One of her series that has really catapulted her in popularity is the Throne of Glass series.
The series contains 8 novels and it has won multiple awards because of how well-written it is.
The novels were picked up by Hulu in 2016 to be adapted into a television series, and it is believed that that series is due to be released in the coming years.
The Throne of Glass series isn’t Sarah J. Maas’ only series due to be adapted for TV as her A Court of Thorn and Roses (ACOTAR) series is also due to be adapted by Hulu.
With 8 books in the series, you might need help figuring out where to start with reading this series.
Especially as one of the books released is a prequel to the rest of the series.
In this guide, I’m telling you everything you need to know about the correct order in which to read the Throne of Glass series.
Read on to find out more.
About The Throne Of Glass Series
Among fantasy fans, Sarah J. Maas has quickly become one of the most famous authors.
Her incredible talent for creating fantasy universes has made her insanely popular, and this is part of what makes the Throne of Glass series so good.
The Throne of Glass series is a Cinderella-inspired fantasy series with a strong female lead at the center of it all.
This novel was originally published online but was quickly picked up by a publisher.
It is because of that publisher that so many people have become familiar with the fictional world of Erilea.
Erilea is the fictional world in which the Throne of Glass series is set, and it is a universe where magic doesn’t exist.
It is in Erilea that a young teenager named Celaena Sardothien becomes a King’s assassin, after previously being a slave, in a bid for freedom.
Erilea is ruled by a corrupt and tyrannical leader – the King of Adarlan – and trained assassin, Caeleana, who is serving a life sentence for killing hundreds of people.
That is until she receives an offer – freedom for a huge sacrifice.
One of the best things about the Throne of Glass series is how many different themes are explored in this novel.
There are strong themes of female strength and empowerment, the corrupting desire for power, perseverance, betrayal, and lots more.
Throughout the novels, these themes are explored in great depth, and they are used to tie these books together.
So, if you are thinking of reading these novels to explore these themes, then you will likely want to know where to begin.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the right order in which to read the Throne of Glass series.
The best way to read the Throne of Glass series is in order of publication, rather than chronological order.
So, instead of starting with the prequel, you should start with the titular book – Throne of Glass.
The Throne of Glass introduces us to Celaena Sardothien, and it really sets the scene for the books that follow.
Not only does this novel introduce us to the main protagonist, but it also introduces us to Erilea, and makes the reader familiar with this universe and ready for the books that follow.
In the Throne of Glass, Celaena is imprisoned for the hundreds of murders she has committed as an assassin.
But she is called to the castle by the King, and offered a deal she can’t refuse – her freedom in return for becoming the King’s Champion.
As the King’s Champion, Celaena is expected to defeat 23 killers, thieves, and warriors in a championship. If she does this, then she will not have to return to prison.
The novel follows Celaena through this championship and as her competitors begin to die around her, she realizes that she is fighting for so much more than freedom.
She is fighting for her life. With themes of romance, evil, and empowerment, this book really starts the series off well!
Pros
Provides lots of information about the Throne of Glass universe.
The sequel to the Throne of Glass is called Crown of Midnight and it follows the events of the first book.
Celaena has established her position as the King’s Champion, but she is far from loyal to the crown. In fact, she detests the evil that he is associated with.
That is why she is working against the King in secret.
In a bid to work against the corrupt King, Celaena takes it upon herself to untangle the mysteries that are hidden within the glass castle.
But she has to be careful because there isn’t anyone that she can trust – not even her allies.
However, Celaena’s quest for true freedom is thrown into disarray when an unspeakable tragedy rocks her world.
This tragedy forced her to rethink her situation and left her questioning where her true loyalties lie.
A fight is on, and Celaena needs to make a decision regarding who she is willing to fight for.
This second novel is incredibly character-focused and Celaena goes through a lot of character development in this novel.
Just like the first novel, the sequel is instrumental in setting the scene for the books that follow, which is why these books need to be read in order of publication!
Pros
A very mysterious novel that transforms the plot of this series.
Cons
A fairly lengthy novel for the age group this targets.
The third novel in this series – Heir of Fire – really demonstrates how much Celaena has been changed by the events of the two previous novels.
She has survived deadly contests, had her heart shattered, and given up a lot at considerable costs. This novel sees her take on her largest challenge yet.
This book takes us on a journey with Celaena as she travels to a new world to find out her darkest truth – the truth about her heritage.
What she finds on this quest could change her entire life, and transform the way that her future looks.
But that isn’t the only thing that’s happening during this series.
At the same time as Celaena is going through this huge personal journey, the world around her is changing.
Dark forces are gathering on the horizon with the intent of enslaving the world she lives in.
Not only does Celaena need the strength to fight against her inner demons, but against the dark forces that are at work too!
Pros
Major turning point in the series as the universe really begins to open up.
Cons
A slow-starting novel that you really need to stick with in order to enjoy.
It is in the Queen of Shadows novel that this series really takes a dark turn.
By this point, Celaena has been through a lot, and she has changed a lot from the young 18-year-old that we were introduced to in the first novel.
Celaena has lost everyone who mattered to her, and she is a much darker individual than she once was.
Despite this, she has returned to the empire of Erilea for 2 reasons: to rescue her once-glorious kingdom and to confront the shadows that lurk in her past.
By this point, Celaena has learned a lot about herself, and as part of this, she has embraced her true identity as Aelin Galathynius, Queen of Terrasen.
