7 Best Books Like Yellowstone

Published Sep 19, 2026, 4:30 PM EDT Once head of Screen Rant's Star Wars coverage and co-lead of Superheroes, Tom Bacon now works with the movies and books teams. He's a lifelong fan of the fantasy and sci-fi genres, and loves franchises such as Doctor Who and Marvel. You can find him on Twitter @TomABacon, on LinkedIn @tabacon, or on Muckrack under tombacon. Tom has a wide range of interests, and he continues to serve his university as a volunteer chaplain. He's heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will swiftly learn he's into British politics too. Created by Taylor Sheridan and John Linson, Yellowstone is one of the best Heartland dramas in history. Incredibly strong word-of-mouth meant viewership actually increased with every season, and Yellowstone spinoffs are continuing the story in the best possible way. 1883 and 1932 both reveal more about the Dutton family, and Dutton Ranch Season 2's behind-the-scenes changes promise to make it a proper Yellowstone sequel. Taylor Sheridan openly credits classic Western novels like Lonesome Dove and Blood Meridian for influencing his show. That's most notable in the show's structure, because each season is essentially a self-contained novel, with every episode serving as a separate chapter. Given the literary influence and style, it's no surprise many followers of Yellowstone have found themselves heading to books to scratch the Sheridan itch. Here are eight common recommendations from the fandom. 7 Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove Let's start with one recommended by Sheridan himself, who even penned a foreword for a new edition published in 2025. Published in 1985, this was the first of an entire series by one of the most celebrated Western authors. It originally started out as a screenplay for John Wayne, James Stewart, and Henry Fonda, but the actors passed on it; Wayne in particular wasn't happy about the melancholy themes. It's impossible to overstate Lonesome Dove's importance to the Western genre. Stephen King has described this as his favorite book of all time, while President Barack Obama awarded a National Humanities medal to the author in 2015. According to Obama, readers of Lonesome Dove "found out something essential about their own souls, even if they'd never been out West or been on a ranch." Lonesome Dove has been adapted into multiple shows, and will surely inspire many more going forward. Lonesome Dove is available now from retailers like Amazon. 6 Gretel Ehrlich's The Solace of Open Spaces Published in 1985, The Solace of Open Spaces was Gretel Ehrlich's debut. It's a collection of twelve essays that challenges traditional portrayals of the Wild West; although each stands alone, there's a beautiful narrative running through them that explores Ehrlich's own experiences in Wyoming. This is an unusual blend of autobiography, natural history, and ethnography, and it's a fascinating window into the real world behind Yellowstone. Ehrlich is universally praised for successfully capturing the beauty and savagery of this harsh environment. Her writing has depth and humor, making the various characters described in these essays feel like people the reader actually knows. The Solace of Open Spaces may be an unusual entry in this list, but it's an unmissable one all the same. The Solace of Open Spaces is available now from retailers like Amazon. 5 Charlaine Harris' Gunnie Rose series Charlaine Harris is another influential author, and many readers will be familiar with her Sookie Stackhouse series — the inspiration for HBO's True Blood. Her Gunnie Rose series kicked off in 2918 with An Easy Death. This wonderful fantasy series is set in a fractured United States, a world where magic is acknowledged but mistrusted. The star is Elizabeth Rose, a young "gunnie" whose job is to shoot threats before they can hurt anybody. Yes, this really is the Wild West with a touch of magic to it. There are six books to the series: An Easy Death, A Longer Fall, The Russian Cage, The Serpent in Heaven, All the Dead Shall Weep, and The Last Wizards' Ball. Harris wrapped the series up in 2025, meaning readers can check out the whole series from beginning to end. The end takes an unexpected turn, seamlessly weaving magic into the build-up to World War II. Harris' writing is sharp, her world-building is phenomenal, and she offers a historical fantasy any lovers of Yellowstone are sure to enjoy. An Easy Death is available now from retailers like Amazon. 