The Recommended Reading Order
The Templar Chronicles (also known as the Billi SanGreal series) is a linear urban fantasy trilogy written by Sarwat Chadda. Because the narrative follows a direct timeline of Billi's training, battles, and growth, the chronological order is identical to the publication order. The recommended way to experience the series is as follows:
- The Templar's Daughter (Originally published as Devil's Kiss in 2009; reissued under the new title in 2020)
- The Templar's Witch (Originally published as Dark Goddess in 2010; reissued under the new title in 2020)
- The Templar's Curse (Published in 2021)
Original vs. Reissued Editions: What's the Difference?
Readers exploring this series online might be confused by the different titles floating around. The first two books were originally published by traditional publishers in the late 2000s and early 2010s as Devil's Kiss and Dark Goddess. However, after a long hiatus where the final book was delayed, the author worked to get the rights back and re-released the books in 2020 with updated titles and significant edits.
The reissued versions, The Templar's Daughter and The Templar's Witch, feature expanded content, polished prose, and newly added chapters that help bridge the story to the third book. If you are starting the series today, we highly recommend reading the 2020-2021 re-releases rather than tracking down the original 2009-2010 editions, as they offer the most complete and refined version of Sarwat Chadda's vision.
A Deeper Look at the Books
1. The Templar's Daughter (Devil's Kiss)
We are introduced to Billi SanGreal, a fifteen-year-old girl who holds the heavy title of the first and only female Knight Templar in history. Far from a glamorous role, Billi's life under her father Arthur (the Grandmaster of the Order) consists of brutal training, scars, and emotional isolation in London's gritty underbelly. Her world is shattered when a rogue Templar summons the Angel of Death, Michael, threatening a massacre of children. Billi is forced to step up, balancing her desire for a normal life with the terrible demands of her sacred duty. The book sets a dark, uncompromising tone that challenges traditional YA conventions.
2. The Templar's Witch (Dark Goddess)
Set a year after the traumatic events of the first book, a sixteen-year-old Billi travels to the Templars' headquarters. Here she faces a complex web of supernatural threats, including the mythic Russian witch Baba Yaga and a deadly werewolf pack. She meets Ivan Romanov, a werewolf who challenges her black-and-white view of the supernatural, and Kay, a fellow Templar initiate. This installment expands the mythology of the world, diving deep into Slavic folklore and testing Billi's resolve, loyalty, and capacity for empathy in a world that demands absolute ruthlessness.
3. The Templar's Curse
The long-awaited conclusion to the trilogy takes an eighteen-year-old Billi to the deserts of the Middle East. Now a battle-hardened warrior, Billi confronts ancient Middle Eastern evils, including djinn and desert spirits. The stakes are raised to their absolute limit as she must make final sacrifices to protect the people she loves and decide what kind of future she wants after a lifetime of war. It provides a definitive, action-packed conclusion to Billi's character arc.
What to Know Before You Start
Before diving into the Templar Chronicles, it is helpful to understand the unique characteristics of this urban fantasy series:
- A Gritty and Dark Tone: Unlike many YA fantasy novels of its era, this series does not pull its punches. The battles are bloody, characters face real trauma, and the moral choices are rarely clean-cut. It sits on the border of YA and horror.
- Diverse Mythology: Sarwat Chadda draws from a rich tapestry of folklore, including Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Russian legends. Billi herself has a Muslim background, which creates a compelling dynamic as she operates within a historically Christian order.
- A Reluctant Heroine: Billi is not a chosen one who embraces her powers with ease. She is resentful of her training, grieves her lost childhood, and constantly questions the actions of the Order and her father. This makes her one of the most realistic and compelling protagonists in modern urban fantasy.
Spin-offs and Related Works
There are no official short stories, novellas, or direct spin-off books within the Templar Chronicles universe. Some readers confuse this series with other works due to overlapping titles or the author's other books:
- Unrelated Series: There is another urban fantasy series titled Templar Chronicles written by Joseph Nassise. It is a completely separate series featuring different characters and should not be confused with Sarwat Chadda's Billi SanGreal books.
- Ash Mistry Chronicles: This is a separate trilogy by Sarwat Chadda (consisting of Ash Mistry and the Savage Fortress, Ash Mistry and the City of Death, and Ash Mistry and the World of Darkness). It focuses on Indian mythology and is not set in the same universe as Billi SanGreal.