The Folk of the Air core books must be read in publication order, with the companion and short-fiction works placed where they are most useful for first-time readers, by following this sequence:[1]
| Order | Cover | Title | First published | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
The Cruel Prince | 2018[8-9] | Opens the main Elfhame storyline. |
| 2 |
|
The Lost Sisters | 2018[10] | Companion perspective on events around book one. |
| 3 |
|
The Wicked King | 2019[11] | Continues the throne and court conflict. |
| 4 |
|
The Queen of Nothing | 2019[12-13] | Concludes the central trilogy. |
| 5 |
|
How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories | 2020[14-15] | Retrospective companion best read after the trilogy. |
| 6 |
|
A Conspiracy of Charming Monsters | 2026[16-17] | Short-story collection for wider-world reading. |
1. The Cruel Prince
The Cruel Prince (2018)[8-9] introduces Jude Duarte, her place in Elfhame, and the structure of faerie court life. It establishes the central conflicts around power, survival, family loyalty, and political control.[2]
For new readers, it is the essential entry point because it sets up the relationships and court tensions that later books continue.[2]
2. The Lost Sisters
The Lost Sisters (2018)[10] is a companion work told from Taryn’s perspective. It revisits the background and emotional consequences of events surrounding The Cruel Prince, especially the sisters’ estrangement and Taryn’s choices in Elfhame.[3]
It is not the main continuation, but it adds useful context before moving further into the central political sequence and into the next installment.[3]
3. The Wicked King
The Wicked King (2019)[11] continues the story after the upheavals of The Cruel Prince. Jude’s position in court grows more precarious, Cardan’s kingship reshapes the balance of power, and Elfhame faces new threats.[4]
This book relies on the first novel’s events and serves as the middle movement of the core trilogy.[4]
4. The Queen of Nothing
The Queen of Nothing (2019)[12-13] follows the previous book’s ending and brings the main Jude-and-Cardan sequence to its resolution. It returns to Elfhame’s court politics, family conflict, rebellion, and questions of rule.[5]
This is the closing volume of the central trilogy and should not be treated as a standalone starting point.[5]
5. How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories
How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories (2020)[14-15] is a companion volume centered on Cardan. It combines retrospective material from his earlier life with a later episode involving Jude and Cardan after the main trilogy.[6]
Because it depends on the reader’s knowledge of the central relationship and court history, it is best read after The Queen of Nothing and after the main arc.[6]
6. A Conspiracy of Charming Monsters
A Conspiracy of Charming Monsters, which will be published on November 3, 2026,[16-17] is an illustrated short-story collection. It returns to the world of Faerie through multiple tales, including stories connected to Elfhame, Cardan, Madoc, a redcap in exile, a mortal girl, and a sprite in the High Court.[7]
It is best treated as supplementary reading for readers who have already read the main books.[7]
References
- The Folk of the Air. Hachette Book Group.
- The Cruel Prince. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 9780316310277.
- The Lost Sisters. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 9780316310444.
- The Wicked King. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 9780316310352.
- The Queen of Nothing. Brown Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 9780316310420.
- How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories. Brown Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 9780316540889.
- A Conspiracy of Charming Monsters. Alvina Ling Books. ISBN: 9780316592642.
- The Cruel Prince by Holly Black. Hachette Book Group.
- The Cruel Prince. Bonnier Books.
- The Lost Sisters by Holly Black. Hachette Book Group.
- The Wicked King by Holly Black. Hachette Book Group.
- The Queen of Nothing by Holly Black. Hachette Book Group.
- The Queen of Nothing. Bonnier Books.
- How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories by Holly Black. Hachette Book Group.
- How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories. Bonnier Books.
- A Conspiracy of Charming Monsters by Holly Black & Solenne Songer (Frostbite Studios). Hachette Book Group.
- Conspiracy of Charming Monsters – Holly Black — Bonnier – 9781471421686. Allen & Unwin.