The Ultimate Throne of Glass Series Guide & Reading Order
Your complete guide to Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass series. Find the best reading order, character guides, content warnings, and our definitive book ranking.
Your Guide to the Throne of Glass Series
Welcome to your comprehensive guide to the epic fantasy series Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. Whether you are a new reader unsure where to start or an avid fan who is interested in a more in-depth look, you’ve come to the right place.
Reading Order: Which Path Will You Choose?
There are several ways to approach the series, each offering a unique experience.
1. The Publication Order
This is the order the books were released in. It’s a great way to experience the story as it unfolded for the first time.
- Throne of Glass
- Crown of Midnight
- The Assassin’s Blade (Prequel Novellas)
- Heir of Fire
- Queen of Shadows
- Empire of Storms
- Tower of Dawn
- Kingdom of Ash
2. The “Romantic” Reading Order
This popular fan-favorite order places the prequel, The Assassin’s Blade, after Heir of Fire. This way, you get the emotional backstory of Celaena right when it hits the hardest, preserving some early series mysteries.
- Throne of Glass
- Crown of Midnight
- Heir of Fire
- The Assassin’s Blade
- Queen of Shadows
- Empire of Storms & Tower of Dawn (Tandem Read - see below!)
- Kingdom of Ash
3. The Tandem Read: Empire of Storms & Tower of Dawn
Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn take place at the same time but focus on different characters in different parts of the world. A tandem read combines them, weaving the narratives together for a rich, cohesive experience. Here’s the suggested chapter guide:
Part 1: The Beginning
- Empire of Storms (EOS): Chapters 1-9
- Tower of Dawn (TOD): Chapters 1-6
Part 2: The Plot Thickens
- EOS: Chapters 10-18
- TOD: Chapters 7-12
Part 3: Rising Action
- EOS: Chapters 19-27
- TOD: Chapters 13-20
Part 4: The Tides Turn
- EOS: Chapters 28-32
- TOD: Chapters 21-29
Part 5: Converging Paths
- EOS: Chapters 33-38
- TOD: Chapters 30-36
Part 6: Critical Moments
- EOS: Chapters 39-43
- TOD: Chapters 37-45
Part 7: Towards the Climax
- EOS: Chapters 44-48
- TOD: Chapters 46-52
Part 8: Penultimate Steps
- EOS: Chapters 49-54
- TOD: Chapters 53-59
Part 9: Nearing the End
- EOS: Chapters 55-59
- TOD: Chapters 60-65
Part 10: The Finale
- EOS: Chapters 60-75 (Finish the book)
- TOD: Chapters 66-Epilogue (Finish the book)
Main Characters
Here are some of the key players you’ll meet in Erilea.
- Aelin Ashryver Galathynius: The lost princess of Terrasen, who begins her journey as the notorious assassin Celaena Sardothien. She has a fiery spirit and even fierier magic.
- Yrene Towers: A gifted healer from the Southern Continent with a compassionate nature and a strong moral compass.
- Dorian Havilliard: The handsome and intelligent Crown Prince of Adarlan.
- Chaol Westfall: The stoic and loyal Captain of the Royal Guard.
- Rowan Whitethorn: A formidable Fae prince and warrior.
- Manon Blackbeak: The ruthless heir of the Ironteeth witch clan.
Content Warnings
The Throne of Glass series is a young adult/new adult crossover and contains mature themes. Readers should be aware of the following:
- Graphic violence and gore
- Mature sexual content and situations
- Profanity
- Themes of trauma, abuse, and slavery
The Ultimate Ranking of the Throne of Glass Series
Sarah J. Maas’ Throne of Glass series is a fantasy/romantasy adventure in which fans develop favorites from the series. It’s important to note that Sarah J. Maas wrote the first book when she was 16 years old, which is remarkable. Having this information provides an additional perspective on the series and even helps explain why the series has progressed as it has.
Below is the ultimate Bromantasy ranking of the entire Throne of Glass series, including the top book to the one that was most difficult to read.
A Series Worth Reading
The Throne of Glass series is an amazing feat in the fantasy/romantasy genre. The characters have detailed development and the world is extremely immersive, and Kingdom of Ash delivers an incredible ending. Any fans of epic fantasy that love characters and romantasy will want to read this series, even with its initial difficulty.
Bromantasy's Ranking of the Throne of Glass Series
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Kingdom of Ash
by Sarah J. Maas
We love series that show character progressions, final outcomes, and allow us to reflect on their growth journey. This book provided an ideal conclusion which delivered full satisfaction for multi-book storylines that included countless challenges. Each character receives their opportunity to shine while the ending rewards their development.
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Tower of Dawn
by Sarah J. Maas
Even though we despised Chaol intensely we found his transformation astonishing. His path to recovery and his expanding awareness of diverse cultures along with shifting worldviews appeared strikingly human. The narrative compellingly portrays how personal biases and prejudices born from ignorance transform when an individual encounters new truths and adjusts their perspective accordingly.
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The Assassin's Blade
by Sarah J. Maas
The prequel novellas played an essential role in enhancing our appreciation of the main series. Once We read this collection third, having experienced the main conflict yet before witnessing full world chaos, the main series became significantly more awesome. The backstory and emotional depth of Celaena's character in the novellas enhance her motivations and relationships which adds value to every following interaction and choice she makes. The position of this book as third on the list happened by chance alone.
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Empire of Storms
by Sarah J. Maas
Despite the book's intense action and high stakes which kept readers engaged throughout the story, these elements enhanced the emotional impact of peaceful moments between characters. The story creates a compelling and emotional rollercoaster by achieving a perfect balance between epic battles and intimate character beats.
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Queen of Shadows
by Sarah J. Maas
The series reached its most engaging point at this stage for us. Key players started to fully embrace their destinies which allowed character development to accelerate while the disparate plot threads converged significantly leading to increased stakes and expanded conflict scope.
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Heir of Fire
by Sarah J. Maas
The series truly captured our attention with its main storyline and magical aspects starting in this book. The book broadens the world while bringing key new characters into the story. Reading The Assassin's Blade 3rd before this book enriched our experience because it provided essential background information about Aelin's inner conflicts and driving forces.
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Crown of Midnight
by Sarah J. Maas
This book was a real turning point. The story transformed when the final third of the book delivered major plot twists and heightened tension which prevented a series DNF after the initial chapters resembled Throne of Glass. The reveals provided glimpses into a bigger and more intricate story that would follow.
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Throne of Glass
by Sarah J. Maas
Considering that Maas began writing this book at 16 years old... We still found it a difficult read. Both writing style and character portrayals seemed overly young adult in nature. We kept reading solely because everyone swore that this series would prove its worth over time. Their assessment proved correct yet poses a challenge in selling this book as an entry point without firm advice.
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