The Three Maasverse Series
Each series has its own world, its own cast and its own reading order. This page covers how they fit together; each series page has the characters, the plot of every book and the spice ratings.
Throne of Glass
Eight books · finished 2018An assassin pulled out of a salt mine and made to fight for her freedom, in a kingdom that has outlawed magic.
Reading order →A Court of Thorns and Roses
Six books · book seven 12 January 2027A huntress kills a wolf and something comes to the door to collect the debt.
Reading order →Crescent City
Three books · a fourth, no dateA half-Fae party girl, a murder she cannot walk away from, and a city of angels, shifters and immortal rulers.
Reading order →The Maasverse Reading Order
Crossover order is the one most readers recommend now that ACOTAR book six, A Court of Splintered Harmony, is out. Publication order and one series at a time are the other two.
- A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR)
- Crescent City
- Throne of Glass
Crossover Order
For: Anyone reading ACOTAR and Crescent City, and anyone catching up before A Court of Forgotten Melody.
ACOTAR: Books 1 to 5
- 01ACOTARBook 1A Court of Thorns and Roses
- 02ACOTARBook 2A Court of Mist and Fury
- 03ACOTARBook 3A Court of Wings and Ruin
- 04ACOTARBook 4 · novellaA Court of Frost and Starlight
- 05ACOTARBook 5A Court of Silver Flames
Crescent City: All Three Books
- 06Crescent CityBook 1House of Earth and Blood
- 07Crescent CityBook 2House of Sky and Breath
- 08Crescent CityBook 3House of Flame and Shadow
Back to ACOTAR: Books 6 and 7
The same series, continued. Book six comes after House of Flame and Shadow in the timeline, which is why Crescent City goes first.
- 09ACOTARBook 6A Court of Splintered Harmony
- 10ACOTARBook 7A Court of Forgotten MelodyOut 12 Jan 2027
Throne of Glass: All Eight Books
It stands apart from the other two, so it can go before, between or after them.
- Throne of GlassVolume 1Throne of Glass
- Throne of GlassVolume 2Crown of Midnight
- Throne of GlassVolume 3 · prequelThe Assassin’s Blade
- Throne of GlassVolume 4Heir of Fire
- Throne of GlassVolume 5Queen of Shadows
- Throne of GlassVolume 6Empire of Storms
- Throne of GlassVolume 7Tower of Dawn
- Throne of GlassVolume 8Kingdom of Ash
Why Crescent City goes in the middle. The second and third Crescent City books spend real time in the ACOTAR world and give away how several of its storylines end, so they come after A Court of Silver Flames. ACOTAR book six, A Court of Splintered Harmony, follows House of Flame and Shadow and can spoil it, so Crescent City comes before it.
Where Throne of Glass fits. Anywhere. Nothing in the other two series needs it, though a few references in House of Flame and Shadow land better if you know it. If you want to read everything, the easiest place is before you start ACOTAR or after Crescent City.
Publication Order
For: Readers who want to meet the books the way the first readers did.
- 2012Throne of GlassVolume 1Throne of Glass
- 2013Throne of GlassVolume 2Crown of Midnight
- 2014Throne of GlassVolume 3 · prequelThe Assassin’s Blade
- 2014Throne of GlassVolume 4Heir of Fire
- 2015ACOTARBook 1A Court of Thorns and Roses
- 2015Throne of GlassVolume 5Queen of Shadows
- 2016ACOTARBook 2A Court of Mist and Fury
- 2016Throne of GlassVolume 6Empire of Storms
- 2017ACOTARBook 3A Court of Wings and Ruin
- 2017Throne of GlassVolume 7Tower of Dawn
- 2018ACOTARBook 4 · novellaA Court of Frost and Starlight
- 2018Throne of GlassVolume 8Kingdom of Ash
- 2020Crescent CityBook 1House of Earth and Blood
- 2021ACOTARBook 5A Court of Silver Flames
- 2022Crescent CityBook 2House of Sky and Breath
- 2024Crescent CityBook 3House of Flame and Shadow
- 2026ACOTARBook 6A Court of Splintered Harmony
- 2027ACOTARBook 7A Court of Forgotten MelodyOut 12 Jan 2027
How it works. Throne of Glass and ACOTAR came out side by side from 2015 to 2018, so you swap between them almost book by book. Crescent City starts in 2020, A Court of Silver Flames lands between its first two books, and the crossover still comes in order because it was published in order.
The cost. Switching worlds every book is a lot of names to carry. Most readers find it easier to finish one series before starting the next.
One Series at a Time
For: A first read where you only want to follow one story at once.
Throne of Glass: All Eight Books
- 01Throne of GlassVolume 1Throne of Glass
- 02Throne of GlassVolume 2Crown of Midnight
- 03Throne of GlassVolume 3 · prequelThe Assassin’s Blade
- 04Throne of GlassVolume 4Heir of Fire
- 05Throne of GlassVolume 5Queen of Shadows
- 06Throne of GlassVolume 6Empire of Storms
- 07Throne of GlassVolume 7Tower of Dawn
- 08Throne of GlassVolume 8Kingdom of Ash
ACOTAR: Books 1 to 5
- 09ACOTARBook 1A Court of Thorns and Roses
- 10ACOTARBook 2A Court of Mist and Fury
- 11ACOTARBook 3A Court of Wings and Ruin
- 12ACOTARBook 4 · novellaA Court of Frost and Starlight
- 13ACOTARBook 5A Court of Silver Flames
Crescent City: All Three Books
- 14Crescent CityBook 1House of Earth and Blood
- 15Crescent CityBook 2House of Sky and Breath
- 16Crescent CityBook 3House of Flame and Shadow
Back to ACOTAR: Books 6 and 7
The same series, continued. Book six comes after House of Flame and Shadow in the timeline, which is why Crescent City goes first.
