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Epic Fantasy reading-order guides
Epic fantasy reading order: Kingkiller (The Name of the Wind, 2007), Throne of Glass (2012, not Assassin’s Blade), Folk of the Air (The Cruel Prince, 2018), Grishaverse (Shadow and Bone, 2012), Locked Tomb (Gideon the Ninth, 2019), Osten Ard (The Dragonbone Chair, 1988), Riftwar (Magician, 1982), Warrior Cats (Into the Wild, 2003). Prequels labeled so they do not become book one.
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Doors people get wrong
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Contested on-ramps on this shelf. Open the map before a chronology chart or a film list.
16 doors
The Kingkiller Chronicle
Kingkiller reading order: start with The Name of the Wind (2007), then The Wise Man’s Fear. Side novellas are optional aftercare — not book one. No invented book-three date.
The novelsSide books
Throne of Glass
Throne of Glass reading order: start with Throne of Glass (2012), not The Assassin’s Blade. Publication path first. Tower of Dawn tandem is labeled.
Publication path (house first read)What is not Throne of Glass
The Folk of the Air
Folk of the Air reading order: start with The Cruel Prince (2018). The Stolen Heir duology is the next generation, not book one.
The original trilogyExtrasThe Stolen Heir duology
Grishaverse
Grishaverse reading order: Shadow and Bone (2012) starts the Ravka trilogy. Six of Crows (2015) is a second door, not book one of that trilogy. King of Scars comes later.
Ravka trilogySix of Crows duologyNikolai / King of Scars duology
Osten Ard
Osten Ard reading order: start with The Dragonbone Chair (1988). The Heart of What Was Lost is a bridge, not a prequel. Brothers of the Wind is not book one.
Memory, Sorrow, and ThornBridge — after the trilogy, before…The Last King of Osten Ard
The Locked Tomb
Locked Tomb reading order: start with Gideon the Ninth (2019), then Harrow the Ninth and Nona the Ninth. Alecto the Ninth is forthcoming. Do not skip Nona.
The novelsShort fiction
The Divine Cities / The Founders
Robert Jackson Bennett reading order: City of Stairs (2014) starts the Divine Cities. Foundryside (2018) starts Founders. The Tainted Cup (2024) is a third door. Three series, not one.
The Divine CitiesThe Founders Trilogy — different w…The Shadow of the Leviathan — thir…
Shadows of the Apt
Shadows of the Apt reading order: start with Empire in Black and Gold (2008) and read the ten in publication order. Not Children of Time. Not Final Architecture.
The ten novels
The Riftwar Cycle
Riftwar reading order for new readers: start with Magician (1982). Daughter of the Empire is the Kelewan side, not a second book one. Later cycles stay off this entry map.
The Riftwar SagaEmpire and Krondor’s Sons — writte…The Serpentwar Saga — next cycle
Warrior Cats
Warrior Cats reading order: start with Into the Wild (2003), then the rest of The Prophecies Begin and The New Prophecy. The Sun Trail is a prequel arc, not book one.
The Prophecies Begin — start hereThe New Prophecy — second arcDawn of the Clans — prequel arc, n…
Mistborn (Era 1 and 2)
Mistborn reading order: start with The Final Empire (2006) — Era 1 — then Era 2. The Alloy of Law spoils the original trilogy. Secret History is a companion.
Era 1 — the original trilogyEra 2 — Wax and WayneSecret History and the extras
The Roots of Chaos
Roots of Chaos reading order: start with The Priory of the Orange Tree (2019). A Day of Fallen Night (2023) is a prequel, not book one. Publication first.
Publication order — the first-read…Chronology — labeled, not the on-r…
Malazan Book of the Fallen
Gardens of the Moon (1999) first. Steven Erikson’s ten Malazan Book of the Fallen novels, in publication order, through The Crippled God (2011).
The ten novelsWhat not to do with other Malazan…Difficulty, without romance
The Hierarchy
The Will of the Many books in order: James Islington’s Hierarchy in publication order. Book one (2023), then The Strength of the Few. Unfinished; no prequel.
The published novels
A Court of Thorns and Roses
ACOTAR reading order: start with A Court of Thorns and Roses. Silver Flames is not a new series. You do not need Throne of Glass first.
