Fourth Wing Reading Order: Every Empyrean Book, in Sequence
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If you've seen dragons, Basgiath War College and a very tall man named Xaden all over your feed, you've met the Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros. Here is the reading order, with no spoilers.
Empyrean series in order
- Fourth Wing (2023) — Violet Sorrengail is forced into the Riders Quadrant, where cadets either bond a dragon or die trying.
- Iron Flame (2023) — picks up directly after Fourth Wing. Do not read these out of order; the first book ends on a cliffhanger.
- Onyx Storm (2025) — the third book, released January 2025, and the biggest adult-fiction debut week in two decades.
The series is planned as five books. Books four and five do not have confirmed titles or dates yet; we'll add them here when they do.
Can I start with Onyx Storm?
No. Each book continues the previous one within days, and the plot depends on relationships and reveals from earlier books. Start with Fourth Wing.
Paperback, hardcover or box set?
- Hardcover editions have the sprayed or decorated edges collectors want and the dragon-silhouette endpapers.
- Paperback editions are lighter and cheaper for a first read.
- The Empyrean Series Set bundles all three published books in one box — the easiest gift for a reader who hasn't started.
What to read after Fourth Wing
Readers who finish the Empyrean books usually go on to Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses (fae courts, slower burn), Callie Hart's Quicksilver (fae, enemies to lovers) or Devney Perry's Shield of Sparrows. All are in our Romantasy collection.
Shop all Rebecca Yarros books — new copies, fast US shipping.