Are you a fan of Sarah J. Maas’s writing and looking forward to reading her uber-popular Throne of Glass series but unsure of the best reading order? With so many books and novellas in the series, figuring out where to start or in what order to read them can be overwhelming. Fortunately, you can choose from a few different Throne of Glass reading orders, depending on your preferences.
If you want to read the series in publication order, you’ll want to start with The Assassin’s Blade, which is a prequel to the rest of the series. After that, you can move on to Throne of Glass, followed by Crown of Midnight, Heir of Fire, Queen of Shadows, Empire of Storms, Tower of Dawn, and finally Kingdom of Ash.
This order will give you the story in chronological order, but some readers prefer to read the books in another order.
Another popular and recommended reading order for the Throne of Glass series is the “Romantic Order.” Most people who have read the series recommend new readers follow this particular order as it makes more sense plot-wise. In this reading order, you read the prequel, The Assassin’s Blade, after reading the first three books.
Here’s how to read the Throne of Glass books in the “Romantic” order:
| No. | Book Title: | Release Year: |
| 1 | Throne of Glass | 2012 |
| 2 | Crown of Midnight | 2013 |
| 3 | Heir of Fire | 2014 |
| 4 | The Assassin’s Blade (Prequel) | 2014 |
| 5 | Queen of Shadows | 2015 |
| 6 | Empire of Storms | 2016 |
| 7 | Tower of Dawn | 2017 |
| 8 | Kingdom of Ash | 2018 |
What is Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass Series About?
Are you ready to embark on an epic adventure through the world of Throne of Glass? This young adult fantasy series by Sarah J. Maas follows the journey of Celaena Sardothien, an 18-year-old assassin who is pulled out of a slave camp and given the opportunity to win her freedom by competing in a tournament to become the King’s Champion.
The series is filled with magic, romance, and action as Celaena navigates through political intrigue, battles supernatural forces, and confronts her dark past.
As the series progresses, the stakes get higher, and the world expands, introducing new characters and conflicts that keep readers engaged and invested in the story.
Here’s a breakdown of the books in the series and what you can expect from each one:
The Assassin’s Blade
This prequel novella collection introduces readers to Celaena and her life as an assassin before she was captured and sent to the slave camp.
Throne of Glass
The first book in the series follows Celaena as she competes in the tournament to become the King’s Champion and uncovers a dark conspiracy that threatens the kingdom.
Crown of Midnight
In the second book, Celaena becomes the King’s Champion and is tasked with carrying out his orders, but she soon realizes that her loyalty may be misplaced.
Heir of Fire
In this book, Celaena travels to a new continent, where she discovers the truth about her heritage and powers and joins forces with new allies to fight against a powerful enemy.
Queen of Shadows
Back in her home kingdom, and finally aware of who she truly is and her heritage, Celaena seeks revenge against those who wronged her and uncovers a plot that could destroy everything she holds dear.
Empire of Storms
In this book, we see Celaena and her allies preparing for a final battle against the forces of darkness that threaten to destroy the world.
Tower of Dawn
This book is a bit different from the rest as it doesn’t follow Celaena but another character. It follows Chaol Westfall, one of Celaena’s allies, as he travels to a distant kingdom to seek help for their cause and confronts his own demons along the way.
Kingdom of Ash
The final book in the series sees Celaena in quite a predicament. Plus, the book brings all the characters together for an epic conclusion as they fight to save their world from destruction.
Best Throne of Glass Reading Order:
When it comes to reading the Throne of Glass series, you can take two main approaches: by publication date or by following the “romantic” order, which fans consider the best way to read the series.
I’ll list all the orders for you so you can decide which is right for you!
Order of Publication:
Reading the Throne of Glass series by publication date is the most straightforward approach. It’s the order in which the books were released, so it’s the order in which most readers have experienced the series. Here’s the recommended reading order by publication date:
- The Assassin’s Blade – Prequel
- Throne of Glass (2012)
- Crown of Midnight (2013)
- Heir of Fire (2014)
- Queen of Shadows (2015)
- Empire of Storms (2016)
- Tower of Dawn (2017)
- Kingdom of Ash (2018)
The most significant advantage of reading the series in publication order is that you’ll experience it the way most readers did. You’ll see how the story and characters evolved over time, and you’ll experience the same surprises and plot twists that other readers did.
However, one disadvantage of this approach is that some of the novellas and short stories in the series are not included in the main books, so you might miss out on some crucial details if you skip them.
Romantic Order – Reader’s Recommended Order:
If you prefer a reading order recommended by almost every fan who’s read the complete story, you should follow this. Here’s the recommended Throne of Glass reading order to enjoy the series in the best way possible:
- Throne of Glass (2012)
- Crown of Midnight (2013)
- Heir of Fire (2014)
- The Assassin’s Blade (2014) – Prequel
- Queen of Shadows (2015)
- Empire of Storms (2016)
- Tower of Dawn (2017)
- Kingdom of Ash (2018)
There are two ways to enjoy reading the Throne of Glass books in order. You can either read the books in the order they were released or choose the order that fans recommend.
