You’re standing in the YA section of a bookstore, looking at a wall of spines with swirling runes and shirtless guys in leather. It’s intimidating. Honestly, figuring out the mortal instruments order of books is a rite of passage for every fantasy reader because Cassandra Clare didn't just write a series; she built a sprawling, messy, multi-generational architecture of demons and drama. If you just grab City of Bones and hope for the best, you’re fine for a while. But eventually, the timeline starts to loop back on itself.
Shadowhunters are complicated.
Most people think you just read from book one to book six and call it a day. That’s the "publication order" for the main series, sure. But then you realize there are prequels that spoil the sequels, and sequels that make no sense without the short stories. It’s a lot. You’ve got the core hexalogy, the Victorian-era prequels, the 1920s-era follow-ups, and the "modern" stories that take place after the main war.
If you get the order wrong, you’ll accidentally find out who dies three books before it actually happens. Nobody wants that.
Why the Mortal Instruments Order of Books Isn't Just 1 to 6
The core series—The Mortal Instruments—technically consists of six books: City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass, City of Fallen Angels, City of Lost Souls, and City of Heavenly Fire.
Simple, right? Not really.
There is a massive "vibe shift" between the first three and the last three. In fact, Clare originally intended for the series to be a trilogy ending with City of Glass. You can feel it when you read them. The first three books wrap up the initial conflict with Valentine Morgenstern quite neatly. Then, City of Fallen Angels kicks off a brand new arc. This is where most readers get tripped up. If you read all six TMI books back-to-back without touching The Infernal Devices, you are going to miss some of the most emotional "easter eggs" in the entire franchise.
Basically, the "best" way to read them isn't always the way they were put on the shelves.
The Strict Publication Order: For the Purists
Some people insist on reading everything exactly as it was released. This is the "time travel" method. You experience the world exactly as the fandom did in real-time.
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- City of Bones (2007)
- City of Ashes (2008)
- City of Glass (2009)
- Clockwork Angel (2010) — This is the first book of the Infernal Devices prequel.
- City of Fallen Angels (2011)
- Clockwork Prince (2011)
- City of Lost Souls (2012)
- Clockwork Princess (2013)
- City of Heavenly Fire (2014)
See the pattern? You’re jumping between New York in 2007 and London in 1878. It sounds chaotic because it is. However, the reason people love this mortal instruments order of books is that the themes mirror each other. When a character in City of Heavenly Fire mentions a legendary ancestor, you’ve actually met that ancestor because you just finished Clockwork Princess. It makes the world feel ancient and lived-in.
The "Purist" Advantage
If you go this route, you won't get spoiled. Clare is notorious for putting "spoiler-y" family trees in the back of her books. If you read the prequels too early, you know who ends up with whom. If you read the sequels too early, you know which families survive. It's a delicate balance.
The Chronological Order: A Warning
Don't do it.
Okay, let me rephrase. Don’t do it for your first read-through. Reading chronologically means starting with The Infernal Devices (the 1800s), then moving to The Last Hours (the 1900s), then finally hitting The Mortal Instruments.
While it sounds logical, it’s kinda like watching the Star Wars prequels before the original trilogy. You lose the mystery. The entire point of City of Bones is that Clary Fray—and the reader—knows absolutely nothing about the Shadow World. You’re supposed to be confused. You’re supposed to discover the runes and the Law at the same time she does. Starting in the 1800s removes that "fish out of water" element that makes the first book work.
Also, The Last Hours (the most recent trilogy) assumes you already have a deep love for the family names established in the main series. Without that context, it’s just a bunch of fancy British teenagers having existential crises in waistcoats.
The "Modified" Order: The Fan Favorite
If you want the most emotional impact, most veterans of the "Shadowhunter Chronicles" suggest the mortal instruments order of books that splits the main series in half.
- Start with the first TMI trilogy: Bones, Ashes, and Glass.
- Stop. Take a breath.
- Read the entire Infernal Devices trilogy: Clockwork Angel, Prince, and Princess.
- Go back and finish TMI: Fallen Angels, Lost Souls, and Heavenly Fire.
Why? Because the ending of City of Heavenly Fire hits ten times harder if you already know the characters from the 1800s. There are cameos and letters that will literally make you cry if you’ve done the homework. If you haven't, you'll just shrug and keep reading. It’s the difference between a "good" reading experience and one that ruins your sleep schedule for a month.
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What About the Extra Stuff?
Cassandra Clare is the queen of the "Short Story Collection."
You have The Bane Chronicles, which follows the immortal warlock Magnus Bane through history. Then there’s Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy, which follows Simon Lewis. And Ghosts of the Shadow Market.
