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.
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.
Fourth Wing series books in order
Fourth Wing
Released April 5, 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Explore fantasy romance readalikes with fated mates, dragons, enemies-to-lovers tension, and morally gray love interests.
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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.
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.
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.
Sources
Series order and release dates verified as of June 2026.
- Rebecca Yarros Official SiteUsed for official Empyrean series information and release dates.
- Goodreads Empyrean SeriesUsed for series order and reader context.
- Onyx Storm WikipediaUsed for Onyx Storm release date and sales data.
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