Fourth Wing Series Reading Order

By the Ember team · Updated June 2026

The Fourth Wing series by Rebecca Yarros has three books out as of June 2026: Fourth Wing (April 2023), Iron Flame (November 2023), and Onyx Storm (January 2025). The series is also called the Empyrean series. Start with Fourth Wing and read in publication order. Two more books are planned, but release dates are not yet confirmed. The Empyrean series has sold over 12 million copies in the United States across print, ebook, and audiobook formats, according to industry reports.

This is not a series where you can skip around. Each book ends on a cliffhanger, and the revelations in one book reframe everything that came before. If you start with Iron Flame or Onyx Storm, you will be lost and major twists will be ruined.

Short answer

The Fourth Wing series, also called the Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros, has three books out: Fourth Wing (April 2023), Iron Flame (November 2023), and Onyx Storm (January 2025). Start with Fourth Wing and read in publication order. Two more books are planned. A mystery 176-page Empyrean book (not book 4) releases September 29, 2026.

Fourth Wing series books in order

1

Fourth Wing

Released May 2, 2023

Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Instead, she's forced into the brutal war college at Basgiath, where dragons choose riders and most recruits don't survive to graduation.

2

Iron Flame

Released November 7, 2023

After the revelations at the end of Fourth Wing, Violet returns to Basgiath with more questions than answers. The war college has secrets deeper than she imagined, and the truth about the kingdom's history threatens everything she thought she knew.

3

Onyx Storm

Released January 21, 2025

The third Empyrean novel continues Violet's story as the stakes climb higher. Onyx Storm sold 2.7 million copies in its first week, more than any other adult novel in the previous 20 years.

What's coming next for the Empyrean series

Rebecca Yarros has confirmed she is writing Empyrean book 4, but no release date has been announced yet. Two additional books are planned to complete the five-book series.

A mystery Empyrean book releases September 29, 2026. It is 176 pages, and Yarros has not revealed what it is. The book is listed as part of the Empyrean series but explicitly not book 4. Fans speculate it may be a companion novella, a prequel, or missing scenes from the existing timeline. Pre-orders are available now.

Amazon has ordered a Fourth Wing TV series for Prime Video. The adaptation was announced in 2026, and production details have not been released. Rebecca Yarros is involved in the project.

Rebecca Yarros is also releasing a standalone contemporary romance called Peculiar Stars on November 17, 2026. It is a castaway romance published by Amazon Publishing and is not part of the Empyrean series. Yarros announced that she officially started writing Fourth Wing book 4 after completing Peculiar Stars.

Where to start with the Fourth Wing series

Start with Fourth Wing. Do not skip it. Do not read a plot summary and jump to Iron Flame. The first book is not setup. It is the foundation for everything that comes after, and the twists at the end recontextualize the entire world.

Fourth Wing follows Violet Sorrengail, who was supposed to become a scribe but instead gets forced into Basgiath War College, where dragons bond with riders and most cadets do not make it to graduation. The book is fantasy romance with real stakes. People die. The romance is slow burn, enemies-to-lovers with fated-mates undertones, and the love interest is the kind of morally gray character BookTok built a religion around. Fourth Wing spent 18 weeks at number one on The New York Times bestseller list, according to Wikipedia.

If you like fantasy romance, dragon riders, war college competition, and tension that makes you want to throw the book across the room (in a good way), you will like Fourth Wing. If you hate cliffhangers, wait until all five books are out. This series does not play fair with endings.

What to read while waiting for Fourth Wing book 4

If you have finished all three Empyrean books and need something to fill the gap until book 4, these are the reads that hit the same notes.

From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout

If you loved the forbidden romance, the war college tension, and the slow-burn fated-mates energy in Fourth Wing, From Blood and Ash delivers that same mix in a different fantasy setting.

The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni

Brutal survival stakes, a heroine who has to be smarter than everyone around her, and a slow reveal of hidden power. The tone is darker, but the structure feels familiar.

Books like Fourth Wing

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Frequently asked questions

What is the Fourth Wing series reading order?

The Fourth Wing series, also called the Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros, has three books out: Fourth Wing (April 2023), Iron Flame (November 2023), and Onyx Storm (January 2025). Start with Fourth Wing and read in publication order. Two more books are planned. A mystery 176-page Empyrean book (not book 4) releases September 29, 2026.

Should I read Fourth Wing series in publication order or chronological order?

Publication order and chronological order are the same for the Fourth Wing series. Read Fourth Wing first, then Iron Flame, then Onyx Storm. The series has one continuous timeline with major cliffhangers between books. Starting anywhere other than Fourth Wing will spoil key reveals and leave you confused.

How many books are in the Fourth Wing series?

The Fourth Wing series is planned for five books total. Three are out now: Fourth Wing (April 2023), Iron Flame (November 2023), and Onyx Storm (January 2025). Rebecca Yarros has confirmed two more Empyrean titles are in the works, with release dates not yet announced.

When is Empyrean book 4 coming out?

Rebecca Yarros is currently writing Empyrean book 4, but no release date has been announced yet. A mystery Empyrean book (not book 4) is releasing September 29, 2026. It is 176 pages and details have not been revealed. Fans speculate it may cover missing details from previous books or be a companion novella.

What should I read after Fourth Wing?

After finishing Fourth Wing, read Iron Flame immediately. The first book ends on a cliffhanger, and Iron Flame picks up the story directly. If you have finished all three Empyrean books and want something similar while waiting for book 4, try From Blood and Ash by Jennifer L. Armentrout (fantasy romance with dragons and war college tension), The Prison Healer by Lynette Noni (survival competition in a brutal setting), or Fourth Wing readalikes that deliver fated mates, morally gray love interests, and high-stakes fantasy worlds.

Looking for a gift for a Fourth Wing fan? Personalized romance novel gifts let you create a custom book where they are the main character.

Sources

Series order and release dates verified as of June 2026.

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