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Reading Order

The Folk of the Air Reading Order

Holly Black's The Folk of the Air trilogy is dark fae fantasy at its most intoxicating — mortal girl Jude Duarte navigating treachery, power, and a ruthless fae prince in the courts of Elfhame. Here's the complete reading order.

Where to start

Start with The Cruel Prince (Book 1). The trilogy must be read in order — The Wicked King's cliffhanger is one of the most talked-about in modern fantasy.

Complete The Folk of the Air Book List

  1. 1

    The Cruel Prince

    Holly Black·2018·Book 1 — start here
    Buy

  2. The Lost Sisters

    Optional
    Holly Black·2018·Novella — Taryn's POV, read between Books 1 and 2
    Buy
  3. 2

    The Wicked King

    Holly Black·2019·Book 2 — famous cliffhanger ending
    Buy

  4. How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories

    Optional
    Holly Black·2020·Novella — Cardan's POV, read between Books 2 and 3
    Buy
  5. 3

    The Queen of Nothing

    Holly Black·2020·Book 3 — trilogy finale
    Buy
  6. 4

    The Stolen Heir

    Holly Black·2023·Book 1 of a new duology set in Elfhame
    Buy
  7. 5

    The Prisoner's Throne

    Holly Black·2024·New duology Book 2
    Buy

The Folk of the Air — Frequently Asked Questions

How many Folk of the Air books are there?

The original trilogy is 3 books (The Cruel Prince, The Wicked King, The Queen of Nothing). Holly Black has since released a companion duology (The Stolen Heir, The Prisoner's Throne) set in the same world with new protagonists.

Are The Stolen Heir and The Prisoner's Throne connected to the main trilogy?

Yes — they're set in Elfhame after the events of The Queen of Nothing. You should read the original trilogy first as the new books reference events and characters from it.

Does The Wicked King really end on a cliffhanger?

Yes — The Wicked King has one of the most notorious cliffhanger endings in YA fantasy. Make sure you have The Queen of Nothing ready before you finish it.

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