Ultimately, deciding how to read the Throne of Glass series in order is up to you. Whatever order you choose, once you read the entire series, you’ll fall in love with the world and characters that Sarah J. Maas has created!
How to Tandem Read Throne of Glass?
The last two books in the Throne of Glass series—Tower of Dawn and Kingdom of Ash—occur at the exact same time, take place in different locations, and focus on different characters.
If you want to make the most of the series, read these books in tandem for the ultimate experience. Here’s the best Tower of Dawn/Empire of Storms tandem reading guide you should follow:
- Empire of Storms – Nightfall
- Empire of Storms – Chapters 1 to 5
- Tower of Dawn – Chapter 1
- Empire of Storms – Chapters 6 to 8
- Tower of Dawn – Chapters 2 & 3
- Empire of Storms – Chapters 9 & 10
- Tower of Dawn – Chapters 4 to 6
- Empire of Storms – Chapter 11
- Tower of Dawn – Chapter 7
- Empire of Storms – Chapters 12 & 13
- Tower of Dawn – Chapters 8 to 10
- Empire of Storms – Chapters 14 to 16
- Tower of Dawn – Chapters 11 & 12
- Empire of Storms – Chapters 17 & 18
- Tower of Dawn – Chapters 13 to 16
- Empire of Storms – Chapter 19
- Tower of Dawn – Chapter 17
- Empire of Storms – Chapters 20 to 23
- Tower of Dawn – Chapters 18 to 21
- Empire of Storms – Chapters 24 & 25
- Tower of Dawn – Chapters 22 & 23
- Empire of Storms – Chapter 26
- Tower of Dawn – Chapter 24
- Empire of Storms – Chapters 27 to 29
- Tower of Dawn – Chapters 25 to 28
- Empire of Storms – Chapter 30
- Tower of Dawn – Chapters 29 to 31
- Empire of Storms – Chapter 31
- Tower of Dawn – Chapter 32
- Empire of Storms – Chapter 32
- Tower of Dawn – Chapters 33 to 35
- Empire of Storms – Chapters 33 to 51
- Tower of Dawn – Chapters 36 & 37
- Empire of Storms – Chapter 52
- Tower of Dawn – Chapters 38 to 40
- Empire of Storms – Chapter 53
- Tower of Dawn – Chapters 41 & 42
- Empire of Storms – Chapters 54 to 56
- Tower of Dawn – Chapter 43
- Empire of Storms – Chapters 57 to 59
- Tower of Dawn – Chapters 44 to 48
- Empire of Storms – Chapters 60 & 61
- Tower of Dawn – Chapters 49 to 51
- Empire of Storms – Chapters 62 & 63
- Tower of Dawn – Chapters 52 & 53
- Empire of Storms – Chapters 64 & 65
- Tower of Dawn – Chapters 54 to 56
- Empire of Storms – Chapters 66 & 67
- Tower of Dawn – Chapter 57
- Empire of Storms – Chapters 68 to 75
- Tower of Dawn – Chapters 58 to 68
- Tower of Dawn – Fireheart
FAQs About the Throne of Glass Books:
How Many Throne of Glass Books Are There?
There are a total of 8 books in the Throne of Glass series, including the prequel novel, a collection of novellas published before the main series starts.
Is Throne of Glass YA?
Yes, the Throne of Glass series is YA. The first few books are definitely YA, but as the main character grows through the follow-up books, the content changes. So, the latter books, starting with Empire of Storms, are considered borderline New Adult.
Is Throne of Glass Spicy?
Since the book series is categorized and marketed as Young Adult, there’s not a ton of spicy content in the books.
The earlier books are YA, but the latter books can be categorized under the New Adult genre, as starting with Empire of Storms, there’s some sexual content in the books. However, the spicy content in the Throne of Glass series is still not too much for young readers!
Is the Throne of Glass Series Finished?
Yes, Sarah J. Maas’s Throne of Glass series is finished. This means you can binge-read the entire fantasy series, one book after the other, without waiting for another book.
What to Read After Throne of Glass?
After reading the Throne of Glass series, Sarah J. Maas’s other series, A Court of Thorns and Roses, would be the best choice. You can also read Sabaa Tahir’s An Ember in the Ashes series.
Are Throne of Glass & ACOTAR Connected?
Yes, both the series by Sarah J. Maas are connected. While there are no direct connections, the author has thrown in easter eggs to establish their connection.
Also, the Throne of Glass and the ACOTAR series are set in the same universe but not in the same world!
Conclusion
I know that deciding on the best order to read a book series with multiple titles can be daunting, especially for a series like Throne of Glass. However, with some help, you can find the best way to enjoy the books. I hope that with the information provided in this article, you can now make an informed decision based on your preferences and reading style.
Whether you choose to read the Throne of Glass series in publication order or the romantic order, you’ll definitely fall in love with the story and want to re-read it when you are done. So, when you re-read it, choose a different order to read the books and enjoy the plot from a different perspective!
In conclusion, the purpose of explaining the various Throne of Glass reading orders is to help you enjoy the books as much as possible. Ultimately, the best reading order for the Throne of Glass series is the one that works best for you!
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