As a fan of contemporary fantasy, it is hard to look past series that adapt pre-existing mythology into a fresh narrative. From OUAT to Grimm, this has been done time and time again on TV. But in the written medium, Sarah J. Maas is one of the first writers to create original stories featuring fairytale characters.
Two of her series are independently popular, and she writes novellas from time to time. With a recent TV adaptation deal, the avenues to know about her work have expanded. Regardless of how you get introduced to her work, you want to read more.
This post lists Sarah J. Maas’s books in the order of their publication and their appeal. In this resource, you will find a list of her work in order as well as the top books to read. So let’s get started!
our best Sarah J Maas Books at a glance:
- The Assassin’s Blade
- Throne of Glass
- A Court of Thorns and Roses
- A Court of Mist and Fury
- Crown of Midnight
- Empire of Storms
- Kingdom of Ash
Sarah J Maas: The Genius Behind Throne Of Glass
Sarah J. Maas was born in New York on March 5, 1986. She grew up listening to popular fairytales and listening to mythical narratives in popular media at the time. But because of a lack of entertainment outlets, she ran out of material to read or listen to. After that, she spent months making up her own stories based on the characters in the fairy tales she had listened to.
Little did she know that this exercise was preparing her to become the popular fantasy writer that she is today. Her path to publishing wasn’t as straightforward as it might seem in hindsight.
The fact that Mass used to write Sailor Moon fanfiction in her youth shows that she didn’t write anything that she didn’t want to read herself. This kept her from falling into the trap of pretentious writing that new authors engage in when they’re trying to sound like professional authors.
She published the initial chapters of her first novel on a fanfiction website, and the story became pretty popular. One of the reasons behind its popularity was that it didn’t read like regular fan fiction. Instead, it read like a fresh take on an old tale.
The story’s reception led to an eventual novelization, and the rest is history. Sarah Janet Maas isn’t just great at reinventing fantasy stories for contemporary audiences; she is also good at making the most of every opportunity.
Her novels’ success was backed up by consistent quality and reliably engaging stories in two distinct series. All the titles in her “Throne of Glass” and “A Court of Thorns and Roses” series are covered below in chronological order.
Sarah J Maas Books In Order of Publication
Throne Of Glass Books In Order
- The Assassin’s Blade (2014)
- Throne of Glass (2012)
- Crown of Midnight (2013)
- Heir of Fire (2014)
- Queen of Shadows (2015)
- Empire of Storms (2016)
- Tower of Dawn (2017)
- Kingdom of Ash (2018)
The Assassin’s Blade Novellas In Order
- The Assassin and the Pirate Lord (2012)
- The Assassin and the Desert (2012)
- The Assassin and the Underworld (2012)
- The Assassin and the Empire (2012)
- The Assassin and the Healer (2013)
A Court of Thorns and Roses Books in Order
- A Court of Thorns and Roses (2015)
- A Court of Mist and Fury (2016)
- A Court of Wings and Ruin (2017)
- A Court of Frost and Starlight (2018)
- A Court of Silver Flames (2021
Crescent City Books In Order
Other Books
- Throne of Glass Coloring Book (2016)
- A Court of Thorns and Roses Coloring Book (2017)
- Catwoman: Soulstealer (2018)
The Best Sarah J Maas Books To Read
The Assassin’s Blade
This book started as fanfiction written by a 16-year-old Maas before it developed into one of the most popular modern fantasy books today. The premise was: What if Cinderella was an assassin who attended the ball to assassinate the prince?
While the main events of the Cinderella rewrite don’t take place in this book, it still introduces Maas’s take on the fictional princess. As Sarah set out to package her online fiction entries into a traditional novel, Cinderella would become Celaena, and the book would become a global bestseller.
Throne of Glass
Throne of Glass was Sarah J. Maas’s debut in the world of traditional publishing. It is a book that compiles multiple novellas, all co-opting fairytale damsels and turning them into assassins. If you like “The Assassin’s Blade,” you’ll love “Throne of Glass.” It is also the book where the Cinderella story is revisited as an assassin’s tale.
