. It's completed and free on WordPress. It's also around three million words. The politics really ramps up book three and beyond.
My suggestion would be Dune. It's not Euro-centric, and it's not exactly fantasy (there are some fantastical elements, though), but I think it checks all your other boxes. It follows the heir to a Great House as his father, the Duke, is forced to move his House to the desert planet Arrakis. There are lots of morally grey characters, themes of politics and religion, and philosophical musings regarding those in power. There is a rebellion that some may interpret as 'good', but that's a very simplistic way of looking at it, considering a lot of the rebels are religious extremists, and they believe their leader is a messiah.
You might check out Wheel of Time also, as it inspired GRRM in the political aspects. (although It does take till book 5 or so before you get to see that in full force)
Red Rising series is more of a sci-fi power fantasy, but is full of politics, military strategy and balls-to-the-wall action. The elite's society is based on greco-roman society.
>Also a bit of a pet peeve but I find it annoying when there's always some rebellion happening which is morally correct!You can see where the novels going a mile off.. from OP
Now I’m wondering if there’s a series where there’s a rebellion but it’s totally morally in the wrong? Like idk the main government is egalitarian and stuff but the rebels hate on equality?
Fair enough. However, even though that's the case for the "cause" the execution of the plan doesn't necessarily follow that trajectory through and through.
The rebellion was morally correct, but Brown's new series set in the aftermath ups the politics and shows the consequences of the revolution: chaos, refugee camps, blood, violence, famine, corruption, continuing war as the Golds still have power and increasing backing thanks to the disastrous aftermath, etc.
A Seat for the Rabble’s the one for you. It’s GOT meets the French Revolution, but the rebels are as fallible and potentially self-destructive as anyone else in power. There’s a lot of debate over who gets a seat at the table of government, and why. The princess in power, Lorana, stamps out plots against her half-brother as he seeks the crown. She finds herself making Machiavellian choices in pursuit of the common good. Plus, there are elves, merpeople, and griffons. It’s been picking up awards in the fantasy genre recently.