The “Throne of Glass” series penned by Sarah J. Maas has gained significant and, indeed, global popularity due to the work’s well-thought plot, creatively developed characters, and brilliant descriptions of the imaginary world. If this is not your first time to join this series or if you simply cannot remember the sequence of the books, knowing the order of the books will be very helpful in enjoying the entire plot. In this guide, we will discuss on how to read “Throne of Glass” series, give an outline of overviews of each book in the series, and give some generalities on the series.
Background to the Throne of Glass Series
The series titled “Throne of Glass” is a high-fantasy novel consisting of eight books mainly focusing on Celaena Sardothien – a young adult, an assassin with grey past and mysterious future. The setting of the series is widely appreciated for the presence of magic, political aspects, and the variety of characters. It is very important to read all the books in the series in the correct sequence in order to be able to understand the grand story arcs and characters growth.
Recommended Reading Order
1. The Assassin’s Blade
Essentially The Assassin’s Blade is a collection of novellas that convey the previous history of the characters for the main series. It introduces readers to Celaena’s early life and her adventures before the events of “Throne of Glass. ” The novellas are:It introduces readers to Celaena’s early life and her adventures before the events of “Throne of Glass. ” The novellas are:
- The Assassin and the Pirate Lord
- The Assassin and the Healer
- The Assassin and the Desert
- The Assassin and the Underworld
- The Assassin and the Empire
These novellas are enjoyable to read and having read these novellas first, provides readers with a background to Celaena Sardothien and the experiences that have made her as she is. They also depict main characters and locations throughout the series, but those are not explored at the moment.
2. Throne of Glass
The first book in the main series called ‘Throne of Glass’ introduces Celaena as a girl, who has been released from a brutal prison to master in a contest of becoming the King’s champion. The book brings the reader to the place that is to become the scenery of this great adventure and gets acquainted with the main characters including Prince Dorian, Captain Chaol, and Princess Nehemia.
In “Throne of Glass”, one finds himself or herself exposed to political scheming, magic and the inherent risks that come with life at the royal courts when Celaena has to live two lives – one as the updates’ champion and the other as the upstart killer who is trying to keep her past a secret from everyone she meets at the court. The novel being a start is an edge that grabs the readers’ attention with the swift pacing, not forgetting passionate characters.
3. Crown of Midnight
“Crown of Midnight” is the second book in the series that continues the story from where it was left in “Throne of Glass;” Celaena’s journey to understand who she is and make hard choices continues from this book. When she works for the king as his assassin she discovers what is actually wrong with the kingdom and who she truly is.
This book is significant in the series because it builds up on the world and lays the foundation of the key arcs that will be followed in the subsequent literature. Terminology is more concrete, characters are more complex, and plot’s turns more compound, making “Crown of Midnight” one of the most exciting reads.
4. Heir of Fire
Besides coming of age, “Heir of Fire” is a book of transformation that focuses on Celaena Sardothene. To become ready for the battles, she has to confront her past and her abilities after being sent to a faraway country. This book was generating new characters Rowan Whitethorn a fae prince and the new avatar of Celaena, Aelin Ashryver Galathynius.
‘Heir of Fire’ in turn expands the setting of the series geographically and culturally further into the world Maas has built. The character transformation is deep and the tension is raised to the topmost level since Celaena faces her destiny.
5. Queen of Shadows
“Queen of Shadows” is a very strong book within the series. She comes back to her land to claim her throne and to punish her enemies that dared cross her path. This book is full of fight scenes, twists and the readers get to see Aelin gather her team and deal with powerful antagonists.
The interactions between the characters become more complex, or perhaps, multifaceted and the storylines become more complex. I believe this book is great proof of Maas’s writing style in narrating intricate stories and developing her characters as they grow within the series.
6. Empire of Storms
Just like in the previous books, “Empire of Storms” is rich in its plot and shows the climax of Aelin and the crew’s conflict with the dark forces targeting their world. The action, tactics, and feelings hardly let the reader’s breathe, and Aelin with her courage and surrender takes the leadership.
This installment is necessary to comprehend the final plot of the series and the development of different plotlines. The action and relationships in “Empire of Storms” build the groundwork for the conflicts and outcomes of the series.
7. Tower of Dawn
In particular, “Tower of Dawn” comes as a direct continuation of “Empire of Storms” with the primary emphasis made on the character of Chaol Westfall. Forced to travel to the southern continent for treatment, Chaol has to battle personal darkness as well as make new friends. It progressively develops the appearances of new characters and looks at different aspects of the world Maas established.
Of course, some readers may be inclined to skipped “Tower of Dawn”, however, it sets the necessary background and adds depth to characters making the story better. In that respect, it needs to be said that Maas has once again triumphed with her world-building skills and, more importantly, weaving of the stories within the story.
8. Kingdom of Ash
But “Kingdom of Ash” is the final space in the landscape and the climax of the Throne of Glass novels. The two major plots reach their climax as Aelin and her friends fight the evil enemies that threaten their kingdom. It is filled with a mixture of feelings, scenes and ending which provides the series with a nice conclusion.
The denouement of “Kingdom of Ash” is the final step of Aelin’s character development, the fates’ prophesies coming true and the main characters’ losses. It is quite appropriate for a series that has not only entertained but also challenged the readers.
Conclusion
“Throne of Glass” series can be deciphered as the perfect combination of both the genres of fantasy and adventure along with growth of the main character. Thus, reading the books in turns is considered because it makes the reading process more enjoyable and reveals all the details of the plot and the characters’ development. The journey portrayed in the series starting from the poor girl Celaena who was an assassin and becoming a queen is definitely worth the read. Whether a reader who is currently just starting, or a returning one to the series it is crucial to familiarize yourself with the correct sequencing in order to fully the dive into the world of Sarah J. Maas.
