The Fourth Wing Series took the literary world by storm as soon as the first book was published, and the sequel came out just a few months after the first book’s release. Now that the third book, Onyx Storm, is out, it’s the perfect time to start reading or re-reading the series.
If you are planning on reading the Fourth Wing series in order, this guide features the best reading order!
This is currently one of the best romantasy books and is also considered one of the most popular young adult fantasy books. If you are a fantasy and romance fan and love reading any story with dragons, this is the book series you want to pick up.
If you are a regular on BookTube or BookTok, I am sure you have already heard about the series. So, there’s no need for me to tell you what the book series is about. We can jump right into the best Fourth Wing reading order!
How Many Books Are in the Fourth Wing Series?
According to the author, Rebecca Yarros, the series will consist of five books. This could change in the future as follow-up books are released, but so far, that’s the plan.
Out of the five books planned for the Fourth Wing series, three have been published. The first book was published in May 2023, the sequel was released in November 2023, and the third was released in January 2025!
- Book 1: Fourth Wing (2023)
- Book 2: Iron Flame (2023)
- Book 3: Onyx Storm (2025)
- Book 4: TBA
- Book 5: TBA
As of writing this article, the release dates and titles for the final two books in the series haven’t been announced. But we can expect some updates now that the third book is out!
What is the Fourth Wing Series About?
The Fourth Wing series, aka The Empyrean series, is set in a world where dragons are real, and students train to bond with said dragons and become the elite dragon riders. The protagonist of the story is a twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail.
Violet wanted to study books and learn history, so she prepared to enter the Scribe Quadrant as a college student. However, she had to enter the Rider Quadrant, as commanded by her mother, so now she has no choice but to bond with a dragon and train to be a warrior in the Kingdom’s ongoing war.
However, her life as a student in the War College isn’t as easy as she had expected, as there are fewer dragons compared to the students trying to bond with them. As the number of dragons ready to bond with the students is low, most students wouldn’t think twice about eliminating their competition, and Violet has to stay on her toes just to survive this harsh environment.
How to Read Fourth Wing Series in Order:
1. Fourth Wing (2023)
Violet Sorrengail wants to live a quiet life by entering the Scribe Quadrant, studying books, and learning about history. However, Violet’s mother, who happens to be the Commanding General, had a different idea.
She ordered Violet to join the Riders Quadrant so that she could bond with one of the dragons and eventually become a Dragon Rider!
She doesn’t want to join the Riders Quadrant, but her mother has made it clear that she has no choice. And so, Violet needs to find a dragon to bond to, which isn’t easy as most dragons don’t want to bond with the cadets.
And it’s not just the dragons she has to worry about. Other cadets in the college aren’t trustworthy either, as they would sooner eliminate their competition than make friends. So, to live, Violet must find a way to bond with a dragon as soon as possible.
To make matters worse, Xaden Riorson has set her eyes on her. This is a problem because he is the wingleader in the Rider’s Quadrant, doesn’t care for her mother, and would do anything to hurt her. Violet is nothing like her mother, but this doesn’t matter to Xaden.
2. Iron Flame (2023)
Violet has somehow managed to survive her first year. No one at Basgiath War College, including Violet herself, expected her to do so; it is a huge shock that she managed to make it another year.
The problem with the second year at college is that the training is getting more challenging. Violet’s body has never been strong; it’s much weaker than others, so she has to work harder than anyone else.
With the new Vice Commandant having it out for her, Violet will have to use her wits, which she has in abundance, to make it through the second year.
What’s worse, Violet has recently discovered a secret tied to the very college she is going to. If found out, it will blow the lid off everything everyone knows.
3. Onyx Storm (2025)
After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons. No more time for uncertainty. Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust.
Now, Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre.
The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him, even if it means keeping a secret so big that it could destroy everything.
They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth. But a storm is coming… and not everyone can survive its wrath.
FAQs about the Fourth Wing Series:
Who is the Author of the Fourth Wing Series?
Rebecca Yarros is the author of the Fourth Wing series. She describes herself as a twenty-year-old military wife with six children with her husband.
While her Fourth Wing series has become incredibly popular, Rebecca Yarros has also published other series and several standalone novels.
What is Fourth Wing’s Age Rating?
The Fourth Wing books contain strong language, sexual situations, and violence, which means they are rated R or at least 17+. Because of this, they should not be read by those younger than 17.
Is Fourth Wing Spicy?
The Fourth Wing does have sex scenes and sexual situations in general, so it’s safe to say that, yes, the Fourth Wing book and the series in general are going to be on the spicy side. Expect this from the rest of the books in the series as well.
Will Fourth Wing Be Adapted into a Movie or TV Show?
Amazon MGM Studios is developing a Fourth Wing TV series. Since Amazon will create it, it will probably air on Amazon Prime when filming and production are complete. However, there is no release date yet, as the TV series adaptation is still in early development.
There are high hopes for this TV show because the author, Rebecca Yarros, will be an executive producer on it.
What to Read After the Fourth Wing Series?
If you’re looking for another series to read after Fourth Wing, Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses is an excellent pick, or you can read The Powerless Trilogy by Lauren Roberts.
If you like reading stories with dragons, you’d want to check out some of the best dragon books after reading Fourth Wing.
Conclusion
The Empyrean Series, aka the Fourth Wing series, took the world by storm when the first book came out in May. It’s a great blend of adult fantasy mixed with young adult fantasy, though the spicy scenes mean young teens should not read it.
If you have yet to read the three books in the series, now is the time to catch up. This way, you’ll be caught up once the fourth book comes out. The same goes for when the TV series is finally released. However, it is still in development, so it’ll be a while before this happens.
That brings us to the conclusion of the article, where we discussed how to read the Fourth Wing series in order and everything there is to know about the book series. If you liked the article, share it with your friends and tell them why they should read this series!
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