How to Read The Companion Series
Tanya Bird’s The Companion series is a gritty medieval fantasy romance saga that has captured the hearts of readers looking for emotional depth, high stakes, and complex relationships. Set in a low-fantasy, patriarchal world where women are sold into royal servitude as "Companions" (highly trained royal concubines), the series blends dark themes with epic, hard-fought love stories. Because the overarching political plots and character relationships build on one another, it is highly recommended to read the series in its chronological order, which also matches its publication order.
The Recommended Reading Order
To experience the full narrative arc of the kingdom of Syrasan and its neighboring lands, you should read the main novels and the newsletter-exclusive companion stories in the following sequence:
- The Royal Companion (Book 1, 2017) – The story begins here, introducing Aldara, a young woman sold into royal servitude, and Prince Tyron, a war-scarred royal who wants nothing to do with the system.
- The Mentor (Book 1.5, 2017) – A newsletter-exclusive companion novelette that bridges the gap between the first two books, following Aldara as she is sent to Zoelin to train others in the trade.
- The Common Girl (Book 2, 2017) – Aldara and Tyron's journey continues as political rebellion, betrayal, and the rigid rules of the court threaten to tear them apart.
- The Majestic Impostor (Book 3, 2018) – The dramatic conclusion to Aldara and Tyron’s core trilogy, resolving their battle against the crown.
- The Zoelin Queen (Book 3.5, 2018) – An exclusive companion novella written from the perspective of Princess Cora, detailing her unhappy marriage to the brutal King Jayr of Zoelin.
- The King's Obsession (Book 4, 2018) – Shifting focus to new protagonists, this novel follows Petra, a resilient Companion-turned-mentor, and Sir Leksi, a fierce knight ordered to protect her after she flees the castle.
- The Captain's Prize (Book 5, 2019) – Centered on Astra, a long-time Companion to the King who is wagered away in a card game, and Dion, a principled captain of the Galen army who struggles with the ethics of the Companion system.
- The Rebel's Queen (Book 6, 2020) – The series finale, which returns to Cora (now the "Ice Queen") as she aligns with Brom, the leader of the Nydoen mountain rebels, to bring a final resolution to the entire saga.
Understanding the Structure of the Series
While the series consists of six main novels, it is structurally divided into distinct character arcs that take place in the same shared world. Understanding these divisions helps set expectations for how the story shifts focus over time.
The Aldara and Tyron Trilogy (Books 1–3)
The first three books—The Royal Companion, The Common Girl, and The Majestic Impostor—focus entirely on the forbidden romance between Aldara and Prince Tyron. Together, they establish the dark, medieval setting of Syrasan and show the initial cracks in the kingdom’s oppressive traditions. Readers should view these three books as a single, continuous story that must be read in order.
The Standalone Sequels (Books 4–6)
Books 4, 5, and 6 introduce new protagonist couples while pushing the overarching political plot of the realm forward. Although these books focus on different characters—Petra and Leksi in Book 4, Astra and Dion in Book 5, and Cora and Brom in Book 6—they occur in chronological succession and feature returning characters from the original trilogy. Reading them out of order will spoil the resolution of previous books, particularly the events of the original trilogy.
The Newsletter Companion Stories
Tanya Bird wrote two short companion pieces to flesh out fan-favorite characters. While they are not strictly required to understand the main plot, they add rich emotional context and are highly recommended for completionists.
- The Mentor (Book 1.5): This novelette explores Aldara’s time in Zoelin. It explains her psychological growth and the skills she develops before the events of The Common Girl.
- The Zoelin Queen (Book 3.5): Written due to overwhelming reader interest in Princess Cora, this novella details her survival strategies during her marriage to King Jayr. It serves as crucial setup for Cora’s starring role in the final book, The Rebel's Queen.
Both of these stories are available as free downloads for subscribers of Tanya Bird’s official newsletter mailing list.
What to Know Before You Start
Tanya Bird's writing in The Companion series is celebrated for its emotional intensity, but it is not a light fantasy romance. The setting of Syrasan is a harsh, highly patriarchal society. Because the series directly addresses the themes of forced servitude and royal concubinage, the books deal with heavy themes including systemic misogyny, emotional abuse, and implied or off-screen sexual violence. However, fans of the series emphasize that the narrative focuses heavily on the female characters' agency, resilience, and ultimate triumph over their circumstances. The romance elements are high-emotion, slow-burn, and deliver satisfying resolutions that balance the gritty tone of the world.