The Folk of the Air reading order (The Cruel Prince, 2018)
Start here
The Cruel Prince
2018
Folk of the Air reading order: start with The Cruel Prince (2018). The Stolen Heir duology is the next generation, not book one.
Short answer · Start here
The Cruel Prince
It is book one (2018). The Stolen Heir is a later duology about the next generation. Do not start there.
A finished Jude trilogy, then extras, then an Oak duology. Publication order is the path.
The original trilogy
| # | Title | Year | Notes | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  The Cruel PrinceStart here | 2018 | Start here. | |
| 2 |  The Wicked King | 2019 | ||
| 3 |  The Queen of Nothing | 2019 | Ends Jude’s three. |
Extras
| Title | Year | Notes | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|
 The Lost Sisters | 2018 | Novella. After book one if you want it. | |
 How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate StoriesDo not start here | 2020 | After the trilogy. Not an on-ramp. |
The Stolen Heir duology
| # | Title | Year | Notes | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  The Stolen Heir | 2023 | After the Jude trilogy. | |
| 2 |  The Prisoner's Throne | 2024 |
House rule: read the three Jude novels. Insert The Lost Sisters if you have it. Read the Cardan extra after the trilogy. Then the Oak books if you want more Elfhame.
The Darkest Part of the Forest is a related standalone, not Folk of the Air book 0. Modern faerie Black books before this trilogy are other shelves.
Common mistakes
- Starting with The Stolen Heir because Oak is on the new hardcover.
- Starting with the Cardan extra because it is shorter.
- Treating the trilogy as optional preamble to the duology.
What to read next
- Grishaverse (Leigh Bardugo) — If you want another YA shelf with a second door that looks like book one.
- ACOTAR (Sarah J. Maas) — If you want another faerie-court run, longer and unfinished.
- Once Upon a Broken Heart (Stephanie Garber) — If you want another finished YA faerie/romance trilogy.
- [The Cruel Prince, then stop.] The original three are a complete visit.
- Wayward Children (Seanan McGuire) — If you want doors instead of courts.
FAQ
Do I need the extras?
No. Start at The Cruel Prince (2018).
Stolen Heir first?
No.
Is the Jude trilogy finished?
Yes.
Sources
- Holly Black — author site. Opened 2026-09-13.
- Little, Brown, The Cruel Prince — publisher page for book one. Opened 2026-09-13.
Same shelf
