You’re staring at your bookshelf, eyeing the sprawling spines of the Throne of Glass series and the flowery, high-fantasy covers of A Court of Thorns and Roses. You've heard the whispers on TikTok. You've seen the frantic fan theories about "The Walking Dead" or red stars falling from the sky. Honestly, the short answer is yes. They are connected. But it isn't just a simple cameo or a lazy Easter egg meant to sell more books.
It’s a literal, physical bridge between worlds.
Sarah J. Maas has spent years weaving a "Maasverse," a sprawling multiverse where different realms exist on top of each other like layers in a cake. If you’ve ever wondered does Throne of Glass connect to ACOTAR, you aren't just looking for a "yes." You're looking for the Kingdom of Ash moment that changed everything.
The Red Star and the Falling Fae
The most concrete, undeniable evidence of this connection happens in the final Throne of Glass book, Kingdom of Ash. During a high-stakes moment of "world-walking," Aelin Galathynius is falling through different dimensions. It’s a terrifying, psychedelic trip through the vacuum of space and time.
At one point, she slows down.
She sees a city built on the side of a mountain. She sees a winged male and a heavily pregnant female standing on a balcony. The male lashes out with a blast of dark power to slow her descent so she doesn't burn up or smash into the ground. Fans of ACOTAR immediately recognized this as Velaris. The winged male? Rhysand. The pregnant female? Feyre Archeron.
This isn't a theory. Sarah J. Maas confirmed this in multiple interviews and Live events. This specific crossover happened during the timeline of A Court of Silver Flames. While Nesta was dealing with her own trauma and training with the Valkyries, a literal queen from another universe was falling through their sky like a shooting star. In the ACOTAR books, this is actually mentioned as a "red star" that appeared for a moment during the Starfall celebration, though it was a bad omen to the people of Prythian.
👉 See also: Christopher McDonald in Lemonade Mouth: Why This Villain Still Works
Understanding the Multiverse (or the Maasverse)
How does this actually work? Well, it’s basically String Theory but with more leather armor and ancient magic.
The worlds of Erilea (where Aelin lives), Prythian (where Feyre lives), and Midgard (the setting of Crescent City) are separate planets or perhaps separate dimensions occupying the same physical space. They are connected by "Rifts" or "Wyrdgates." Think of it like a radio. All the stations are playing at the same time, but you can usually only hear one. If you have a powerful enough tuner—or a Wyrdkey—you can jump between the stations.
The Mystery of the Valg and the Asteri
There is a much darker connection than just a visual cameo, though.
If you look at the villains in both series, the patterns are... uncomfortable. In Throne of Glass, we have the Valg. They are parasitic, soul-eating demons from another realm who love to inhabit beautiful bodies and wear black jewelry. In Crescent City, we have the Asteri, who are essentially cosmic parasites feeding on the "firstlight" (magic/soul energy) of the inhabitants.
The connection? They both seem to be different "flavors" of the same ancient, world-hopping predator. Many readers believe the Valg are simply a different evolved branch of the same species that once tried to conquer Prythian before being kicked out by the ancient Fae. This would mean that the struggle for freedom in Throne of Glass wasn't just a local war—it was one front in a multiversal rebellion against the same group of monsters.
Does Throne of Glass Connect to ACOTAR through the Fae?
Then there’s the bloodline issue.
✨ Don't miss: Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne: Why His Performance Still Holds Up in 2026
Have you noticed how similar the magic systems are? In Erilea, the Fae have "settling"—a period where their immortality kicks in. In Prythian, the Fae are just... Fae. But the similarities between the shifter Fae of Aelin’s world and certain characters in the ACOTAR world (like the seasonal courts) are too specific to ignore.
The most compelling "bloodline" theory involves the lost lines of the Fae. In Crescent City: House of Flame and Shadow, we get the ultimate confirmation that people from ACOTAR and Throne of Glass share common ancestors. The "Dusk Truth" reveals that the Fae in Crescent City actually migrated from Prythian and Erilea thousands of years ago.
Specifically, there are hints that the "Starborn" power in Crescent City is a mix of the light-based magic we see in the High Lords of the Dawn and Day Courts, and perhaps even the fire of the Galathynius line. It turns out that the maps of these worlds even fit together in weird, overlapping ways if you squint hard enough.
The "Walking Dead" Book
Let’s talk about the library. In A Court of Silver Flames, there is a massive, sentient, and frankly creepy library under the House of Wind. There are certain books mentioned there that sound hauntingly familiar to anyone who has read Throne of Glass.
Most notably, a book titled The Walking Dead appears.
This isn't a reference to the TV show with zombies. The Walking Dead is a literal book of ancient spells and lore that Aelin uses in Throne of Glass to understand the Wyrdmarks. Seeing it pop up in Rhysand’s private collection suggests that the "knowledge" of the universe is being shared or stolen across these boundaries. If the books can travel, the people certainly can.
🔗 Read more: Chris Robinson and The Bold and the Beautiful: What Really Happened to Jack Hamilton
Why the Connection Actually Matters for the Future
Some people think these are just "Easter eggs" for the fans. "Oh, look, a reference, how cute." But if you’ve read the Crescent City series, you know that’s not the case anymore.
The walls are down.
When Bryce Quinlan ends up in a certain grassy field at the end of House of Earth and Blood, the Maasverse officially stopped being three separate stories and became one giant epic. This means that events in Throne of Glass—even though that series is technically "finished"—still have massive ripples. The fact that Aelin closed the Wyrdgates might be the only reason the Asteri haven't completely overrun Erilea yet.
However, it also raises a terrifying possibility: if the villains can cross over, can the heroes?
Fans are desperate to see Aelin and Rhysand in the same room. While Aelin essentially lost her "god-tier" fire at the end of Kingdom of Ash, she is still a formidable queen. The connection between the series suggests that the final battle for the fate of all these worlds will likely require characters from all three series to stand together.
Actionable Steps for the Dedicated Reader
If you want to truly see the "web" yourself, you can't just skim. You have to be a bit of a detective. Here is how you should approach the "Maasverse" if you want to spot every thread:
- Re-read the "World-Walking" Scene: Go back to Kingdom of Ash, Chapter 99. Read the description of the city Aelin sees very carefully. Then, go read the "Starfall" chapter in A Court of Silver Flames. The timing aligns perfectly.
- Track the "Urd" vs. "Wyrd": In Throne of Glass, the force of fate is the Wyrd. In Crescent City, they call it Urd. It’s the same word, just linguistically shifted over thousands of years of separation.
- Watch the Symbols: Look for the eight-pointed star. It shows up on Bryce’s chest, on ancient Fae ruins in Prythian, and in the lore of Erilea. It’s a beacon for the "Starborn" and a map for the rifts between worlds.
- Pay Attention to the Harpy and the Hind: Look at the names of the villains. The Asteri name their commanders after mythological creatures that also appear in the legends of the other two worlds. This isn't a coincidence; it’s a branding exercise for interdimensional dictators.
The reality is that Throne of Glass is the foundation. It’s where Sarah J. Maas first built the concept of the Wyrd, the gates, and the idea that "gods" are just powerful, malicious beings from another place. Without the lore established in Aelin’s story, the crossovers in the newer books wouldn't make any sense.
If you haven't finished Throne of Glass because you’re more of an ACOTAR fan, you are missing about 50% of the context for why the world is currently breaking. The connection isn't just a fun fact; it's the plot.