If You Like Game Of Thrones, Get Into These
TV Shows
Vikings
Set in medieval Scandinavia, Vikings tells the tale of the rise of Ragnar Lothbrok, an ambitious farmer and Viking warrior, who has his eyes on conquering the lands that lie far beyond his home. Like Game of Thrones, there’s a lot of focus on alliances and loyalty, but this is on basic cable, so you won’t get the level of sex and violence that GoT enjoys. The similarly well-written characters, gripping plotlines, and pretty much nonstop warfare are, however, worth it. There are a lot of episodes to binge, since Vikings is currently on its fourth season and even better is that it was also recently renewed for a fifth.
Where To Watch: Hulu, Amazon, History channel
Spartacus
You probably heard about the figure Spartacus at some point in your schooling, but here’s a refresher: he was a Thracian warrior—from B.C. times—who was forced to become a gladiator in Rome, and later led a rebellion against the Republic. If you really love the fight scenes in Game of Thrones, then you won’t mind the violence, which is as stylized as it is gory. Batiatus, the man who owns Spartacus and the other gladiators, and his wife Lucretia will definitely give you Lannister vibes. They are just as self-preserving, conniving, and brutal. Like the action-packed 300 films, Spartacus is filled with enough sex, violence, and battles to keep your Game of Thrones demons at bay.
Where to Watch: Netflix, Starz On Demand
Black Sails
Another Starz hit, Black Sails follows the adventures of the notorious Captain Flint and his merry band of pirates as they pillage, kill, screw, and drink their way through the Golden Age of pirates. As you can imagine, it’s like Game of Thrones on the high seas, and features enough gore, women, and spectacle to keep you entertained in the long pre and post GOT hours.
Where to Watch: Amazon, Starz
Books
Acacia, Book One of The War With the Mein by David Anthony Durham
Acacia is a fantasy novel that revolves around the children of Leodan Akaran, the ruler of a land the book is named after. It’s prosperous and peaceful for some time until an assassin suddenly strikes. Hopefully, all the endorsement you need for this book will come from just one fan of Durham’s: George R.R. Martin. Yes, the author of the books that inspired Game of Thrones really likes his work.
Where to Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes
The Time of the Dark, The Darwath Series Book One by Barbara Hambly
Gil Patterson, a medieval history student, starts having nightmares about an unknown kingdom that’s under attack. It turns out that they’re not just dreams; she’s actually having visions of things that are happening in another dimension. Soon Gil finds herself caught up in a kingdom’s struggle to survive and with the fate of mankind resting in her hands.
Where to Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes
Movies
Braveheart
It’s hard to imagine that there’s anyone who hasn’t seen Braveheart, but just in case, it’s definitely a movie GoT fans should revisit or watch for the first time. Braveheart is the story of William Wallace and his quest to free Scotland from Edward I/Longshanks in the 13th century. We hear the word “epic” used a lot to describe things, but this movie actually deserves it.
Where to Watch: Amazon, iTunes
Conan The Barbarian
Believe it or not, before he was a politician and US Weekly mainstay, Arnold Schwarzenegger was a movie star. In this 1982 adaptation of the massively successful comic book series, Arnold plays the titular Conan with, let’s say, limited acting range, but a whole hell of a lot of sword skills. Jam-packed with battles, magic, and other fantasy elements, this cult classic demands a watch for die hard fans. Sure, we could recommend 2011’s remake with Khal Drogo himself, Jason Momoa, but it’s pretty much an insult to the OG, so watch at your own peril.
Where to Watch: Amazon, iTunes
Black Death
In Black Death, medieval England is being ravaged by the plague, but there are rumors floating around about a village that exists where the disease can’t reach because the villagers perform human sacrifices and monk and a knight set out on a quest to find it. You’ll notice two familiar faces from Game of Thrones in Black Death: Sean Bean, who played Ned Stark, and Carice van Houten, who currently plays Melisandre.
Where to Watch: Amazon, iTunes