Summary
Game of Thronesfans missing Emilia Clarke’s Daenerys Targaryen will enjoy the adventures of several other fantasy book heroines with similar personalities and aesthetics. DespiteGame of Thrones’controversial finale,Daenerys remains one of the most iconic and influential TV characters of all time,with Clarke’s larger-than-life performance making waves in the industry and the genre. A major factor in fans’ dislike of the series finale is how it handled Daenerys' character, whom they had come to love as an intelligent and vicious dragon rider and politician, destined to become a noble queen.
There is a valid argument thatDaenerys was always going to become the “Mad Queen,”demonstrating how she is a flawed person with an insatiable desire for vengeance. Other fantasy heroines are similarly characterized by complicated feelings about violence when they are likely a force to be reckoned with in battle.Daenerys' fans will be drawn to the tropes and aesthetics associated with her character,namely dragons, fire, and a destiny to become the queen of a struggling nation. In some cases, readers can find closure in stories that end with the protagonist becoming the queen Daenerys was meant to be.
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10Violet Sorrengail
From Fourth Wing By Rebecca Yarros
Like Daenerys, Violet wants to change the way her country is governed and is dealing with the complicated legacy of her family’s role in its corrupt rule.
Fourth Wingreaders will immediately associate Violet with Daenerys for the obvious reason of her camaraderie with dragons. While this is a feature that applies to many of the characters inFourth Wing,Violet comes closer to Daenerys' role as the Mother of Dragons due to her bonding with two dragons— Tairn and Andarna — rather than one, as is standard for most dragon riders. Violet’s ability to summon lightning is one of themost powerful signets inFourth Wing, making her a key player in the revolution at the center of the series' plot.
Like Daenerys, Violet wants to change the way her country is governed and is dealing with the complicated legacy of her family’s role in its corrupt rule. Daenerys was abused and intimidated into submission by her brother until she discovered the power she could have as a Khaleesi.Likewise, Violet is looked down upon by her cruel mother but becomes more assertive and retaliative as the series goes onwhen she proves time and time again that she is a greater dragon rider than anyone would have thought.
9Wu Zetian
From Iron Widow By Xiran Jay Zhao
Iron Widow’sprotagonist is a fictionalized version of China’s only female emperor, Empress Wu Zetian,living in a dystopian world where humanity wages a war against bug-like alien invaders using mechas piloted by two people each. The female"concubines"are typically killed by the mental strain of supporting the male pilots. Having endured a childhood of abuse and neglect by her family who always favored her brother, Zetian volunteers to become the concubine of the pilot who murdered her older sister, with a plan to kill him in revenge.
In the words of author Francesa Tacchi,Iron Widow’sstory and protagonist are characterized by the"unapologetic […] portrayal of a survivor’s rage"(viaoxfordstudent.com). Zetian has lived her life enraged by the injustices she and other women face, and when she has the power to fight back, she does not pull any punches. The title of the second book,Heavenly Tyrant, illustrates exactly the kind of ruler she becomes, in the process demonstrating shades of Daenerys' character and how her arc of becoming the Mad Queen could have been more nuanced.
8Alosa Kalligan
From Daughter Of The Pirate King By Tricia Levenseller
Alosa is the sassy, confident, and skilled 17-year-old protagonist ofDaughter of the Pirate Kingand its sequel,Daughter of the Siren Queen, comprising agreat fantasy duology to read. As the title suggests,Alosa is the heir to informal royalty, as her father is one of three Pirate Lordswhose families have held power over the high seas for some time. However, at a young age, Alosa is already a fearless leader, captaining her own crew of mostly female pirates.
WhileDaughter of the Pirate Kingis much lighter in tone,the comparison between Alosa and Daenerys serves as a reminder of how young the latter is at the beginning of the series(13 in the books and 16 in the TV show). However, both characters have an inherent magnetism and confidence that allows them to be just as effective rulers, if not better, in their teens as most of the adults depicted in the respective series. Alosa is an obvious choice for anyone looking to read about a fun new queen in the making.
7Nesta Archeron
From A Court Of Thorns And Roses By Sarah J. Maas
Nesta may not be a queen in the literal sense as her sister Feyre is, but her power and influence are undeniable. Angered by her father’s lack of effort to provide for them when they are living in poverty,Nesta is less noble than Feyre and less kind than their other sister Elain.She is ruthless and angry, with an iron will that enables her to resist the power of a Fae High Lord — allegedly one of the most powerful beings in this world — through nothing but her own determination.
Later,Netsa steals a godlike power from the Cauldron(the penultimate powerful artifact of this setting’s creation myth) through what is described as her own relentless nature. As a result, she gains the deadly ability to summon silver flames, resulting in a similar aesthetic to Daenerys. Nesta’s character recalls one of thebestGame of Thronesquotes:“I am no ordinary woman, my dreams come true.“Nesta can will anything she wants to happen simply because of who she is.
