The Keeper of the Lost Cities books are best read in publication order, starting with Keeper of the Lost Cities. There are currently 9 KOTLC books published, from Keeper of the Lost Cities (2012) through Stellarlune (2022). The series follows one continuing story with a mystery that builds across all nine books, so skipping around is not recommended. Shannon Messenger has indicated at least one more book is expected.
Most readers should start with Keeper of the Lost Cities. It gives you the cleanest entry point before continuing through the full series order.Listen on Audible
| # | Book | Published | Rating | Where to read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keeper of the Lost Cities Keeper of the Lost CitiesStart | 2012 | 4.4 | |
| 2 | Exile Exile | 2013 | 4.4 | |
| 3 | Everblaze Everblaze | 2014 | 4.5 | |
| 4 | Neverseen Neverseen | 2015 | 4.5 | |
| 5 | Lodestar Lodestar | 2016 | 4.5 | |
| 6 | Nightfall Nightfall | 2017 | 4.4 | |
| 7 | Flashback Flashback | 2018 | 4.3 | |
| 8 | Legacy Legacy | 2019 | 4.3 | |
| 9 | Stellarlune Stellarlune Book 9. The series conclusion has not yet been published. | 2022 | 4.2 |
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Book #1, and still the best on-ramp. It sets up everything that makes this series work.
If you love Keeper of the Lost Cities, try these next.
A kid discovers they belong to a hidden magical world and must navigate political intrigue while saving everyone. Percy is funnier, Sophie is more emotionally complex.
The obvious comparison. A child raised in the wrong world discovers their true identity and enters a magical society. KOTLC has more advanced technology where HP has more traditional magic.
A middle-grade fantasy series with rich worldbuilding and political intrigue. Different setting (dragons, not elves) but the same sense of a vast world with hidden histories.
There are 9 Keeper of the Lost Cities books as of 2024: Keeper of the Lost Cities, Exile, Everblaze, Neverseen, Lodestar, Nightfall, Flashback, Legacy, and Stellarlune. At least one more book is expected.
Publication order. Start with Keeper of the Lost Cities (2012) and read straight through to Stellarlune (2022). The story is continuous with major reveals building across all nine books.
Keeper of the Lost Cities, published in 2012. Sophie Foster discovers she is an elf hidden in the human world and is brought to the Lost Cities.
Yes. The story is one continuous arc with a mystery that builds across all nine books. Each book ends on revelations that drive the next. Start with book one.
Percy Jackson by Rick Riordan is the most common next step for younger readers. Wings of Fire for animal fantasy fans. Harry Potter if they have not read it yet.