Publication orderMaasverse, kept in its place
Gentleman Bastards
Gentleman Bastards reading order: start with The Lies of Locke Lamora (2006), then Red Seas Under Red Skies and The Republic of Thieves. Unpublished later books are not a reason to wait.
The published novels
Common questions
Asked about this shelf
- Where to buy The Will of the Many
The Will of the Many (2023)
- Where to buy A Wizard of Earthsea
A Wizard of Earthsea (1968)
- Where to start Malazan Book of the Fallen
Gardens of the Moon (1999)
- Where to start Osten Ard?
The Dragonbone Chair.
- Divine Cities or Founders first?
Whichever series you meant. Not one sequence.
- Shadows of the Apt or Children of Time?
Apt starts at Empire in Black and Gold.
- Start Riftwar with Magician or Daughter of the Empire?
Magician.
- Start Warrior Cats with The Sun Trail?
No. Into the Wild.
- Artemis Fowl series: all books in order?
Artemis Fowl (2001)
- What to read after ACOTAR (Throne of Glass, 2012)
Throne of Glass (2012), then Crescent City — or leave Maas.
On this shelf
67 maps
The Kingkiller Chronicle
Kingkiller reading order: start with The Name of the Wind (2007), then The Wise Man’s Fear. Side novellas are optional aftercare — not book one. No invented book-three date.
Throne of Glass
Throne of Glass reading order: start with Throne of Glass (2012), not The Assassin’s Blade. Publication path first. Tower of Dawn tandem is labeled.
The Folk of the Air
Folk of the Air reading order: start with The Cruel Prince (2018). The Stolen Heir duology is the next generation, not book one.
Grishaverse
Grishaverse reading order: Shadow and Bone (2012) starts the Ravka trilogy. Six of Crows (2015) is a second door, not book one of that trilogy. King of Scars comes later.
Osten Ard
Osten Ard reading order: start with The Dragonbone Chair (1988). The Heart of What Was Lost is a bridge, not a prequel. Brothers of the Wind is not book one.
The Locked Tomb
Locked Tomb reading order: start with Gideon the Ninth (2019), then Harrow the Ninth and Nona the Ninth. Alecto the Ninth is forthcoming. Do not skip Nona.
The Divine Cities / The Founders
Robert Jackson Bennett reading order: City of Stairs (2014) starts the Divine Cities. Foundryside (2018) starts Founders. The Tainted Cup (2024) is a third door. Three series, not one.
Shadows of the Apt
Shadows of the Apt reading order: start with Empire in Black and Gold (2008) and read the ten in publication order. Not Children of Time. Not Final Architecture.
The Riftwar Cycle
Riftwar reading order for new readers: start with Magician (1982). Daughter of the Empire is the Kelewan side, not a second book one. Later cycles stay off this entry map.
Warrior Cats
Warrior Cats reading order: start with Into the Wild (2003), then the rest of The Prophecies Begin and The New Prophecy. The Sun Trail is a prequel arc, not book one.
Mistborn (Era 1 and 2)
Mistborn reading order: start with The Final Empire (2006) — Era 1 — then Era 2. The Alloy of Law spoils the original trilogy. Secret History is a companion.
The Roots of Chaos
Roots of Chaos reading order: start with The Priory of the Orange Tree (2019). A Day of Fallen Night (2023) is a prequel, not book one. Publication first.
Malazan Book of the Fallen
Gardens of the Moon (1999) first. Steven Erikson’s ten Malazan Book of the Fallen novels, in publication order, through The Crippled God (2011).
The Hierarchy
The Will of the Many books in order: James Islington’s Hierarchy in publication order. Book one (2023), then The Strength of the Few. Unfinished; no prequel.
A Court of Thorns and Roses
ACOTAR reading order: start with A Court of Thorns and Roses. Silver Flames is not a new series. You do not need Throne of Glass first.
Gentleman Bastards
Gentleman Bastards reading order: start with The Lies of Locke Lamora (2006), then Red Seas Under Red Skies and The Republic of Thieves. Unpublished later books are not a reason to wait.
