If you're unsure about the reading order for the Throne of Glass series, you're not the only one! It can be tricky to figure out where to begin with a novella and a book that doesn't follow the main protagonist in the mix.

Unfortunately, the answer to this question will differ depending on who you ask. To help you get started, I've listed all the ways you can read through TOG, including what to expect with each order.

And don't worry—I loathe spoilers just as much as the next bookworm, so you won't find any here.

Throne of Glass

Throne of Glass follows Celaena Sardothien, an assassin sentenced to life working in the salt mines for her crimes. Until, one day, she's presented with the one thing she never thought she'd have again: hope. The Crown Prince has come to offer her freedom—under one condition. Celaena is to compete against 23 other killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition to find the King's champion.

As her opponents are mysteriously picked off one after another, Celaena discovers something far more sinister lurking inside the castle.

The Assassin's Blade

The Assassin's Blade is a novella that was published in 2014. Maas originally released the five short stories about Celaena Sardothien's past online before the first book, Throne of Glass, was published in 2012. Only later in 2014 were the stories compiled into this novella.

Even though The Assassin's Blade is a novella and a prequel, it is a must-read for lovers of the TOG series.

When Should You Read The Assassin's Blade?

Though The Assassin's Blade takes place before Throne of Glass, I wouldn't recommend reading it first. The five short stories give readers more insight into Celaena Sardothien's life, and the events are key to the second half of the series. If you choose to read The Assassin's Blade first, it'll spoil some of the suspense of the first three books!

For the most compelling, spoiler-free experience, read The Assassin's Blade fourth, after Heir of Fire.

Ways To Read the Throne of Glass Series

Maas began writing this series when she was just 16—and I can feel that passion and dedication with every turn of the page. As soon as I started reading TOG, I was hooked. I can also see why there's so much buzz over the reading order.

If you're anything like me, you do everything possible to avoid spoilers. But, if you're like me, you also can't help but like to read and watch things in release order (typically). Unfortunately, you'll have to throw that notion out the window with Throne of Glass.

There are about five different ways you can read through the series—and the best part is that you can choose whichever one fits your style!

Romantic

For the most suspenseful (in my opinion), spoiler-free way to read the Throne of Glass series, you should choose the romantic route.

Throne of Glass
Crown of Midnight
Heir of Fire
The Assassin's Blade
Queen of Shadows
Empire of Storms
Tower of Dawn
Kingdom of Ash

Romantic — No Cliffhanger

In the romantic read-through, you'll read Empire of Storms, Tower of Dawn, and then Kingdom of Ash. To many readers' dismay, EOS ends in quite the cliffhanger that isn't resolved until KOA. So, if you can't focus after a cliffhanger, you may not be able to enjoy TOD to its fullest.

However, instead of skipping TOD like some suggest, you can do a tandem read of the two books, allowing you to experience both and move right to KOA afterward. The tandem read is possible because EOS and TOD take place at the same time.

Throne of Glass
Crown of Midnight
Heir of Fire
The Assassin's Blade
Queen of Shadows
Empire of Storms & Tower of Dawn in Tandem
Kingdom of Ash

EOS & TOD Tandem Read Guide

The easiest way to set up your tandem read is to mark the changeover points in each book. You can do this by placing a sticky tab at the end of each section (if you have a ton of those).

Or, you can do what I did: save this chapter list image, use one sticky tab per book to mark the changeover point, and swap it out for your bookmark when you reach the end. This way requires a bit more work, as you'd have to refer back to the chapter list each time, but it'll save your sticky tabs!

Purist Order

If you just can't help yourself and want to read the TOG series in order, this is the way. Typically, I would fall into this category, but I went the romantic tandem route to save myself from spoilers.

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

Chronological Order

This order is similar to the purist route but puts the books in exact chronological order. As you can see, you'll need to read EOS and TOD in tandem.

The Assassin's Blade
Throne of Glass
Crown of Midnight
Heir of Fire
Queen of Shadows
Empire of Storms & Tower of Dawn in Tandem
Kingdom of Ash

In Order of Publication

If you'd like to read the TOG series in the order they were published, this is how you should do it, though I wouldn't recommend it as some of the storylines might not make sense, and you'll be exposed to some spoilers.

Throne of Glass (2012)
Crown of Midnight (2013)
The Assassin's Blade (2014)
Heir of Fire (2014)
Queen of Shadows (2015)
Empire of Storms (2016)
Tower of Dawn (2017)
Kingdom of Ash (2018)

No, You Shouldn't Skip Tower of Dawn

Many fans of the Throne of Glass series contemplate skipping Tower of Dawn since it doesn't follow the main character and, if read after Empire of Storms, leaves you with a huge cliffhanger that isn't resolved until Kingdom of Ash.

But, if you read TOD in tandem with EOS, you'll enjoy both storylines and move right on to KOA.

Do I Need To Read Sarah J. Maas's Series in a Certain Order?

Even though Throne of Glass is Maas' first fantasy series, you can read them in any order! Personally, I began my obsessive spiral with the A Court of Thorns and Roses series, courtesy of fans on BookTok.

After I devoured that one, I wasted no time moving on to Throne of Glass, with the Crescent City series in the queue.

What To Read Next?

After you finish the Throne of Glass series, let me save you from that dreaded post-read “hangover” feeling with some other recs. Check out the ACOTAR and Crescent City series if you haven't already!

If you've already read those, but the fantasy genre still has a chokehold on you (like me), plenty of other excellent fantasy books are out there waiting for you!