This is the reading order most commonly recommended by fans for the strongest emotional payoff. In this version, The Assassin’s Blade is placed after Crown of Midnight, where its stories add depth, heartbreak, and context right before the series expands in Heir of Fire. This placement allows you to connect more deeply with characters, relationships, and future events. This order also allows for a tandem read of Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn, creating a smoother narrative bridge into the final book, Kingdom of Ash.
The chronological reading order follows the story strictly by in-world timeline. In this version, The Assassin’s Blade is read first as a true prequel, since the novella takes place before the events of Throne of Glass. This approach gives you early context for Celaena’s past and introduces characters and locations that reappear later in the series.