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6Poppy Balfour
From From Blood And Ash By Jennifer L. Armentrout
Penellaphe “Poppy” Balfour is an archetypical example of where the most popular tropes of the young adult fantasy genre meet the influence ofGame of Thronesand Daenerys' character.Poppy has a secret royal heritage that she discovers midway through the series;at the beginning, she has an assigned role characterized by a hidden, virginal femininity that she longs to escape. She eventually abandons the title and responsibilities of being“the Maiden”and goes on to become a powerful queen.
Poppy finds out about her own parentage while marrying into another royal family. She also builds upon the power she was born with; as of the most recent book, she is immortal and effectively a goddess.There are echoes inFrom Blood and Ashof how Daenerys did thingsin the depiction of Poppy being a queen on her own terms.
5Arya Dröttning
From The Inheritance Cycle By Christopher Paolini
LikeA Song of Ice and Fire,The Inheritance Cycleis a higher fantasy influenced by the worlds ofThe Lord of the RingsandThe Earthsea Cycle, with a more detailed overall story than most of its contemporaries.Arya is the type of heroine characteristic of these series:She is not relatable when she has little in common with the average person, she always thinks of the bigger picture, and she isn’t so easily caught up in romantic subplots. In fact, she believes that pursuing a romance with Eragon would distract them both from their roles in the oncoming war.
However,Arya is also a skilled warrior and politician who will become a queen and a dragon riderby the end of the series. She can be harsh when necessary, but also has a fundamental kindness to her personality. Daenerys final actions inGame of Thronesand her ultimate fate overshadow the fact that, for many years, she did what she did out of a desire to help oppressed people live happier lives.
4Bree Matthews
From Legendborn By Tracy Deonn
Bree is the protagonist of Tracy Deonn’s scathing take on the King Arthur legend, which emphasizes the biases in the mythology through the modern-day descendants of the Round Table, who form a predominantly white society.Several tragic events lead to Bree becoming entwined in the Legendborn’s activities,prompting her to unlock more layers of her own power. While Bree’s literal magic makes waves among the would-be knights, her words are just as important.
Despite many of the Legendborn’s senior members doing everything they can to make Bree feel unwelcome and rid themselves of her, Bree fights back,asserting her power and position. She arrives confidently at parties and battles and finds some valuable allies within the society’s younger generation, as well as with their traditional enemies. Bree is an impactful character who finds problems and solutions where no one else sees them, making her a great literary queen.
3Zoya Nazyalensky
From Shadow And Bone By Leigh Bardugo
Zoya does eventually become associated with some dragon imagery that makes her Daenerys' obviousShadow and Bonecounterpart.
Zoya is introduced as a supporting character inShadow and Bone, yet she always drew more attention with her dramatics than Alina, the original trilogy’s official protagonist. Ultimately, all Alina wants is to live a peaceful life with the boy she loves, whileZoya is driven by the ambition to conquer and rule.It is fitting that Alina and Mal get their happy ending (in the books) while Zoya’s queen-like personality becomes the crux of her character arc in the sequelKing of Scarsduology.
Zoya is doubtlessly one of themost powerfulShadow and Bonecharactersas the Second Army’s preeminent Squaller.Zoya is a strategic general with an unforgiving worldview,and her becoming one of the most powerful people in Ravka is inevitable. Additionally, without spoiling too much, Zoya does eventually become associated with some dragon imagery that makes her Daenerys' obviousShadow and Bonecounterpart.
2Fang Runin
From The Poppy War By R. F. Kuang
Groundbreaking fantasy author Rebecca Kuang’s debut novelThe Poppy Warand its two sequels follow Fang Runin,usually known as Rin. Like Daenerys, Rin grew up with a less-than-loving family and is initially framed as a relatively weak figure in the grand scheme of the story. She is a simple shop girl from a poor town who makes it to the country’s top military academy through years of arduous study, where she is at the biggest disadvantage.
However, also like Daenerys,Rin amasses a devastating amount of power through her connection with the Phoenix god,allowing her to channel fire. Rin is another strong example of whatGame of Thronescould have done with Daenerys' story, showcasing a more developed conflict between the line between human and godlike that Daenerys has certainly crossed and her genuine desire to do good. Arguably, Rin’s “King’s Landing moment” comes by the end of the first book, leaving two more books to explore the consequences of what she has done.
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1Manon Blackbeak
From Throne Of Glass By Sarah J. Maas
When the reader meets Manon inHeir of Fire, the third book in theThrone of Glassseries, it is impossible not to wonder how Daenerys influenced her character. With her platinum hair and her wyvern steed Abraxos, there are some obvious parallel aesthetics at play. In many ways,Manon is a blurred image of Dany;she also finds herself at the center of a subplot where she is the last heir to a dynasty of witches and is willing to commit violent acts for the supposed greater good.
Manon spends years slaughtering innocents at the behest of corrupt leadership before realizing the truth, but her ferocity and ability to make sacrifices are what allow her to actually become queen.Throne of Glassimplies that Manon’s rule will mean a better life for the witches,no matter what she does to get there. Storylines like this one focusing on headstrong heroines will satisfy fans of Daenerys Targaryen not just because of their most blatant similarities, but because of what they might add to the discussion of Dany’s arc’s divisive conclusion.
