Books On Board

The Last King of Osten Ard Books in Order

  • 6 Books
  • 2017 – 2024 Published

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How to Read The Last King of Osten Ard

Tad Williams’ return to the continent of Osten Ard is a massive, rewarding event for fantasy readers. While the sequel series specifically refers to the quartet starting with The Witchwood Crown, it is deeply intertwined with his legendary 1980s trilogy, Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn. To get the absolute most out of this story, we highly recommend following the publication order. This path lets you experience the aging of the characters and the changing world just as the author intended.

The Recommended Reading Order

  1. Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn Trilogy: Start here. While technically a separate series, this foundation is vital to understand who King Simon and Queen Miriamele are, why the Norns are so feared, and what happened thirty years prior.
    • The Dragonbone Chair (1988)
    • Stone of Farewell (1990)
    • To Green Angel Tower (1993)
  2. The Heart of What Was Lost (2017) – This bridge novella takes place immediately after the fall of Stormspike at the end of the original trilogy. It introduces key characters like the Norn Viyeki and explains the immediate aftermath of the war, making it an essential setup for the sequel series.
  3. The Witchwood Crown (2017) – The official start of The Last King of Osten Ard, picking up the story thirty years after the events of the original trilogy.
  4. Empire of Grass (2019) – The second main book of the sequel series, broadening the scope to the grasslands of the Thrithings and the political shifts in the Norn lands.
  5. Brothers of the Wind (2021) – A prequel novella set a thousand years before the main events. While chronologically first, reading it after Empire of Grass is ideal, as the lore of the Sithi brothers Hakatri and Ineluki resonates much more deeply once you know their legacy.
  6. Into the Narrowdark (2022) – The third main novel in the sequel series, building massive tension and leading directly into the final volume.
  7. The Navigator's Children (2024) – The epic, sweeping conclusion to the sequel series.

Publication Order vs. Chronological Order

If you prefer a strictly chronological approach, you would start with the prequels and bridge novellas. However, we strongly caution against this for first-time readers. Starting with Brothers of the Wind reveals history that is meant to be mysterious in the original trilogy. Furthermore, starting with The Heart of What Was Lost spoils the entire ending of the original Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn trilogy.

For those who have already read the main books and want to try a chronological reread, the timeline flows as follows:

  • Brothers of the Wind (Prequel, set 1,000 years before the main series)
  • "The Burning Man" (Short story, set a few hundred years before the main series; originally published in the 1998 anthology Legends)
  • The Dragonbone Chair
  • Stone of Farewell
  • To Green Angel Tower
  • The Heart of What Was Lost (Bridge novella)
  • The Witchwood Crown
  • Empire of Grass
  • Into the Narrowdark
  • The Navigator's Children

What to Know Before You Start

Tad Williams is famous for his detailed, slow-burn world-building. His novels do not rush; they build rich societies, complex histories, and deep emotional ties. The Last King of Osten Ard focuses heavily on legacy, the burdens of long-term rule, and how the choices of the past haunt the younger generation. Readers should expect political intrigue, cultural clashes between mortals and immortals, and multiple point-of-view characters spanning the entire continent.

While Williams wrote the series entirely on his own without co-authors, his work has had a massive influence on modern fantasy, including inspiring George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire. If you love deep, immersive, and adult epic fantasy, Osten Ard is an absolute must-visit.

Frequently Asked

Can I read The Last King of Osten Ard without reading Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn first?

While you can technically follow the plot of The Witchwood Crown on its own, it is highly discouraged. The emotional weight of Simon and Miriamele's journey, the history of the Norns, and the world's lore will lose much of their impact without reading the original trilogy first.

Where should I read Brothers of the Wind?

You should read Brothers of the Wind after Empire of Grass. Even though it is a prequel set 1,000 years in the past, its revelations and tone fit perfectly alongside the later books of the sequel series.

Is The Last King of Osten Ard series complete?

Yes. The main storyline of the sequel series is complete with the publication of the final volume, The Navigator's Children, in 2024.

What is the purpose of The Heart of What Was Lost?

It acts as a bridge novel that takes place directly after the original trilogy. It shows the retreat of the defeated Norns back to their home in the north and introduces the new perspectives and stakes that drive the sequel series.

What is "The Burning Man" and do I need to read it?

"The Burning Man" is an optional short story set hundreds of years before the main trilogy. It is not required to understand the series but offers interesting historical flavor. It can be found in the 1998 anthology Legends.