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series Reading Order

Craft Sequence Books in Order

6 Books
2012 – 2017 Published
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Reading order

Where to Start: Publication Order vs. Chronological Order

Because the first six books of the Craft Sequence were published out of chronological order, new readers often wonder where to begin. Fortunately, you have two excellent paths to choose from. We strongly recommend Publication Order for your first read-through, but chronological order is a fantastic option for a reread.

Path 1: Publication Order (Highly Recommended)

Reading in the order the books were published is the most natural way to experience the series. Max Gladstone designed the world-building to unfold progressively this way, introducing key concepts and characters in a manner that keeps the mysteries engaging without overloading you with lore.

  • Three Parts Dead (2012)
  • Two Serpents Rise (2013)
  • Full Fathom Five (2014)
  • Last First Snow (2015)
  • Four Roads Cross (2016)
  • The Ruin of Angels (2017)

Path 2: Chronological Order

If you prefer to watch the history of the world unfold linearly, you can follow the internal timeline. Gladstone left a clever hint in the titles of the first five books—the numbers in the titles indicate their chronological placement (First, Two, Three, Four, Five). Note that The Ruin of Angels dropped the number trick but functions as the sixth book chronologically.

  1. Last First Snow (Chronological Book 1)
  2. Two Serpents Rise (Chronological Book 2)
  3. Three Parts Dead (Chronological Book 3)
  4. Four Roads Cross (Chronological Book 4)
  5. Full Fathom Five (Chronological Book 5)
  6. The Ruin of Angels (Chronological Book 6)

The Craft Wars Arc: A True Sequel Sequence

Unlike the first six books, which function as standalone-style stories that jump across the timeline, the subsequent Craft Wars series is a direct, linear sequel arc. It brings together characters from all over the sequence and must be read in strict order after completing the original six books.

  • Dead Country (2023) - Book 1 of the Craft Wars
  • Wicked Problems (2024) - Book 2 of the Craft Wars
  • Dead Hand Rule (2025) - Book 3 of the Craft Wars
  • Forthcoming Fourth Book (TBD) - The concluding volume of the quartet

Interactive Spin-Offs

For readers who want to experience the Craft Sequence from a first-person perspective, Max Gladstone has written two interactive text-based novels published by Choice of Games. While they are not mandatory to understand the main novels, they offer fantastic world expansion:

  • Choice of the Deathless (2013)
  • Deathless: The City's Thirst (2015)

Frequently Asked

QWhat is the recommended starting book for the Craft Sequence?

We highly recommend starting with Three Parts Dead. It is the first published novel and serves as the perfect introduction to the world's unique blend of legal drama and necromancy.

QDo I have to read the Craft Sequence in order?

For the first six books, you can read them either by publication order or chronological order. However, the subsequent Craft Wars books (beginning with Dead Country) must be read in order, as they form a continuous sequel storyline.

QHow do the numbers in the book titles relate to the reading order?

The numbers in the first five book titles (First, Two, Three, Four, Five) represent their chronological order. Max Gladstone added this feature so readers would always know where a book sat on the timeline, regardless of when they found it.

QIs the Craft Sequence finished?

No, the story is still ongoing. The current sequence concludes with the Craft Wars arc. While Dead Hand Rule (2025) is the third book in this arc, the author is currently working on a fourth and final book to conclude the quartet.

QIs 'This Is How You Lose the Time War' part of this series?

No. Although it is a highly acclaimed science fiction novella co-authored by Max Gladstone and Amal El-Mohtar, it is a standalone work completely unrelated to the Craft Sequence universe.

QWhat are the interactive games in the series?

Gladstone wrote two choice-based interactive fiction games, Choice of the Deathless and Deathless: The City's Thirst, which are set in the Craft Sequence universe and let you play as a skeleton-staffed corporate necromancer.