A Song of Ice and Fire
George R. R. Martin’s ASOIAF novels in publication order, where Dunk and Egg and Fire & Blood sit, and why the unfinished later books are not a reason to start with a history.
An Ember in the Ashes
Ember in the Ashes reading order: start with An Ember in the Ashes (2015) through A Sky Beyond the Storm. Graphic prequels are not book one.
Artemis Fowl
Artemis Fowl series: all books in order — start with Artemis Fowl (2001). Eight novels, then the Fowl Twins. The brothers and the Disney+ film are not book one.
Codex Alera
Codex Alera reading order: start with Furies of Calderon (2004) through First Lord’s Fury. Finished six — no prequel trap, publication order only.
Cosmere starter
Cosmere reading order: start with Mistborn: The Final Empire or The Way of Kings. Pick one door. Skip the 40-book spreadsheet.
Cradle
Will Wight’s Cradle novels in publication order from Unsouled through Waybound, plus Threshold as aftercare — not an on-ramp.
Crescent City
Sarah J. Maas’s Crescent City novels in publication order, and why House of Sky and Breath is a spoiler engine for ACOTAR and Throne of Glass.
Discworld — City Watch
Discworld City Watch reading order: Guards! Guards! through Snuff. Publication order is the Watch order. Theatre of Cruelty is optional.
Discworld — Death
Terry Pratchett’s Death novels in publication order — Mort through Thief of Time — as a short complete path, not a 41-book Discworld chart.
Discworld — Moist von Lipwig
Terry Pratchett’s Moist von Lipwig novels — Going Postal, Making Money, Raising Steam — publication order, and why this is not City Watch book nine.
Discworld — Rincewind
The Rincewind novels from The Colour of Magic to The Last Hero, why publication order is the wizard order, and why Unseen Academicals is a different street.
Discworld — Witches
Terry Pratchett’s Witches novels in publication order, where Tiffany Aching sits, and why this is not a whole-Discworld spreadsheet.
Earthsea
Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea books in publication order — A Wizard of Earthsea through The Other Wind — and why Tehanu is not book one.
Harry Potter
Harry Potter reading order: Philosopher’s Stone (US: Sorcerer’s Stone) first. The seven novels are the series. Fantastic Beasts and Cursed Child are extras.
His Dark Materials
Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy in publication order, then The Book of Dust — prequels and sequels labeled so La Belle Sauvage is not book one of Lyra’s first path.
Lightbringer
Lightbringer reading order: start with The Black Prism (2010) through The Burning White. A finished five. Night Angel is a different series.
Night Angel
Night Angel reading order: start with The Way of Shadows (2008), then the trilogy. Perfect Shadow is a later prequel and spoils if you open it first.
Percy Jackson / Camp Half-Blood
Percy Jackson reading order: start with The Lightning Thief (2005) and the first five. Heroes of Olympus and Trials of Apollo are later cycles, not book one.
Powder Mage
Brian McClellan’s Powder Mage trilogy in publication order, then Gods of Blood and Powder — the sequel trilogy labeled so Sins of Empire is not book one.
Realm of the Elderlings
Elderlings reading order: start with Assassin’s Apprentice (1995), then the Farseer trilogy. Ship of Magic is a labeled second door. Fool’s Assassin is not book one.
Red Queen
Red Queen reading order: start with Red Queen (2015) through War Storm. Broken Throne is a collection. Cruel Crown and Queen Song are not book one.
Riyria Revelations
Riyria Revelations reading order: start with Theft of Swords (Orbit omnibus of the early novels; The Crown Conspiracy is 2008). Chronicles prequels are a later visit, not book one.
Shadowhunter Chronicles
Shadowhunter reading order: start with City of Bones (2007), Mortal Instruments book one. Clockwork Angel is a Victorian door, not the usual first book.
Shannara
Shannara reading order for new readers: Sword of Shannara (1977) is book one in print. Elfstones is the common alternate door. Prequels stay labeled.
Temeraire
Temeraire reading order: His Majesty’s Dragon first (UK: Temeraire). Nine novels in publication order. Not Scholomance.
The Age of Madness
Joe Abercrombie’s Age of Madness trilogy in publication order, and why the original First Law books should come first even though these novels have new covers.
