Dragons, a deadly war college, and a shadow wielder with far too many secrets. If Fourth Wing has finally made it to the top of your TBR, here’s where to begin—and where Threshing Day and Xaden’s bonus chapters fit.
The Fourth Wing reading order is Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, Onyx Storm, then Threshing Day. The first three books follow Violet’s story; Threshing Day takes us back to other riders’ dragon-bonding days.
This guide is spoiler-free, so you can find your next book without finding out what happens in it.
Fourth Wing Reading Order at a Glance
| Order | Book | Place in the series |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fourth Wing | Main series, Book 1 |
| 2 | Iron Flame | Main series, Book 2 |
| 3 | Onyx Storm | Main series, Book 3 |
| 4 | Threshing Day | Companion collection; best read after Onyx Storm |
The numbers above show our recommended reading sequence. Threshing Day is a companion collection, not Empyrean Book 4.
1. Fourth Wing
Violet Sorrengail was supposed to become a scribe. Her mother has other plans: Violet must enter the Riders Quadrant at Basgiath War College, where the training is deadly and the dragons decide who is worth bonding.
Fourth Wing is Book 1, following Violet through her first year as a cadet. This is where we meet her friends, her dragons, and Xaden Riorson—the last person she should trust, and someone she finds increasingly difficult to ignore. Expect dangerous trials, dragon banter and plenty of romantic tension.
2. Iron Flame
Surviving her first year doesn’t make Violet’s life at Basgiath any easier. Iron Flame brings more brutal training, new pressure from those in command, and secrets that make it difficult to know whom to trust.
Iron Flame is Book 2 and picks up after Fourth Wing. Violet and Xaden’s relationship becomes more complicated, while the story opens up beyond the college. The questions raised in the first book become part of a much bigger conflict.
3. Onyx Storm
In Onyx Storm, Violet’s search for answers takes her beyond familiar territory. The dragons, their history and the things they haven’t told their riders become increasingly important as the stakes rise.
Onyx Storm is Book 3, following Iron Flame. There are new places to explore and more to learn about the bonds at the heart of the series. We’re keeping the details to ourselves here: this is one you’ll want to go into without knowing its biggest revelations.
4. Threshing Day (Companion Collection)
Threshing Day lets us spend more time with the riders we’ve come to love. Across thirteen stories, we see their encounters with the dragons who choose them—and what they were hoping for, afraid of, or determined to protect before those bonds changed their lives.
Read Threshing Day after Onyx Storm. Although the stories revisit earlier events, they contain spoilers for the main series. The publisher recommends this order, and knowing the characters’ later stories makes the smaller details much more interesting.
For us, those details were the best part: recognizing a future signet in a passing thought, or hearing a promise that feels different after Onyx Storm. If you’ve finished the collection, join us in our Threshing Day theories and Easter eggs. That discussion contains spoilers for all three main novels and Threshing Day.
Where Do the Fourth Wing Bonus Chapters Fit?
If you’ve ever wanted to know what Xaden was thinking during Fourth Wing, the bonus chapters are for you. Rebecca Yarros has shared Chapters 9, 16 and 27 from his perspective, giving us his side of scenes we first experienced with Violet.
We’d save them until you’ve finished Fourth Wing. They take place within the first book, but Xaden knows things Violet doesn’t. Reading them afterward lets you enjoy the original story’s reveals before returning to those moments through his eyes.
You can read them for free on Rebecca Yarros’s official bonus-content page. They’re optional extras, so you don’t need to pause between the main books to fit them in.
Already caught up with the main novels? Our Fourth Wing bonus-chapters guide looks at the details that stood out to us. Save that analysis until after Onyx Storm, as it discusses the wider series.
Is Threshing Day Fourth Wing Book 4?
No—Threshing Day is a companion collection, not Book 4. It revisits the riders’ earlier experiences rather than continuing Violet’s story after Onyx Storm.
Book 4 is a separate installment. In PEOPLE’s October 5, 2026 report, Yarros was still working on it, with no official release date announced.
Do You Have to Read Threshing Day?
It’s optional. Yarros has said she’ll bring the information needed from Threshing Day into Book 4, so you can follow the main story without reading the collection.
We’d recommend it if you’re attached to the supporting characters or love looking for clues in the dragon lore. It gives you more time with familiar faces—and plenty to discuss while waiting for the next book.
Finished the Empyrean Books?
If you’re caught up and still thinking about Basgiath, come explore our Threshing Day theories or try Would You Survive Threshing?. We have a few difficult choices waiting for you.
Ready for another story? Our What to Read After Fourth Wing guide looks at the books other Fourth Wing fans loved next.
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