Honestly, walking into a bookstore and seeing eight thick books with similar-looking covers is a lot. You’ve probably seen the fan art. You know there’s a girl with a sword and a whole lot of magic, but the second you ask someone how to start, they give you three different lists and a "tandem read" spreadsheet that looks like a tax return. It’s overwhelming.
The sarah j maas throne of glass series book order isn't just about counting from one to eight. Because Sarah J. Maas (SJM) wrote a prequel collection and two books that happen at the exact same time, the "right" way to read them is a constant battlefield on BookTok.
The Big Debate: Where Do You Actually Start?
Most people assume you start with book one. Makes sense, right? But in this world, book one is Throne of Glass, while the prequel is The Assassin’s Blade.
Here’s the thing: The Assassin’s Blade isn't just a "nice to have" extra. It’s a collection of five novellas that explain exactly why the main character, Celaena Sardothien, starts the first book in a slave camp. If you skip it, you’ll spend the first three books hearing about people like Sam Cortland and Ansel of Briarcliff and feeling like you missed a party.
But if you read it first? Some say it spoils the mystery of Celaena’s past. It’s a trade-off.
The "Purist" Publication Order
This is the order the books actually hit the shelves. SJM herself has recently leaned toward this in some of her website updates, though she’s moved things around over the years.
- Throne of Glass (2012)
- Crown of Midnight (2013)
- The Assassin's Blade (2014) — Note: This was published around the same time as Heir of Fire, but many read it here.
- Heir of Fire (2014)
- Queen of Shadows (2015)
- Empire of Storms (2016)
- Tower of Dawn (2017)
- Kingdom of Ash (2018)
Reading The Assassin’s Blade third—after Crown of Midnight—is a very popular "emotional damage" move. You get to know the characters, you get a massive cliffhanger, and then you jump back in time to see the tragedy that formed them. It hits hard.
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The Chronological Order: For the Logic-Oriented
If you hate flashbacks and want the story to move in a straight line, this is your path. You start with the prequel.
- The Assassin's Blade
- Throne of Glass
- Crown of Midnight
- Heir of Fire
- Queen of Shadows
- Empire of Storms
- Tower of Dawn
- Kingdom of Ash
I’ve talked to people who did this and they swear by it. They say they felt way more connected to Celaena from page one of the main series because they’d already seen her lose everything. Without the prequel, she can sometimes come across as a bit arrogant or cold in the first book. Knowing her history softens that edge.
The downside? The Assassin's Blade is a collection of stories. The pacing is different. If you aren't hooked by the short story format, you might give up before you even get to the "real" first book. That’s a tragedy you want to avoid.
The Tandem Read: A Modern Rite of Passage
We need to talk about the elephant in the room. Empire of Storms (Book 5) and Tower of Dawn (Book 6) happen simultaneously.
Imagine two groups of characters on opposite sides of the world. Book 5 follows one group, Book 6 follows the other. The problem? Book 5 ends on one of the most soul-crushing cliffhangers in YA history. If you read them one by one, you have to finish an entire 600-page book about different characters (specifically Chaol Westfall) before you find out what happened in that cliffhanger.
That’s why the "Tandem Read" exists.
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Basically, you keep both books open and switch back and forth every few chapters. There are checklists online (the JennaClarek version is the gold standard) that tell you exactly when to swap.
Is it worth it?
Kinda. It makes the experience feel like a massive epic movie where the "camera" cuts between continents. It also solves the problem for people who aren't huge fans of Chaol and might struggle to get through an entire book dedicated to him. By mixing his chapters with the high-octane action in Empire of Storms, the pace stays fast.
But honestly? It's a lot of work. If you’re a "one book at a time" person, just read them in order. Tower of Dawn is actually a beautiful, healing story if you give it a chance to breathe.
Why You Can't Skip Tower of Dawn
Don't even think about it.
There was a trend for a while where people tried to skip Book 6 because they wanted to get straight to the finale, Kingdom of Ash. Big mistake. Massive. Tower of Dawn introduces vital characters and world-shattering information about the villains that you absolutely need for the final book. If you skip it, the finale won't make sense.
The Romantic Order (The "Emotional Impact" Path)
There is a third, more niche way to handle the sarah j maas throne of glass series book order that many veterans recommend. They suggest reading the prequel even later—after Heir of Fire.
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- Throne of Glass
- Crown of Midnight
- Heir of Fire
- The Assassin’s Blade
- Queen of Shadows
Why? Because Queen of Shadows is where a lot of threads from the prequel finally start weaving back into the main story. Reading the prequel right before Book 4 keeps all those names and faces fresh in your mind. It makes the payoffs in Queen of Shadows feel incredible.
Nuance and Limits: Which Should You Choose?
Look, there isn't a "wrong" way that will ruin the story, but there are ways that make it harder.
If you are a casual reader who just wants a good story, start with Throne of Glass. If it feels a bit "young" or "basic," hang in there. The series undergoes a massive tonal shift in Book 3 (Heir of Fire), moving from a castle competition to high-stakes high fantasy.
If you are a hardcore fantasy fan who loves deep lore and wants to understand every reference, start with The Assassin's Blade.
Quick Summary of Choices:
- The Professional Way: Throne of Glass first. Read the prequel 3rd or 4th.
- The Literal Way: Prequel first, then 1 through 7.
- The Chaos Way: Tandem read books 5 and 6 together.
How to Handle the Transition to Other SJM Series
Once you finish Kingdom of Ash, you're going to have a book hangover. It’s inevitable. Most people then look toward A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) or Crescent City.
If you started with Throne of Glass, you’ve already tackled the most complex world-building. ACOTAR will feel like a spicy, romantic breeze in comparison. However, if you plan on reading Crescent City, you must finish both other series first. The "Massverse" is real, and the crossovers in the later Crescent City books won't land the same way if you haven't done your homework in Erilea and Prythian.
Actionable Steps for Your Read
Don't let the charts scare you. If you're ready to dive in, here is the most stress-free way to execute your plan:
- Buy the first three books together. Whether you start with the prequel or Throne of Glass, you’ll want the next one immediately.
- Decide on the Tandem Read early. If you want to do it, try to get physical copies of Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn. Flipping between two ebooks or audiobooks is a nightmare.
- Avoid the Wiki. Seriously. This series has some of the biggest spoilers in the genre. Even a character's name change can be a massive plot point. Don't Google anyone.
- Print a checklist. If you choose a non-linear order, keep a small bookmark with the list so you don't accidentally skip a novella.
The journey from a small-time assassin to a queen of a fallen kingdom is one of the best arcs in modern fantasy. Just pick a starting point and go. The characters will do the rest of the work for you.