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7 Books to Read If You Like Succession

Though season 4 of Succession has been confirmed by HBO, there has been no word as to when the next season will air - or if it has even begun filming... With the third season having ended in December of 2021, it's understandable that you may be experiencing Succession withdrawals. Well, worry not because we have curated a list of books like Succession just for you!

What is Succession About?

Succession centers around the lives of the Roy family, a dysfunctional group of very different personalities that all have stakes in the widely successful Waystar RoyCo - a global media and entertainment company. When the family’s patriarch experiences some distressing health problems, the remaining family members go at odds with one another to gain control of the company. Critically acclaimed for its witty and dark-humored writing, this series is perfect for anyone who loves tales about complex families, the opulent lifestyle of the rich, and the intricate affairs that come with great power and influence - both in one's family and at large. And, for anyone looking to read books similar to the series, here is a list of 7 books to read if you like Succession.

The Final Gambit (The Inheritance Games Book 3)

by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

With high stakes, secrets and more secrets, and the inheritance of a billionaire on the line, The Inheritance Games series is a must-read for anyone who enjoys Succession. With over 750,000 copies sold in the series thus far, the final book in The Inheritance Games is sure to leave readers blown away. Don’t miss out on this book release this fall!

Avery Kylie Grambs has survived living in the Hawthorne House so far, but she and the Hawthorne boys have more dangers awaiting them before the end of the game. As the pressure is rising, the paparazzi dogging Avery at every turn, and danger continuing to hang over her and the Hawthorne brothers' heads, trouble arrives at the front door. This visitor could change everything - and it becomes pretty apparent that they are the last puzzle that must be solved. In a dangerous game with an unknown and powerful player, will Avery and the Hawthorne brothers be able to keep their lives and win the game?

King Lear (Folger Shakespeare Library)

by William Shakespeare

As the story of Succession is based directly on the themes and characters of King Lear, it would be a mistake to overlook this Shakespearean classic. With Logan Roy directly linking to the fragility and influence of King Lear himself, it’s easy to see how this tragic play has influenced the writing of Succession.

Marked as a cornerstone of Western Literature, King Lear tells the story of a king who demands admiration from his daughters by utilizing their inheritance as a threat. The decisions of King Lear and his three daughters set off a series of tragic events that lead to a drastic evolution of not only the King’s own family dynamics but also the political dynamics of his kingdom. With freshly edited text based on the early printed version of the play, explanatory notes, and so much more, the Folger Shakespeare Library’s edition of King Lear is known to be trusted and widely used by students and general readers of Shakespear alike.

The Crazy Rich Asians Trilogy Box Set

by Kevin Kwan

This trilogy follows Rachel Chu and her loving boyfriend Nicholas Young, who also happens to be Singapore’s most eligible bachelor and the likely heir to a massive family fortune. When Rachel agrees to spend the summer outside of New York and with Nick in his family home, she quickly realizes that it's way more than she bargained for. With conflicts between old money, new money, nosy relatives, and scheming social climbers, Rachel finds herself thrown into the outrageous world of high society. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s the identity of a long-lost father to deal with… Don’t miss out on this great series!

The Queens of Innis Lear

by Tessa Gratton

If you are looking for an adult fantasy book that follows the same familial battle for power as Succession, then Tessa Gratton’s The Queens of Innis Lear is the book for you. This adult epic fantasy follows three queens as they declare an all-out personal and political war on each other to possess the crown and the power to rule their land.

Gaela, Egan, and Elia each feel there must be a change and that they are the one who is destined to make it. With their father showing signs of fragility and each sister having a more cunning plan than the next, who will get the crown, and who will choose love, power, family, and betrayal?

Commonwealth

by Ann Patchett

Though the basis of Commonwealth doesn’t center around riches and power, this novel explores the interconnected lives of two families and how one parent's actions can deeply affect the lives of their children and their children's children forevermore.

When Bert Cousins comes to Franny Keating’s christening party and kisses Franny’s mother, Beverly - two families' lives are thrown into utter disarray. Commonwealth spans five decades and follows the lives of the four parents and six children of the Keating and Cousins families. As the children forge lasting relationships with one another and navigate their convoluted family dynamic, they are forced to come to terms with the guilt, loss, and heartbreak they have all experienced. This novel will make you laugh, cry, and meditate on the far-reaching ties of love and the responsibility that binds us all together.

The Heirs

by Susan Rieger

The Falkes seem to have a perfect life together. Eleanor with her wit and generosity, and Rupert with his English charm and ambitions. The two of them have created an exceptional life for themselves and their family. Their five sons: Harry, a professor of law; Will, a Hollywood agent; Sam, a scientific researcher and doctor; Jack, a jazz musician; and Tom, a federal prosecutor; all feel that their successes and ambitions are tied directly with their family’s through their unyielding loyalty to one another. So, when their father, Rupert, dies and a woman claiming to have two sons by him shows up and demands money from the estate, their perception of their loyal father is put into question.

Their father's infidelity coupled with their mother's abnormal sympathy for the woman leads the sons to realize that they don’t know their family as well as they thought they did. This novel goes on to tell the complex story of what it means to live in a patriarchal family, and what repercussions may arise when an inheritance is on the line, and family secrets are revealed.

The Darlings

by Cristina Alger

Cristina Alger draws readers into the highest echelons of New York society and the world of Wall Street financiers with this fast-paced thriller. What better guide than an attorney and former analyst at Goldman Sachs to escort us through the power, riches, and turmoil of the upper class?

Paul Ross, since marrying the beautiful Merrill Darling, has grown accustomed to the luxuries of being part of a billionaire financier family. But a tragic accident catapults him and his in-laws into a financial investigation and a scandal so tremendous, that it leaves him questioning where his loyalties should actually lie.

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