- The Bane Chronicles: Read this anytime after City of Lost Souls. It fills in the gaps of Magnus's very long, very flamboyant life.
- Shadowhunter Academy: This is essential reading before you start the "Dark Artifices" (the series after TMI). It bridges the gap for Simon’s character arc. Honestly, Simon’s growth in the Academy stories is some of the best writing in the entire franchise.
- Ghosts of the Shadow Market: This one is a bit of a grab bag. It spans centuries. It’s best read after you’ve finished almost everything else, as it ties up loose ends you didn't even know were loose.
The Common Mistakes Readers Make
A lot of people think The Shadowhunter’s Codex is a novel. It’s not. It’s an in-universe textbook. It’s cool if you want to know the specific definitions of different demons or the history of the Silent Brothers, but it’s not going to give you a plot. Save it for when you’re bored and waiting for the next release.
Another mistake? Skipping the "Dark Artifices" trilogy (Lady Midnight, Lord of Shadows, Queen of Air and Darkness). People get attached to Jace and Clary and don't want to move on to Emma Carstairs and Julian Blackthorn in Los Angeles. But Julian is arguably one of the most complex, morally grey characters Clare has ever written. Plus, the TMI characters show up as adults. It’s worth it.
The "I Just Want the Main Story" Path
If you are a casual reader and don't care about the spin-offs, just read the six Mortal Instruments books in order.
- City of Bones
- City of Ashes
- City of Glass
- City of Fallen Angels
- City of Lost Souls
- City of Heavenly Fire
You will understand 95% of what’s happening. You’ll miss the deep lore and the "oh my god" moments involving ancestors, but the plot itself is self-contained. The stakes are high, the romance is melodramatic, and the villains are genuinely creepy.
Does the Order Change After 2024?
With the release of The Last Hours trilogy concluding recently, the timeline is more packed than ever. We now have the "Wicked Powers" series on the horizon. This upcoming trilogy is set to be the "grand finale" of the entire Shadowhunter world. To be ready for that, you basically have to have read everything. The world-building is reaching a point where the mortal instruments order of books is just the entry-level requirement.
Real-World Reading Math
If you read at an average pace, the entire "core" Shadowhunter experience (TMI and TID) is about 9 books. That’s roughly 4,500 pages.
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If you include the "Dark Artifices," "The Last Hours," and the short story collections, you’re looking at over 20 books. It’s a mountain. But the beauty of the Shadowhunter world is that it’s designed for binging. The cliffhangers are brutal. Clare knows exactly how to end a chapter to make you stay up until 3:00 AM.
Most people find that once they finish City of Glass, the momentum carries them through the rest. The shift from the "urban fantasy" feel of the first books to the "high fantasy" epic feel of the later ones is a trip.
Final Practical Strategy for Your Shelf
To get the most out of this world without losing your mind, follow this specific checklist. It’s the "Goldilocks" path—not too short, not too confusing.
- Phase 1: The Foundation. Read City of Bones, Ashes, and Glass. This introduces the world, the runes, and the main conflict.
- Phase 2: The Heart. Read The Infernal Devices trilogy (Clockwork Angel, Prince, Princess). Many fans argue this is actually Clare's best work. It's more focused, more romantic, and arguably more heartbreaking.
- Phase 3: The Completion. Go back to City of Fallen Angels, Lost Souls, and Heavenly Fire.
- Phase 4: The Aftermath. Pick up Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy. It’s vital for understanding where the characters go next.
- Phase 5: The Next Generation. Start The Dark Artifices.
This order respects the way the author revealed secrets while ensuring you have the emotional context for the big reveals. There is no "wrong" way to read a book, but there is definitely a way to make the experience more satisfying.
If you're buying these for a gift, look for the box sets. They usually group the TMI books into two sets of three, which actually aligns perfectly with the "Modified" reading order mentioned above. It makes it easier to pause and pivot to the prequels.
Start with City of Bones. Don't look at the spoilers on Tumblr or Pinterest. The family trees in this universe are a tangled mess, and half the fun is figuring out who is lying about their parentage. Grab a copy, find a quiet corner, and get ready for a lot of talk about "The Law is hard, but it is the Law."
Next Steps for Your Reading List
Check the copyright page of your edition of City of Bones. If you have a newer anniversary edition, it often contains bonus short stories at the back that aren't in the original 2007 printings. Once you finish the first three books, decide if you prefer the modern New York setting or the Victorian London aesthetic; if you're loving the grit of the city, stick with TMI Book 4, but if you want a deeper dive into the history of the Shadowhunters, jump straight to Clockwork Angel. Regardless of the path, keep a notebook handy for the family names—Herondale, Lightwood, and Carstairs—because they will show up again and again across the centuries.