Reading Order · The Empyrean
Fourth Wing Books in Order
Looking for the Fourth Wing books in order? Here's the complete Empyrean reading order — every novel and collection, what each one is about, when to read it, and where to buy. Bookmark this Fourth Wing books in order list — it's the answer to the question the fandom gets asked every single week.
Read Fourth Wing (2023) → Iron Flame (2023) → Onyx Storm (2025) in that order. The Threshing Day short story collection (2026) is a companion book you can slot in whenever you want more of the world. An untitled fourth novel is in progress — expected around 2027 — and a fifth novel is planned.
◆ Every Empyrean book at a glance
Rebecca Yarros's Empyrean series currently stands at three novels, one short story collection (numbered 3.5), and two more novels on the way. Here is the full list, in publication order.
| # | Title | Type | Released | What it's about |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fourth Wing | Novel | 2023 | Violet Sorrengail enters Basgiath War College, survives the Rider's Quadrant, and bonds two dragons at Threshing — the black dragon Tairn and the young feathertail Andarna. |
| 2 | Iron Flame | Novel | 2023 | Violet's second year at the war college, as the truth about the war and her unusual bond is tested from every side. |
| 3 | Onyx Storm | Novel | 2025 | The third installment follows Violet and Xaden's search for a cure as the war closes in on every side. |
| 3.5 | Threshing Day (Wing and Claw Collection) | Short story collection | Sept 29, 2026 | Thirteen first-person accounts of the Threshing — 224 pages, told by the cadets who lived it. A companion book, not a sequel. |
| 4 | Untitled | Novel | In progress (expected ~2027) | The announced fourth main-series novel. No title or release date yet, but Yarros has confirmed it's being written. |
| 5 | Untitled | Novel | Planned | A fifth novel is planned. We'll update this page the moment details are announced. |
◆ Why read them in this order
The three novels are one continuous story, told in the first person from Violet Sorrengail's point of view, and each one ends on a cliffhanger that the next book opens. Iron Flame picks up almost exactly where Fourth Wing leaves off, and Onyx Storm runs straight on from there. Reading them out of order means spoiling the series' biggest reveals — the truth about the war, the second bond, and where Violet and Xaden end up by the end of book three.
There are no required prequels or spin-offs. The Empyrean series is self-contained: you start with Fourth Wing, and every piece of worldbuilding you need — Basgiath, the Rider's Quadrant, Threshing, signets, the dragons' governing council — is introduced there. That makes it an unusually easy series to jump into cold, even if you have never read a fantasy romance before.
One more note on order: this list is about the books themselves. A television adaptation is in development with Prime Video, but nothing has aired and no release date has been announced — so for now the books are the only official version of the story. When the show arrives, we'll add a section on how it maps to the books; until then, publication order is the order that makes everything click.
◆ Where Threshing Day fits
Threshing Day — full title Threshing Day (Wing and Claw Collection) — is the odd one out in the best possible way. It is not the fourth novel; it's a short story collection numbered 3.5, released September 29, 2026, running 224 pages. Because it does not continue the main trilogy's plot, it can be slotted in at almost any point without spoiling where the novels are going.
What's inside: thirteen cadets, no dragons
The collection holds thirteen stories with thirteen first-person points of view — and every single one is a rider. There are no dragon POVs here. The narrators are Xaden Riorson, Brennan Sorrengail, Dain Aetos, Sawyer Henrick, Sloane Mairi, Imogen Cardulo, Ridoc Gamlyn, Aaric Graycastle, Mira Sorrengail, Liam Mairi, Bodhi Durran, Rhiannon Matthias, and Garrick Tavis. Violet isn't among them — her Threshing already unfolded on the page in Fourth Wing — and the two biggest surprises are Dain Aetos and Aaric Graycastle, neither of whom readers have ever followed into the valley before. Both Mairi siblings are here, and so are two Sorrengail elders, Brennan and Mira.
When to read it — and why you don't have to
Two sensible approaches: read it after the three novels, so the trilogy's momentum is never interrupted; or read it right after Fourth Wing, while the Threshing of book one is still fresh in your mind. Either way, you will recognize the ceremony from the novels — Yarros has described the collection as a "fun trip back to Basgiath," and it is genuinely optional companion reading rather than something you need before book four. There are two ways to sample it cheaply as well: the deluxe first edition, limited to the US and Canada, bundles sixteen full-color illustrations by Joe Requeza, and Xaden's story has been posted free on the author's website. If you're price-shopping, the collection lists at $24.99 for the hardcover, $11.99 for the ebook, and $25.99 for the audiobook. See our full Threshing Day guide for more.
◆ What's next: Book 4 and beyond
The untitled fourth novel is in progress, with an expected window around 2027 — no title or synopsis yet, but Yarros has confirmed she's writing it. Before it lands, the fall 2026 schedule brings Threshing Day (September 29), followed by Yarros's standalone contemporary romance Peculiar Stars (November 17) — a desert-island love story set across 543 days — and then Book 4. A fifth novel is planned after that. We'll update this page the moment dates firm up.
◆ Buy the books
All three novels are available now; the collection released September 29, 2026. The untitled fourth and fifth novels are not available yet.
Buy Threshing Day
The 2026 short story collection — thirteen stories of the selection.
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◆ Frequently asked questions
How many Fourth Wing books are there?
Three novels are published — Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, and Onyx Storm — plus the Threshing Day short story collection (2026). An untitled fourth novel has been announced, and a fifth novel is planned.
What is the correct Fourth Wing reading order?
Fourth Wing → Iron Flame → Onyx Storm. Threshing Day can be read at any point after that, or between the novels — it's a companion book that doesn't advance the main plot.
Do I need to read Threshing Day to understand the series?
No. It's entirely optional companion reading. The three novels tell the complete main story, and Threshing Day adds depth rather than plot.
Do I need to read anything before Fourth Wing?
No. Fourth Wing is the intended starting point. The series has no required prequels or spin-offs.
Where can I buy the Empyrean books?
All three novels and the Threshing Day collection are available on Amazon — see the buy boxes above for direct links to each title.
Is Threshing Day a full novel or a short story collection?
A short story collection — numbered 3.5, full title Threshing Day (Wing and Claw Collection), 224 pages, thirteen stories. It is not the fourth novel.
Who is in Threshing Day — and is Violet one of the POVs?
Thirteen riders narrate the stories: Xaden, Brennan, Dain, Sawyer, Sloane, Imogen, Ridoc, Aaric, Mira, Liam, Bodhi, Rhiannon, and Garrick. Violet is not included — her Threshing was already shown in Fourth Wing. The biggest surprises are Dain Aetos and Aaric Graycastle.
When is the next Empyrean book coming out?
Book 4 is untitled and in progress, expected around 2027. Before it, the fall 2026 schedule brings Threshing Day (Sept 29) and the standalone contemporary romance Peculiar Stars (Nov 17). A fifth novel is planned after that.