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Throne of Glass reading order

Throne of Glass is an eight-book fantasy series, and its prequel came out in the middle of the run. Here are the books in the order they were published and in the order of events.

Where to start

Start with Throne of Glass, the first novel. The Assassin's Blade is a prequel of linked novellas, but it was written later and is easier to follow once you know the heroine from the first two books.

The books grow darker and more adult as they go, with violence and, in the later books, sexual content, so check them before handing them to a younger reader.

Publication order

Publication order puts The Assassin's Blade third, after Crown of Midnight and before Heir of Fire. Tower of Dawn is the seventh book published, and its events run alongside those of Empire of Storms.

  1. Throne of Glass

    Sarah J. Maas

    A teenage assassin serving her sentence in a mine is offered a chance at freedom if she wins a contest to become the king's champion.

    Book 1 of 8, published 2012.

  2. Crown of Midnight

    Sarah J. Maas

    The second book follows her as the king's champion, serving a ruler she distrusts while danger closes in on people she cares about.

    Book 2 of 8, published 2013.

  3. The Assassin's Blade

    Sarah J. Maas

    A prequel of linked novellas about the same assassin, set in the years before the first book.

    Book 3 of 8, published 2014.

  4. Heir of Fire

    Sarah J. Maas

    The fourth book in publication order sends the heroine to a new land and widens the cast of characters.

    Book 4 of 8, published 2014.

  5. Queen of Shadows

    Sarah J. Maas

    The fifth book returns the characters to the king's capital, with old scores to settle.

    Book 5 of 8, published 2015.

  6. Empire of Storms

    Sarah J. Maas

    The sixth book widens the conflict into a war between kingdoms, with alliances tested on all sides.

    Book 6 of 8, published 2016.

  7. Tower of Dawn

    Sarah J. Maas

    A parallel story set in a distant empire, with two characters on a mission that runs alongside the events of Empire of Storms.

    Book 7 of 8, published 2017.

  8. Kingdom of Ash

    Sarah J. Maas

    The last book of the series, which brings its long war and its many storylines to a close.

    Book 8 of 8, published 2018.

Chronological order

In story order The Assassin's Blade comes first, because it is set before Throne of Glass. The other seven keep their publication order, and Tower of Dawn can be read alongside Empire of Storms.

  1. The Assassin's Blade
  2. Throne of Glass
  3. Crown of Midnight
  4. Heir of Fire
  5. Queen of Shadows
  6. Empire of Storms
  7. Tower of Dawn
  8. Kingdom of Ash

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