The Recommended Reading Order
For the ultimate experience of Kresley Cole's Arcana Chronicles, you should follow the publication order. Although the companion collection, Day Zero, contains stories that take place chronologically before the main series, reading it first will spoil major plot points and mysteries from the first three books.
We highly recommend reading the books in this precise sequence:
- Poison Princess (2012)
- Endless Knight (2013)
- Dead of Winter (2015)
- Day Zero (2016) — Book 3.5 (Read this here to avoid massive spoilers!)
- Arcana Rising (2016)
- The Dark Calling (2018)
- From the Grave (2023)
Understanding Day Zero (Book 3.5)
Day Zero is a collection of short stories and companion guides that details the experiences of various Arcana characters during "The Flash" (the event that ended the world). While it serves as a prequel in terms of chronological timing, Kresley Cole released it between Dead of Winter and Arcana Rising for a reason. It answers burning questions and reveals secrets that are meant to be discovered only after you have finished the third book.
Publication vs. Chronological Order
Aside from the placement of Day Zero, the publication order matches the chronological timeline perfectly. Because Kresley Cole wrote the narrative as a continuous, high-stakes battle royal where events directly build on one another, we strongly advise against skipping any of the main novels. The final entry, From the Grave, brings the entire conflict to its dramatic conclusion.