Fourth Wing Books in Order
Empyrean series reading order · Updated August 2026
The Fourth Wing series by Rebecca Yarros has three books out as of August 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. Threshing Day, a 176-page Empyrean collection of 13 stories (not book 4), releases September 29, 2026.
How many books are in the Fourth Wing series?
The Fourth Wing series has 3 books out now and 5 books planned total. Threshing Day, a 176-page collection of 13 dragon-bonding stories, releases September 29, 2026 but is not book 4. Rebecca Yarros is currently writing book 4, with no release date announced yet. Book 5 will complete the series.
What this series is known for
- Dragon riders and a brutal war-college gauntlet
- Slow-burn fated-mates tension with a morally gray MMC
- Cliffhangers that force publication order, no skipping
- Romantasy scale: war secrets, found family, high body count stakes
After the reading order
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Fourth Wing series books in order
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.
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.
When Is Fourth Wing Book 4 Coming Out?
Rebecca Yarros is currently writing Fourth Wing book 4, but no release date has been announced yet. She began plotting the book in February 2026 after completing her contemporary romance Peculiar Stars. Based on her writing pace and the gap between previous books, fans expect book 4 in late 2027 at the earliest.
| Book | Release Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Fourth Wing (Book 1) | May 2, 2023 | Published |
| Iron Flame (Book 2) | November 7, 2023 | Published |
| Onyx Storm (Book 3) | January 21, 2025 | Published |
| Threshing Day | September 29, 2026 | Upcoming (13 dragon stories, not book 4) |
| Empyrean Book 4 | TBD | In progress (plotting phase) |
| Empyrean Book 5 | TBD | Planned (series finale) |
What else is coming for the Empyrean series
Threshing Day releases September 29, 2026. The book contains 13 stories about beloved characters and their dragons, all centered on Threshing—the day dragons choose their riders and their bonds begin. At 176 pages, it is significantly shorter than the main series books. Fans speculate it may fill in missing details from Onyx Storm or explore backstories for key dragons and riders. Pre-orders are available now.
Amazon Prime Video has ordered a Fourth Wing TV series. The adaptation was greenlit in May 2026, with Michael B. Jordan's production company Outlier Society producing alongside Amazon MGM Studios. Lisa Joy will direct the first episode, and Meredith Averill (showrunner of Wednesday) will executive produce alongside Rebecca Yarros. No filming or release date has been announced yet.
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 began 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 romance centers on Violet and Xaden Riorson, a powerful dragon rider whose father was killed by Violet's mother. The book is fantasy romance with real stakes. People die. The romance is slow burn, enemies-to-lovers with fated-mates undertones, and Xaden 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.
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. Threshing Day, a 176-page Empyrean collection of 13 stories (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. Threshing Day, a 176-page Empyrean book (not book 4), is releasing September 29, 2026. It contains 13 stories about beloved characters and their dragons, all centered on the day their bonds began.
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.
Is Fourth Wing spicy? What's the age rating?
Fourth Wing is a New Adult fantasy romance with on-page sexual content. The series is rated 18+ and includes explicit romantic scenes between Violet and Xaden. The spice level is typically rated around 3-4 out of 5, with slow-burn tension throughout and more explicit scenes as the relationship develops. The series is not young adult and is intended for adult readers.
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Sources
Series order and release dates verified as of August 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.
- Fourth Wing TV Series (Variety)Used for Fourth Wing Amazon TV adaptation announcement.
- Rebecca Yarros Peculiar Stars (TODAY)Used for Peculiar Stars release date and Empyrean book 4 writing status.
- Threshing Day Announcement (IGN)Used for Threshing Day title reveal and release date confirmation.
- Fourth Wing TV Series Greenlit (THR)Used for Prime Video series order announcement and production details.
- Rebecca Yarros WikipediaUsed for Fourth Wing bestseller statistics and New York Times ranking data.
- Kirkus Reviews: Onyx Storm Breaks RecordsUsed for Onyx Storm first-week sales figures and fastest-selling adult novel data.
- Good e-Reader: Onyx Storm SalesUsed for Empyrean series total US sales figures across formats.
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