The Empyrean Books Explained: Reading Order and What to Know
The Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros is a five-book romantasy saga set at Basgiath War College, where dragon riders are trained for war. Three books are published. This guide covers the reading order, what each book is about (without spoilers), and what to expect from the series.
Fourth Wing (Book 1, 2023)
The setup. Violet Sorrengail enters the Riders Quadrant.
Violet was supposed to be a scribe. Her mother, a commanding general, forces her into dragon-rider training instead. Bond with a dragon or die. The romance with Xaden Riorson builds through genuine conflict.
Iron Flame (Book 2, 2023)
The escalation. Trust nothing you learned in book one.
Everything Violet thought she knew about the war, the wards, and the people around her is challenged. The scope expands beyond the academy. Ends on a major cliffhanger.
Onyx Storm (Book 3, 2025)
The midpoint. The war goes continent-wide.
The third of five planned books. Expands the war, the mythology, and the romantic stakes. Two more books are expected.
What to know before starting
Explicit sexual content, graphic violence, and characters dying in harsh ways. This is adult fantasy romance, not YA, despite the academy setting.
Five books planned. Three published. Yarros writes quickly. Expect roughly one book per year.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Five total. Three are published. Rebecca Yarros has confirmed the number.
No. Books 4 and 5 are still expected. Yarros writes roughly one book per year.
No. Fourth Wing is the starting point. Yarros has other romance novels but they are unrelated to The Empyrean.