A Court of Thorns and Roses
A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR), Sarah J. Maas’s second series, eclipses A Throne of Glass in popularity and commercial appeal. This novel is the debut entry in the series and is one of Maas’s most popular works.
It revisits the “Beauty and the Beast” story and brilliantly morphs the characters in the process. There is an anticipation of familiarity as well as a garnish of novelty that makes this book a satisfying one to read.
A Court of Mist and Fury
This book follows the events of the first entry and has the protagonist dealing with the aftermath of her introduction to the magical world and the discovery of her powers. It has themes of reconciliation with a new identity and balancing two worlds, both of which one belongs to. That’s why the book has resonated with young adult readers from different backgrounds.
Crown of Midnight
The Crown of Midnight belongs to Maas’s first series and tells the story of how her version of Cinderella ended up becoming an assassin. It is a much-needed story in the canon to make the protagonist sympathetic.
Because it might be an interesting premise to make a fairy tale princess an assassin, but it is still a herculean task to get the assassin into the good books of the average reader.
Empire of Storms
In this book, the protagonist, Celaena, continues her journey from assassin to queen amidst turmoil in the kingdom. The high fantasy book reads like a geopolitical thriller and a medieval drama in some parts. It is a gripping page-turner that solidifies the status of A Throne of Glass as a consistent series in the high-fantasy genre.
Kingdom of Ash
Sarah J. Maas does a brilliant job of landing the ship with the final installment of the Throne of Glass series. The novel was delivered brilliantly as the final book in the series and has been received positively by fans who have been with the story since it was published seven books ago.
Kingdom of Ash is about the value of perseverance and the power of choice. The protagonist makes the right choice in front of the wrong person and has to endure a torturous stay in an iron coffin. You should read this book only if you have read the previous ones.
Sarah J Maas Books FAQs
Is Sarah J. Maas Writing A New Series?
Sarah J. Maas is writing her third series, titled The Crescent City Series. It is considered her new series even though its first installment was introduced in 2020. However, given that her first two series were introduced in 2012 and 2015, respectively, it is fair to say that her latest series is a new one. and it is not one she is known for.
What Will Sarah J. Maas Write Next?
Sarah J. Maas will write new entries in her Crescent City series. Since the author has not shut the door on her previous series, it is also possible that she will write novels in the Throne of Glass or ACOTAR series.
The Crescent Series books are meant to crossover with ACOTAR, so whichever book Maas writes will likely have crossover elements from both series. However, the specifics of which series canon the book will belong to favor the Crescent Series.
Will There Be A 7th ACOTAR Book?
There will be a seventh book connected to the ACOTAR universe. However, it is more likely to be set in the Crescent City series than the main ACOTAR narrative.
Originally, ACOTAR was set to conclude with the third installment, “A Court of Wings and Ruin.” After the trilogy, the Crescent City spin-off was launched, and ACOTAR was considered a closed chapter. However, A Court of Silver Flames, the fourth entry in the main ACOTAR narrative, has gotten fans’ hopes up regarding potential upcoming titles in its canon.
Is Crescent City Connected To ACOTAR?
Crescent City books and ACOTAR stories happen in the same fictional universe, so a crossover might be in the cards. However, a direct crossover has yet to happen. The books are currently connected by their world-building.
What Is ACOTAR By Sarah J Maas
ACOTAR stands for A Court of Thorns and Roses, which is a series of books by the author Sarah J. Maas. The books are in the contemporary fantasy genre and subvert multiple tropes of classic fantasy.
Should I Read Sarah J Maas’s Books In Order?
Unless you want to read the debut novels in her series, you will have to read her stories in the right order to make sense of the grand narrative. Within each series, the debut books work as stand-alone stories while the rest of the books continue the narrative.
A Throne of Glass and A Court of Thorns and Roses can be read individually. The rest of the books must be read within the series.
Wrapping It Up
Whether you’re a fan of the fantasy genre as a whole or simply like fresh takes on young adult themes, you will love Sarah J. Maas’s work.
Her commercial appeal took her from fanfiction writing to traditional publishing. It has even landed her a series adaptation deal.
The books that started it all are cataloged above, and the best titles are also listed. Now, you have all that you need to start reading Sarah J. Maas’s books.