The Atlas Series
Atlas Series reading order: start with The Atlas Six (self-published 2020; Tor edition 2022). Then The Atlas Paradox and The Atlas Complex. Do not start at the last book.
The Banished Lands
Banished Lands reading order: Faithful and the Fallen first (Malice), then Of Blood and Bone. Bloodsworn is a separate John Gwynne world — not Banished Lands book 8.
The Belgariad / The Malloreon
Belgariad reading order: start with Pawn of Prophecy (1982), then the Malloreon. Belgarath and Polgara are after-the-fact companions — not book one.
The Black Company
Black Company reading order: publication first, from The Black Company through Soldiers Live. Port of Shadows and the Long Run shorts labeled — not between books 1 and 2.
The Books of Babel
Publication order for Josiah Bancroft’s Books of Babel tetralogy, why Senlin Ascends is the only start, and why the Orbit reprints are not a new sequence.
The Broken Earth
Broken Earth reading order: start with The Fifth Season (2015), then The Obelisk Gate and The Stone Sky. Shorts are not a hidden book one.
The Chronicles of Amber
Amber reading order: start with Nine Princes in Amber (1970). Corwin cycle first (five), then Merlin cycle. No chronological reorder — publication is the path.
The Chronicles of Narnia
Narnia reading order: publication first — The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Boxed sets that number Nephew as book one are chronology.
The Craft Sequence
Publication order for Max Gladstone’s Craft Sequence, how the title numbers map onto chronology, and where the Craft Wars books begin.
The Dark Tower
Dark Tower reading order: start with The Gunslinger. Wind Through the Keyhole sits between 4 and 5. Related King books are optional.
The Demon Cycle
Demon Cycle reading order: start with The Warded Man (US) / The Painted Man (UK), 2008. Novellas are optional bridges — Brett’s binge order labeled.
The First Law
The First Law series reading order: The Blade Itself, the original trilogy, then standalones, then Age of Madness. Not Best Served Cold first.
The Inheritance Cycle
Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Cycle in publication order — Eragon through Inheritance — then The Fork, the Witch, and the Worm and Murtagh, labeled as later books.
The Legend of Drizzt
Drizzt reading order: The Crystal Shard (1988) is the publication door. Homeland starts the chronological Legend of Drizzt numbering. Both paths labeled.
The Lord of the Rings
Tolkien reading order: The Hobbit, then The Lord of the Rings. The Silmarillion is later First Age history, not an on-ramp.
The Magicians
Lev Grossman’s Magicians trilogy in publication order — The Magicians, The Magician King, The Magician’s Land — a finished Brakebills path, not a Narnia extra.
The Old Kingdom
Old Kingdom / Abhorsen reading order: start with Sabriel (1995). Clariel and Terciel and Elinor are later-published prequels, not book one. Creature in the Case is a novella.
The Poppy War
The Poppy War reading order: The Poppy War, The Dragon Republic, The Burning God. Yellowface is a different book. Do not start with the last novel.
The Scholomance
Naomi Novik’s Scholomance trilogy in publication order — A Deadly Education, The Last Graduate, The Golden Enclaves — a finished school, not a Hogwarts extra.
The Stormlight Archive
Stormlight reading order: The Way of Kings first. Novellas sit between novels. You do not need the rest of the Cosmere before book one.
The Wheel of Time
Wheel of Time reading order: The Eye of the World first. New Spring is a prequel, not book one. Fourteen novels, finished.
The Witcher
Witcher reading order: The Last Wish, then Sword of Destiny, then the saga. Blood of Elves is not book one. Later prequels wait.
Valdemar
Valdemar reading order: start with Arrows of the Queen (1987). Do not begin on the chronological list. Last Herald-Mage and later trilogies are next doors, not book one.
Wayward Children
Seanan McGuire’s Wayward Children books in publication order — which volumes continue Eleanor West’s school, which are origin stories, and why you still start with Every Heart a Doorway.
Winternight Trilogy
Katherine Arden’s Winternight trilogy in publication order — The Bear and the Nightingale, The Girl in the Tower, The Winter of the Witch — a finished Vasya path.