Maas
A Court of Mist and Fury
✦
A Court of Thorns and Roses
Sarah J. Maas - 5 books
Same author, similar romantic intensity, but Fae courts instead of assassin guilds. Most readers move straight from one Maas series to the next.
Series - Books in order
Throne of Glass books in order
by Sarah J. Maas - 8 books - 2012-2018 - Updated June 2026
Celaena Sardothien is the most feared assassin in Erilea, but she has spent the last year as a slave in the salt mines of Endovier. When the Crown Prince offers her freedom in exchange for competing as his champion, she enters a deadly contest that reveals something far darker lurking in the glass castle. The series starts as a YA fantasy competition story and evolves into a sprawling epic with multiple POVs and continents.
Maas
Throne of Glass
✦
1
Maas
Throne of Glass
✦
1
The short answer
Read in publication order, starting with Throne of Glass (2012). publication.
8 books - read in publication order
Show order
Contains affiliate links| # | Book | Published | Rating | Where to read |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Throne of Glass Throne of GlassStart | 2012 | 4.2 | Kindle $9.99Paperback $11.99Audible $14.99Bookshop $12.99 |
| 2 | Crown of Midnight Crown of Midnight | 2013 | 4.4 | Kindle $9.99Paperback $11.99Audible $14.99Bookshop $12.99 |
| 3 | The Assassin's Blade The Assassin's Blade Five prequel novellas collected in one volume. Can be read before or after Throne of Glass. | 2014 | 4.2 | Kindle $10.99Paperback $11.99Audible $14.99Bookshop $12.99 |
| 4 | Heir of Fire Heir of Fire | 2014 | 4.4 | Kindle $10.99Paperback $11.99Audible $14.99Bookshop $12.99 |
| 5 | Queen of Shadows Queen of Shadows | 2015 | 4.5 | Kindle $10.99Paperback $12.99Audible $14.99Bookshop $13.99 |
| 6 | Empire of Storms Empire of Storms | 2016 | 4.4 | Kindle $10.99Paperback $12.99Audible $14.99Bookshop $13.99 |
| 7 | Tower of Dawn Tower of Dawn Runs parallel to Empire of Storms, following Chaol. Some readers alternate chapters between the two. | 2017 | 4.2 | Kindle $10.99Paperback $12.99Audible $14.99Bookshop $13.99 |
| 8 | Kingdom of Ash Kingdom of Ash | 2018 | 4.5 | Kindle $12.99Paperback $14.99Audible $14.99Bookshop $15.99 |
Our recommended reading order
publication
Maas
Throne of Glass
✦
Best book to start with
Throne of Glass
Book #1, and still the best on-ramp. It sets up everything that makes this series work.
Catch up on the whole series
Box sets in print, or listen on Audible.
Similar series
If you love Throne of Glass, try these next.
Cashore
Graceling
✦
Graceling
Kristin Cashore - 4 books
A woman with a deadly supernatural gift navigates court politics and discovers the truth about her power. Strong heroine, less romance, tighter plotting.
Bardugo
Six of Crows
✦
Six of Crows
Leigh Bardugo - 2 books
A crew of outcasts pulls off an impossible heist in a richly built world. If you love the ensemble cast energy of later Throne of Glass, this delivers.
Frequently asked questions
Most readers start with Throne of Glass and read The Assassin's Blade before Heir of Fire. The novellas contain backstory that enriches the main series but also spoil some early reveals if read first.
Yes. Some fans created a tandem reading order that alternates chapters between the two, since they happen simultaneously. It works well but is not necessary. Reading Tower of Dawn right after Empire of Storms is perfectly fine.
There are Easter eggs and subtle connections across all of Maas's series, especially revealed in Crescent City's House of Flame and Shadow. However, Throne of Glass stands entirely on its own. You do not need to read the other series.
Contains affiliate linksUpdated June 2026