Summary

• Sarah J. Maas' fantasy series may look confusing at first glance, but their reading order is fairly straightforward.
• Throne of Glass is the author's only fantasy series that can be read in multiple orders and at any time.
• ACOTAR should be read before Crescent City due to overlap between the two book series.

Sarah J. Maas is well-known for her beloved fantasy series, but those hoping to get into the author’s books may have trouble determining where to start. Maas has published many novels since 2012’s Throne of Glass. And her three current series have enough overlap that they should be read in a specific order. This could make things complicated for readers who have never picked up one of her novels.

Fortunately, the release and chronological order of Maas’ books aren’t that complicated once they’re broken down. Only one of her fantasy series has different possible reading orders, and these are easy enough to navigate. And while her series are connected, reading them in the correct order will eliminate any confusion surrounding her larger fantasy universe.

Every Sarah J. Mass Book In Publication Order

• Throne of Glass (2012)
• Crown of Midnight (2013)
• The Assassin’s Blade (2014)
• Heir of Fire (2014)
• A Court of Thorns and Roses (2015)
• Queen of Shadows (2015)
• A Court of Mist and Fury (2016)
• Empire of Storms (2016)
• A Court of Wings and Ruin (2017)
• Tower of Dawn (2017)
• A Court of Frost and Starlight (2018)
• Catwoman: Soulstealer (2018)
• Kingdom of Ash (2018)
• House of Earth and Blood (2020)
• A Court of Silver Flames (2021)
• House of Sky and Breath (2022)
• House of Flame and Shadow (2024)

Throne Of Glass Books In Order

Throne of Glass is Maas’ first and longest fantasy series, and it’s aimed at a slightly younger audience than ACOTAR and Crescent City. Throne of Glass consists of seven full-length novels and a novella collection, the majority of which follow Celaena Sardothien. Celaena begins the series as an imprisoned assassin competing to work for the king — and eventually regain her freedom. Her arc unravels much further from there, and the series eventually expands to follow multiple perspectives in the fight to reclaim the kingdom of Adarlan.

Throne Of Glass Books In Release Order

Maas released one official Throne of Glass book per year from 2012 to 2018, giving readers something new to look forward to regularly. In 2014, she published The Assassin’s Blade alongside Heir of Fire. The Assassin’s Blade features novellas that add context to Celaena’s backstory and present circumstances. In release date order, the series unfolds as follows:

• Throne of Glass (2012)
• Crown of Midnight (2013)
• The Assassin’s Blade (2014)
• Heir of Fire (2014)
• Queen of Shadows (2015)
• Empire of Storms (2016)
• Tower of Dawn (2017)
• Kingdom of Ash (2018)

Throne Of Glass Books In Chronological Order

The chronological reading order of Throne of Glass is also fairly straightforward, with only two real differences from the release order. First, all the stories featured in The Assassin’s Blade take place before the official series, so that comes before the other books. Bloomsbury still recommends reading it ahead of Heir of Fire, but it would make some sense prior to Throne of Glass. Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn also take place simultaneously, as one is told from Celaena’s perspective and the other from Chaol Westfall’s. In chronological order, Throne of Glass can be read as follows:

Throne Of Glass Tandem Read: Should Tower Of Dawn & Empire of Storms Be Read Together?

Since Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn take place at the same time, it’s possible to do a tandem read for Throne of Glass and dig into these books together. While this is a daunting undertaking — both novels are over 600 pages — it's one of the ways Bloomsbury recommends reading them. Of course, readers will need to research which chapters to read and when, as Tower of Dawn spoils some parts of Empire of Storms. T.L. Branson offers a breakdown of which chapters should be read when alternating these books. For those looking to simplify things, Empire of Storms should be picked up before Tower of Dawn.

A Court Of Thorns & Roses Books In Order (Release & Chronological)

Unlike Throne of Glass, A Court of Thorns and Roses’ release order is the same as its chronological order. ACOTAR is Maas' second fantasy series, following Feyre Archeron as she's thrust into the faerie world of Prythian, initially as an unwilling prisoner. Thus far, the books in Maas’ second series haven’t diverged from the timeline they’re set in, even if they’ve overlapped with her other works. Readers can start with the first book and power through the rest of them from there:

• A Court of Thorns and Roses (2015)
• A Court of Mist and Fury (2016)
• A Court of Wings and Ruin (2017)
• A Court of Frost and Starlight (2018)
• A Court of Silver Flames (2021)

Crescent City Books In Order (Release & Chronological)

Crescent City follows the same setup as ACOTAR, with Maas’ third fantasy series having the same release and chronological order. Although Crescent City 4 is confirmed — though it will be a while before it’s written — there are only three novels in this series so far. The initial trilogy tells its story in order, so it lines up as follows:

• House of Earth and Blood (2020)
• House of Sky and Breath (2022)
• House of Flame and Shadow (2024)

Throne Of Glass Or ACOTAR: Does It Matter Which You Read First?

Since Maas was writing Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses books around the same time, readers may be wondering if they should read the former before the latter. This isn’t necessary, though there is a brief ACOTAR cameo in Kingdom of Ash, the final Throne of Glass book. Those who have read ACOTAR will pick up on and appreciate this moment more, but it doesn’t have any real relevance to the plot. Therefore, it’s more of an Easter egg and not necessary to read one series before the other.

Otherwise, the decision to pick up Throne of Glass or ACOTAR first is entirely up to one's reading preferences. Throne of Glass has heavy romance subplots, but it leans more towards high fantasy in of genre. The world expands a lot as the series continues, and its massive world and multiple perspectives could be a lot for anyone new to fantasy to digest.

ACOTAR, on the other hand, is perfect for those looking for a full-blown “romantasy” story. While the world-building and magical elements are sufficient, the greater focus of ACOTAR is on the relationships between the characters. It may be easier for those new to fantasy to dig into ACOTAR, making it a solid entry point into Maas' fantasy universe.

Why You Should Read ACOTAR Before Crescent City

It doesn’t matter characters from her Court of Thorns and Roses books.

With that in mind, it’s possible Crescent City characters will crop up in the next ACOTAR book or that Maas’ fantasy series will all overlap at some point. The author seems to be building to a larger collision between her three fantasy worlds. That’s why it’s so important to read Sarah J. Maas’ books in the correct order — and then keep up with the author's new releases as they debut.

Source: Bloomsbury, T.L. Branson