Throne of Glass is quite possibly my very first YA Fantasy series that I absolutely fell in love with. If you’re just starting out, you’re in for an amazing adventure, and I’m here to help you find the best way to read the Throne of Glass books in order.
The next few paragraphs will deep dive into the Throne of Glass series order and explain why and when you should read certain books. Get ready for an epic adventure from author Sarah J. Maas who has sold more than 12 million fantasy books. Her books have won a Goodreads Choice Award every year since 2016.
Throne of Glass Series Order
If you’re just looking for a list of books, scroll all the way to the end of the article.
But in order to understand what I call the “best Throne of Glass series order,” you need to know more about why I suggest them in the order I do. We’ll explain that below.
When should I read The Assassin’s Blade?
The Assassin’s Blade is a prequel. In the strictest order, all of the stories compiled take place before Throne of Glass. So if you are a purist who wants to read chronologically, then starting with The Assassin’s Blade is the way to go. But many readers disagree.
I run a large group of YA Fantasy Addicts on Facebook and they all have a very different story to tell about proper Throne of Glass reading order.
Many of our members swear by reading The Assassin’s Blade after Heir of Fire, but before Queen of Shadows. The stated reason is that the conflict in The Assassin’s Blade centers around a relationship between Celaena and Sam, and that relationship means much more to you after you understand more about these characters from the later books.
So if you’d rather forgo some surprises for greater emotional engagement with the characters, then I’d strongly recommend first reading Throne of Glass, Crown of Midnight, and Heir of Fire before reading The Assassin’s Blade.
When should I read Tower of Dawn?
Now that we’ve got that cleared up, what’s up with Tower of Dawn? You might be thinking: “I’ve heard a lot of mixed feelings about this book and it’s cover is so different from the rest of the series. Is it essential?”
The answer is an unequivocal YES. After reading the previous books, you may not be a big Chaol fan (I don’t get this personally, I think he’s fine, but I know plenty of people who hate him), but the response is undeniable: Tower of Dawn is a must read.
The problem, when we’re talking about a Throne of Glass reading order, is that many people want to skip Tower of Dawn because of the HUGE cliffhanger at the end of Empire of Storms.
But that would be a grave mistake.
So your best decision is to actually tandem read Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn at the same time.
Throne of Glass Tandem Reading Guide
For that, I’ve created this helpful resource for you. A printable checklist that includes both ways to read Throne of Glass listed below as well as chapter by chapter arrangements of Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn for a tandem read.
Throne of Glass in Order
The Safe Throne of Glass Series Order (Purist)
Read the Throne of Glass books in this order if you want to stay true to publication date and the intended order of reading.
- The Assassin’s Blade
- Throne of Glass
- Crown of Midnight
- Heir of Fire
- Queen of Shadows
- Empire of Storms
- Tower of Dawn
- Kingdom of Ash
The Best Throne of Glass Series Order (Romantic)
This reading order of Throne of Glass is meant for those who want the most impactful emotional connection to the characters and story. Yeah, it’s kind of out of order, but the story will mean so much more if you read it this way. Trust me.
- Throne of Glass
- Crown of Midnight
- Heir of Fire
- The Assassin’s Blade
- Queen of Shadows
- Tower of Dawn (Tandem)
- Empire of Storms (Tandem)
- Kingdom of Ash
So there you have it, all eight books in the Throne of Glass series in order for two different types of readers. Which one are you?
Do I need to read Throne of Glass before Crescent City?
Just because the Throne of Glass series is complete doesn’t mean Sarah J. Maas is done writing fantasy, or even done with Erilea.
Without getting into spoilers, fans speculate that we might see Erilea and her cast of heroes again. So if you’re wondering whether you should read Throne of Glass before Crescent City, the answer is “maybe.”
As of the publication of House of Sky and Breath, the answer is no. BUT, and that’s a big BUT, that could all change with the publication of House of Flame and Shadow.
To play it safe, let’s just say yes, you should read Throne of Glass first.
Now that all the details are out of the way, let’s summarize the two Throne of Glass reading orders.
About Sarah J. Maas
Sarah J. Maas knew she wanted to be a writer when she was 11 or 12 years old. It was at this age that she read her first fantasy book.
In 2002, when Maas was 16, she uploaded three chapters online. She says she didn’t even know if she wanted to be published at that time. She also wasn’t sure if she had an entire novel in her. So, she uploaded the first chapters to get feedback and see if anyone was interested.
It became the most popular story on FictionPress.com and readers were the ones who encouraged her to seek out publication.
The experience of gaining momentum online, attracting fans, and getting feedback gave Maas the confidence to believe in herself as a young writer.
Looking for more?
Interested in discovering other books like Throne of Glass?
You might also find this list of all of the Sarah J. Maas books in order helpful.
