Throne of Glass Series Order: The Definitive, Best Way to Read Sarah J. Maas’ Books

Throne of Glass (2012)

The series kicks off with a battle royale plot—New York Times bestselling author Colleen Houck says, “Fans of Game of Thrones and the Hunger Games will love it!” In Throne of Glass, Adarlan’s crown prince Dorian Havilliard and the king’s captain of the guard Chaol Westfall go to the mines of Endovier, where the legendary assassin Celaena Sardothien is imprisoned. They offer Celaena a chance at freedom if she is able to defeat 23 other candidates in a competition to become the King’s Champion, in other words, his personal assassin.

The first book introduces the series’ flagship trio of Celaena, Dorian, and Chaol, as well as vital supporting characters such as Princess Nehemia Ytger; sets the stage in Adarlan’s capital Rifthold and builds the world out from there; and includes seeds of what will become the series’ overarching plot. There is, predictably, a love triangle, but it eventually resolves itself in an unexpected and satisfying way.

Crown of Midnight (2013)

After Celaena wins the competition (come on, you knew she was going to win) she is named the King’s Champion, and sent to eliminate anyone he deems a threat. Yet Celaena is not sure how much longer she can serve this malevolent ruler. She is also busy investigating new mysteries buried in Rifthold’s streets and the castle’s corridors, and dealing with her changing relationships with Dorian, Chaol, and Nehemia. Crown of Midnight is an organic continuation that depicts the consequences of what happened in the first book—right before everything changes for the main characters.

Heir of Fire (2014)

Celaena is sent on a new mission to an eastward continent, where she will be forced to confront her past and decide her future. She comes across the Fae royalty of the kingdoms of Wendlyn and Doranelle, including the commanding figure of Prince Rowan Whitethorn. Meanwhile, Dorian and Chaol continue to grapple with the situation in Rifthold which changes when General Aedion Ashryver arrives, and the king’s expansion becomes more violent. A final major character introduced in Heir of Fire’s parallel storyline is Manon Blackbeak, the vicious heir to the one of Erilea’s witch clans.

Heir of Fire can be jarring if you are unfamiliar with how Maas usually structures her series, as it introduces several major characters and completely reframes the story. Don’t worry, it is no less thrilling! Heir of Fire also marks a point in the series important to the debate over the correct way to read the Throne of Glass books in order. The Assassin’s Blade was released after Heir of Fire, so some fans argue that’s when you should read it. However, you don’t have to read The Assassin’s Blade to understand what happens in the next few books.

Queen of Shadows (2015)

In the fourth book of the Throne of Glass series’ main timeline, the King’s Champion returns to Erilea to become the titular Queen of Shadows, spearhead an underground rebellion against the king, and confront her Machievellian mentor Arobynn Hamel. A few more major characters are introduced or developed further from mentions of them in previous books. Moreover, Queen of Shadows is when the characters begin actively working against the evil king, and discover some game-changing secrets about his empire.

Empire of Storms (2016)

In Empire of Storms, the main characters know that the final battle is coming. Chaol and Nesryn Faliq are sent to the Southern Continent to request military aid from the Khaganate that rules it, while the rest of the main characters scour Erilea for allies and unravel the mystery of how to defeat the supernatural force threatening their land. Meanwhile, Manon comes to a crossroads concerning her loyalties, and makes a startling discovery about her past. It all leads up to a shocking and brutal ending that is not for the faint of heart (neither is the last book).

Tower of Dawn (2017)

While Empire of Storms follows the rest of the main characters, Tower of Dawn depicts Chaol and Nesryn’s diplomatic mission, from the time they land in the thriving city of Antica. Chaol and Nesryn must navigate the Khagan’s court and family in order to secure an alliance they desperately need. They also meet the headstrong healer Yrene Towers, who will play a vital role in the coming final battle. Some readers propose reading this book in tandem with Empire of Storms, since they are taking place at the same time. If this sounds too complicated for you, you can definitely read Empire of Storms front to back, then get started on Tower of Dawn. They were released a year apart; therefore, they were meant to come one after the other, and they read well this way.

The Assassin’s Blade (2014)

An unconventional but very satisfying way to read the Throne of Glass books in order is to read The Assassin’s Blade after Tower of Dawn. By the sixth book, all of the characters who appear in The Assassin’s Blade have been introduced in the main timeline. This way, the short stories contained in The Assassin’s Blade can be enjoyed as true prequels, in which the previous small references to these events are fleshed out. 

You can also appreciate a “plot twist” in Tower of Dawn when a past meeting between two characters is revealed if you don’t read The Assassin’s Blade first. Granted, if you have learned anything about the characters by now, you will probably figure out this twist. However, it is still fun when the book treats the plot point with an air of mystery. Additionally, the prequel book makes for a good detour before the intense finale. It is the perfect time to expand upon the characters’ pasts without interrupting the sequence of events elsewhere in the series.

Kingdom of Ash (2018)

In Kingdom of Ash, the final battle among the various armies in Erilea comes to pass. One set of characters rush to rescue the main heroine, while others scramble for more allies still, while another does their best to hold off the approaching enemy in a seemingly doomed battle. All parties converge upon Orynth, the capital city of the country of Terrasen, where heartbreaking sacrifices are made and Erilea’s future is decided. Kingdom of Ash is the last chapter of the Throne of Glass books in order and a compelling finale.