The Optimal Power of Five Reading Order
To fully experience Lera's journey from a mortal servant to a powerful heroine bonded to four elite fae warriors, you should read the books in their publication order. Because the narrative is highly sequential and character relationships develop continuously across the volumes, reading them out of order will result in major spoilers and confusion. The core series and its sequel arc follow a single chronological timeline.
Here is the recommended reading order for the series:
- Power of Five (2018): Introduces Lera, an orphaned stable hand who accidentally triggers a magical bond with four elite fae warriors—River, Coal, Tye, and Shade.
- Mistake of Magic (2018): Lera must face deadly trials in the fae lands to prove that her human presence won't destroy the fae warriors' magical connection.
- Trial of Three (2018): The bond between Lera and her mates is tested further as political intrigue and magical threats to their world intensify.
- Lera of Lunos (2019): The dramatic conclusion to the original four-book arc, where the quint must stand against a world-ending evil threatening both fae and mortal realms.
- Great Falls Cadet (2019): Serves as Book 5 and begins the Great Falls Academy sequel arc. Lera and her mates go undercover at a mortal military academy, but a magical accident wipes the fae warriors' memories of Lera and their bond.
- Great Falls Rogue (2020): Book 6. Lera continues to navigate the strict hierarchy of the academy while struggling to restore her mates' memories and counter the leaking dark magic.
- Great Falls Protector (2020): Book 7. The ultimate finale of the Power of Five saga, where the final secrets of Great Falls Academy are revealed and Lera fights to secure a permanent future for her quint.
Understanding the Sequel Arc: Great Falls Academy Chronicles
While the first four books of the series tell a complete story wrapping up the conflict in the fae realm of Lunos, Alex Lidell expanded the universe with books 5 through 7. Often referred to by readers as the Great Falls Academy Chronicles, these three books shift the setting from the high-fantasy fae courts to a gritty, mortal military academy. Despite the shift in atmosphere and the introduction of a memory-loss trope that forces Lera to rebuild her connections with River, Coal, Tye, and Shade from scratch, these books are direct continuations of the same main characters' lives rather than a spin-off about a new couple.
The Serialization Guide: Novels vs. Episodes
If you are buying these books individually, you might run into some confusing titles online. Alex Lidell originally published the Great Falls Academy books as serialized, short e-book episodes before collecting them into full-length novels. To avoid buying the same story twice, keep these relationships in mind:
- Great Falls Cadet (Book 5) compiles the serialized installments: Rules of Stone, Crime and Punishment, and Scent of a Wolf.
- Great Falls Rogue (Book 6) compiles the serialized installments: Clock Strikes Midnight, Dungeons and Dreamers, and Hide and Seek.
- Great Falls Protector (Book 7) compiles the serialized installments: Enemy Tyes, Prowess Trials, and The Last Bell.
If you purchase the primary books 5, 6, and 7, you do not need to buy any of the individual serialized titles listed above.
What to Know Before You Start
The Power of Five is a reverse harem (also known as a 'choose-all') fantasy romance. Unlike traditional love triangles where the heroine must choose a single partner, Lera forms an unbreakable polyamorous bond with all four warriors. The series blends elements of young adult adventure with steamy romance, though the latter half of the series leans slightly more mature in its romantic themes. The world-building is split between Lunos (the magical fae realm) and the mortal lands, grounding the epic fantasy conflicts in Lera's personal struggles to overcome her history of servitude and find true belonging.
Can the Books Be Read as Standalones?
No, the books cannot be read as standalones. The plot of each novel picks up immediately after the cliffhanger or resolution of the previous installment. Even the transition between the core Lunos arc (Book 4) and the Great Falls Academy arc (Book 5) relies heavily on your understanding of the characters' relationships and the magical rules established in the earlier books. For the best experience, start with the self-titled first book, Power of Five, and read straight through to Great Falls Protector.