4 Amy Barry's The McBrides of Montana And now for something a little different: a Western romance series by celebrated author Amy Barry. The McBride brothers' world is turned upside down when their younger sister orders them mail-order brides (without telling them first). As Barry teases, "If you're looking for fun, swoony-giddy-goodness and a rollercoaster ride of romance, saddle up and get ready to meet Junebug McBride and her soon-to-be-hitched backwoods brothers." This is a trilogy: Kit McBride Gets a Wife, Marrying Off Morgan McBride, and Seven Brides for Beau McBride. The main character Junebug is widely praised as an absolute delight, and Barry has a light touch and a comedic style that makes the books seriously enjoyable. To give an example: when asked to do the laundry, Junebug's solution to dirty clothes is to toss them into the stove and shut the door. "There you go," she says, pleased with herself. "Problem solved." Kit McBride Gets a Wife is available now from retailers like Amazon. 3 James Wade's All Things Left Wild James Wade's All Things Left Wild is an award-winning coming-of-age novel set in the American west in 1910. A botched robbery leaves a young boy dead and launches two men on very different journeys, and Wade brings a journalist's eye to the corruption and violence of the time. "Any time there is expansion, something growing more quickly than the regulations surrounding it, then it becomes an attractive breeding ground for greed and corruption," Wade explained in an interview with Mark Gottlieb. Wade's story is a fascinating one, a tragic tale that doesn't quite have the closure many readers will expect. He's often praised for his character work, as well as his clear love of the land. A skilled author, Wade has done a phenomenal amount of research into his subject, and it shines through — as well as explaining just why he's won awards for this incredible debut novel. All Things Left Wild is available now from retailers like Amazon. 2 Annie Proulx's Barkskins If readers are interested in something a little more like Yellowstone's spinoffs, then Annie Proulx's Barkskins will definitely scratch the itch. Proulx is an incredible storyteller best known for Brokeback Mountain, and her writing tends to display a deep understanding of both place and people. Barkskins is a sprawling historical epic that spans from 1693 to the present day; the title refers to "loggers, ecologists, sawyers, sculptors, hotshots, planters, students, scientists, leaf eaters, photographers, practitioners of shinrin-yoku, land-sat interpreters, climatologists, wood butchers, picnickers, foresters, ring counters and the rest of us." Barkskins kicks off with two indentured Frenchmen who become lumberjacks, and traces their family line on through the generations — a sort of "clan line" approach that will certainly appeal to the Yellowstone fandom. Barkskins is celebrated for her remarkable prose, as well as the depth of knowledge she demonstrates for every single time period she explores in the book's sweeping narrative. Little wonder Barskins inspired a National Geographic TV series. Barkskins is available now from retailers like Amazon. 1 Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian Finally, Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian is another novel Sheridan has openly pointed to for any Yellowstone lovers. Published in 1985, this was McCarthy's fifth book, and it's considered a classic of the Western genre. The narrative followers a fictional teenager called "The Kid" and his experiences with the Glanton gang, a historical group of scalp-hunters. Blood Meridian is a critical exploration of human nature often described as the Western equivalent of Moby Dick, and it's been called the definitive Great American Novel. Given Sheridan's praise for Blood Meridian, this is a book anyone who loves Yellowstone should surely check out. Sheridan openly praises McCarthy's bleak, ruthless, but also poetic view of the frontier, calling it a direct inspiration. Even better, much to Sheridan's delight, McCarthy himself was a devoted fan of Yellowstone. Blood Meridian is available now from retailers like Amazon. Release Date 2018 - 2024-00-00 Network Paramount Network Showrunner Taylor Sheridan Directors Stephen Kay, Taylor Sheridan, Christina Alexandra Voros, Guy Ferland, John Dahl Writers John Coveny, Ian McCulloch Franchise(s) Yellowstone Creator(s) Taylor Sheridan, John Linson