- 17ACOTARBook 6A Court of Splintered Harmony
- 18ACOTARBook 7A Court of Forgotten MelodyOut 12 Jan 2027
This is the crossover order with Throne of Glass first. It is the longest way in, but each world gets your full attention, and every crossover detail lands with the background it needs. For each series’ own order, including where to put The Assassin’s Blade, see the Throne of Glass, ACOTAR and Crescent City pages.
How the Maasverse Connects
The three series share one universe. For most of the books you would never know it, and each series reads on its own until the end of the second Crescent City book.
Already partway through Crescent City? House of Earth and Blood and most of House of Sky and Breath are safe to read before ACOTAR. Stop before the last part of House of Sky and Breath, read ACOTAR through A Court of Silver Flames, then go back and finish it.
SpoilersWhich Books Carry the Crossover
At the end of House of Sky and Breath, Bryce goes through a Gate meaning to reach Hel and lands in Velaris instead, where she meets Rhysand.
A large part of House of Flame and Shadow is set in Prythian. Bryce travels with Nesta and Azriel and learns that the Asteri once ruled that world too, which ties the histories of both worlds together.
Throne of Glass stays in the background: no character from it appears on the page in either series so far. The connection is lore and small references, which is why it can be read in any order.
Every Sarah J. Maas Book by Publication Date
- 2012Throne of Glass Throne of Glass
- 2013Crown of Midnight Throne of Glass
- 2014The Assassin’s Blade Throne of Glass · prequel
- 2014Heir of Fire Throne of Glass
- 2015A Court of Thorns and Roses ACOTAR
- 2015Queen of Shadows Throne of Glass
- 2016A Court of Mist and Fury ACOTAR
- 2016Empire of Storms Throne of Glass
- 2017A Court of Wings and Ruin ACOTAR
- 2017Tower of Dawn Throne of Glass
- 2018A Court of Frost and Starlight ACOTAR · novella
- 2018Kingdom of Ash Throne of Glass
- 2020House of Earth and Blood Crescent City
- 2021A Court of Silver Flames ACOTAR
- 2022House of Sky and Breath Crescent City
- 2024House of Flame and Shadow Crescent City
- 2026A Court of Splintered Harmony ACOTAR
- 2027A Court of Forgotten Melody ACOTAR · 12 January
- TBAACOTAR book eight and Crescent City book four announced, no dates
About the numbering. A Court of Frost and Starlight is a 229-page novella. Some lists call it book 3.5, and the publisher counts it as book four, which is why A Court of Splintered Harmony is called book six.
Which Sarah J. Maas Series Should You Start With?
Any of them. Pick by what you want from the next few months of reading.
Want the romance up front? Start with A Court of Thorns and Roses. It is the series most readers come to Maas through, and the one the next book continues.
Want one long story with a big ending? Start with Throne of Glass. It is finished, so you can read it start to end with no waiting.
Want something more modern and adult? Start with Crescent City, but plan to read ACOTAR before the end of the second book.
How Spicy Is Each Maasverse Series?
The highest-rated book in each series, on our 0 to 5 scale. Each series page rates every book.
They get there differently. Throne of Glass was published as YA and stays mild for its first four books. ACOTAR is on-page from the first book. Crescent City is a slow burn in book one, then the most explicit of the three in book two.
Maasverse Questions
Which Sarah J. Maas series should I read first? Any of them. ACOTAR has the romance up front, Throne of Glass is finished so there is no waiting, and Crescent City is more modern and adult. Where to start has more.
What order should I read Sarah J. Maas books in? The best order to read Sarah J. Maas books is each series in its own order. If you want the crossover to land, read ACOTAR through A Court of Silver Flames, then the three Crescent City books, then ACOTAR book six, A Court of Splintered Harmony. Throne of Glass can go anywhere.
Do I need to read ACOTAR before Crescent City? Not for House of Earth and Blood. The end of House of Sky and Breath and much of House of Flame and Shadow take place in the ACOTAR world, so most readers finish A Court of Silver Flames first.
Do I need Crescent City before A Court of Splintered Harmony? Nothing official says so, but it is the safer order, since book six comes after House of Flame and Shadow and can spoil it.
Are ACOTAR and Throne of Glass connected? They share a universe, but no Throne of Glass character appears in the other series so far. Read it whenever you like.
Is the Maasverse finished? No. A Court of Forgotten Melody comes out on , an eighth ACOTAR book is announced, and a fourth Crescent City book is confirmed without a date.
Where to Buy Every Sarah J. Maas Book
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Throne of Glass
A Court of Thorns and Roses
Crescent City
Keep Track of All Three Series in One Place
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