She wants to reclaim her kingdom, and take her rightful place on the throne. But the only way to do this is to fight.
As she fights, Celaena is reminded of everything that she is fighting for, and the future that she wants for herself and those around her.
Pros
This novel is a great reminder of what makes this series so good.
Cons
A very long novel for YA adults with almost 700 pages in this book.
If you were to pick up book 5 in this series – Empire of Storms – without reading any of the prior books, it would be easy to assume it is about a totally different character.
From this point forward, Celaena is now known as Aelin Galathynius, and her journey to reclaim her throne has only just begun.
This is when this series really becomes a fantasy novel as magic becomes an integral part of the storyline.
During this novel, we follow Aelin as she dives into the absolute depths of her power to protect those that she loves.
She has her warrior-prince by her side, and a pledge to save a lot of people, but as monsters begin to emerge from her past, it is all thrown into disarray.
Once again, through this novel, the reader joins Aelin as she sets out on another quest.
But this quest is larger than any that have come before, and it could mark the end of everything that Aelin knows.
Pros
High-pace novel that will leave you unable to put this book down.
After five consecutive novels focusing on Celaena/Aelin, the Tower of Dawn focuses on a different character in this universe.
This novel focuses on Chaol Westfall who is Captain of the Guard, and how his life has changed since the glass castle shattered and his body was broken.
Throughout this novel, Chaol is on a quest to fix his body. The only way to do this is to travel to Antica to see the legendary healers of the Torre Cesme.
There is one major issue with this, and that is that Antica is the stronghold of the Southern Continent’s mighty empire.
While the focus of this novel has switched to Chaol Westfall, the reader is still kept up to date with what is happening in the life of Aelin.
While Chaol is on his quest, there is a large fight looming for Aelin and Dorian back home.
Ultimately, the survival of their kingdom may rely on Chaol’s ability to convince the leaders of Antica to become allies with them.
But their time in Antica will change not only Chaol and Nesryn but the whole of Erilea too, as it turns out that Chaol’s journey to Antica is vital for saving the kingdom back home.
Pros
Change of character-focus brings new life to the storyline.
Cons
Disappointing for readers who were large fans of Celaena/Aelin.
The final novel in the original Throne of Glass series is titled Kingdom of Ash.
This novel is set to bring a thrilling end to this immensely popular series, as it follows directly from the events that occurred in Tower of Dawn.
This novel begins by bringing the focus back to Aelin Galathynius who finds herself locked in an iron coffin following the events of the previous novel.
Aelin is being tortured, and she needs to find the will to fight more than she ever has before.
If she bows to their torture, then she could put everybody she cares about at risk.
With Aelin imprisoned her friends and allies have scattered across the kingdom – some with bonds that have only grown strongest, most with bonds that have been severed forever.
But for Erilea to survive the events that have occurred, all must stand together for the kingdom that they love.
Pros
A dramatic finale to this series of novels.
Cons
An incredibly long novel – nearly 1000 pages long.
The Assassin’s Blade is part of the Throne of Glass series, however, it is actually a prequel to the series. It tells the story of Celaena Sardothien before the events that occur in the Throne of Glass.
As this is a prequel, it can really be read at any point in the series, however, we would recommend reading it last.
You don’t need to read all the series before reading The Assassin’s Blade, but I would definitely recommend reading at least the first five novels before diving into this prequel.
While The Assassin’s Blade can bring a lot of context to the books that came after it, it is actually better to have the context of the rest of the series when you read this knowledge.
That’s why I’d recommend saving the prequel till last.
Pros
Brings an exciting new perspective to this series.
Cons
The book consists of 5 novellas, rather than one solid book.
Final Thoughts
In the world of Young Adult fantasy novels, the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas really is one of the most popular series that exists.
Across these novels, Sarah J. Maas has won lots of awards and made plenty of achievements, and that is all ultimately due to how well-written and planned out these novels are.
With 8 thrilling novels to sink your teeth into, it’s easy to be eager to get started with these novels.
However, for you to really enjoy the experience of reading these books, you have to read them in the correct order.
For the best reading experience, I would recommend reading these books in the order of publication except for the prequel – The Assassin’s Blade.
Personally, I would recommend reading the prequel last.
However, as long as you have read the first couple of books before sinking your teeth into the prequel, you’ll have more than enough context to be able to enjoy this series of books!
Frequently Asked Questions
u003cstrongu003eIs Kingdom Of Ash The Final Book In The Throne Of Glass Series?u003c/strongu003e
Yes, Kingdom of Ash will be the final book in the Throne of Glass series and it will wrap up the entire series.
u003cstrongu003eWhich Book Is The Longest In The Throne Of Glass Series?u003c/strongu003e
The longest novel in the Throne of Glass series is anticipated to be Kingdom of Ash which is the final book in the series.
u003cstrongu003eDo I Need To Read The Throne Of Glass Series In Publication Order?u003c/strongu003e
Yes, to get the most enjoyment out of these novels, you should read the Throne of Glass series in order of publication.
Noah Burton works as a Librarian full time, and is a blogger in his spare time. His goal is to write compelling recommendations for all of the most popular books he can find, from science fiction to romance.
With a passion for books, a drive to find new reads to get stuck into, and a love for sharing book recommendations with others, Noah can help you find the next novel for your bucket list.
