Do I need to read the Kanin Chronicles and Omte Origins to understand the Trylle Trilogy?

No. The original Trylle Trilogy is a self-contained story with a complete ending. However, if you plan to read the spin-offs, you should read the Trylle Trilogy first, as both the Kanin Chronicles and Omte Origins contain major spoilers for the events of the original trilogy.

Can I read the prequel story "The King's Games" first?

While "The King's Games" is chronologically set before the Kanin Chronicles , we recommend reading it after Frostfire . The prequel's focus on Bryn Aven's childhood and the Kanin culture is much easier to appreciate once you have met the characters in the main series.

Who are the love interests in the Trylle Trilogy?

Wendy Everly is caught in a love triangle between Finn Holmes , her loyal and disciplined Trylle bodyguard tracker, and Loki Lidt , a charming and rebellious Vittra prince who captures her heart as the story progresses.

What is the difference between the Trylle, Kanin, and Omte tribes?

In Hocking's world, trolls are divided into different tribes: the Trylle are wealthy, elegant, and possess telekinetic magic; the Kanin are insular, winter-dwelling warriors; and the Omte are the most ancient, physically strong, and physically distinct tribe.

Where can I find the bonus short stories "The Vittra Attacks" and "One Day, Three Ways"?

These short stories were included as bonus material in the St. Martin's Griffin paperback and e-book re-releases of Switched and Torn beginning in 2012.

The Trylle Trilogy Books in Order

How to Read Amanda Hocking's Trylle World Books

Step into a secret universe where trolls aren't monsters hiding under bridges—they are elegant, magical, and politically savvy beings living right alongside humans. Amanda Hocking's massive self-publishing success story, which was later acquired and expanded by St. Martin's Press, spans three distinct trilogies and several accompanying short stories. Because these series share a single timeline, characters, and recurring plotlines, reading them in the correct sequence is essential to avoid spoilers and appreciate the full scope of the world building.

We highly recommend reading the Trylle World books in publication order. This sequence follows the chronological evolution of the universe, allows you to witness the growth of different troll tribes, and prevents major spoilers about who ends up ruling each kingdom.

The Recommended Trylle World Reading Order

The Trylle Trilogy: The foundation of the entire saga. Start here to learn the basics of troll society, changelings, and the royal court through Wendy Everly's eyes.
The Kanin Chronicles: Set four years after the events of the Trylle Trilogy, this spin-off shifts focus to the icy Kanin tribe and features prominent cameos from the original cast.
The Omte Origins: The final story arc set in this world, taking place five years after the Kanin Chronicles (nine years after the original trilogy), which wraps up the mythology of all the troll tribes.

Trylle World Books in Order of Publication

If you want to read the books exactly as they were released to the public, here is the complete chronological publication order of the novels and companion stories:

Switched (Trylle Trilogy #1) – 2010 (Self-published) / 2012 (St. Martin's Griffin)
"The Vittra Attacks" (Trylle Short Story #1.5) – 2010
Torn (Trylle Trilogy #2) – 2010 (Self-published) / 2012 (St. Martin's Griffin)
"One Day, Three Ways" (Trylle Short Story #2.5) – 2012 (Included in the St. Martin's Griffin edition of Torn)
Ascend (Trylle Trilogy #3) – 2011 (Self-published) / 2012 (St. Martin's Griffin)
Frostfire (Kanin Chronicles #1) – January 6, 2015
"The King's Games" (Kanin Novelette #0.5) – June 24, 2015
Ice Kissed (Kanin Chronicles #2) – May 5, 2015
Crystal Kingdom (Kanin Chronicles #3) – August 4, 2015
The Lost City (Omte Origins #1) – July 7, 2020
The Morning Flower (Omte Origins #2) – August 4, 2020
The Ever After (Omte Origins #3) – January 5, 2021

Chronological Caveats and Companion Stories

While the chronological order mostly mirrors the publication order, there are a few minor exceptions with the prequels and short stories that readers should keep in mind:

The Prequel Novelette: "The King's Games"

Set five years before the events of the Kanin Chronicles, this free novelette follows a fourteen-year-old Bryn Aven as she tries to prove herself during the yearly King's Games. Chronologically, this takes place around the same timeframe as the original Trylle Trilogy. While you can read it first as a prequel, we recommend reading it after Frostfire or after completing the Kanin Chronicles. Having a baseline familiarity with Bryn and the icy Kanin culture makes her childhood struggles much more impactful.

The Trylle Trilogy Bonus Stories

During the 2012 St. Martin's Griffin re-release of the original trilogy, Amanda Hocking added bonus content to the back of the books. "The Vittra Attacks" is a brief side story focused on the perspective of the antagonistic Vittra trolls as they pursue Wendy Everly. "One Day, Three Ways" is a fan-favorite extra that shows a single pivotal day from the viewpoints of Finn Holmes, Tove Kroner, and Loki Lidt. Both of these are best read alongside their respective main novels (Switched and Torn) to add extra context to the character relationships.

Deep Dive: The Three Main Story Arcs

1. The Trylle Trilogy

The series begins with Switched, where we meet Wendy Everly, a hostile teenager who has never fit in with her human family. She soon discovers the shocking truth: she is a troll changeling, swapped at birth, and is actually a princess of the high-society Trylle kingdom. In Torn and Ascend, Wendy is swept into the hidden mountain city of Förening, where she must master her magical psychokinetic abilities, navigate a dangerous love triangle between her stoic bodyguard Finn and the charming enemy prince Loki, and prepare for a looming war with the rival Vittra tribe.

2. The Kanin Chronicles

This spin-off trilogy centers on the Kanin tribe, a secretive group of trolls living in the subzero climates of Canada. The protagonist, Bryn Aven, is a half-breed guard determined to earn her place in a society that looks down on her heritage. When the traitorous Konstantin Black returns and begins kidnapping changelings, Bryn must hunt him down. As the trilogy progresses through Frostfire, Ice Kissed, and Crystal Kingdom, the stakes escalate, leading Bryn to seek aid from other troll kingdoms. This culminates in visits to Förening and cameo appearances from Wendy and Loki, who are now ruling their people.

3. The Omte Origins

The final trilogy, consisting of The Lost City, The Morning Flower, and The Ever After, focuses on the mysterious Omte tribe—the most physically monstrous and misunderstood of the troll groups. Ulla, a half-breed Omte girl with no memory of her parents, teams up with a handsome researcher named Pan to uncover the secrets of her ancestry. Their journey takes them across all the troll kingdoms, bringing the stories of the Trylle, Kanin, and Omte to a definitive, unified conclusion. Wendy, Loki, and Bryn make appearances as the different tribes must unite to face an ancient, existential threat.

What to Know Before You Start Reading

Hocking's troll mythology is heavily inspired by traditional Scandinavian folklore, but with a unique urban fantasy twist. In this world, "trolls" (known collectively as Orei) are divided into distinct tribes—the wealthy and elegant Trylle, the warrior-like Kanin, the physically powerful Omte, and the magic-deprived Vittra. They survive financially by placing their children in wealthy human homes as changelings, retrieving them when they come of age along with the fortunes their human parents accrued.

The series is known for its fast-paced plotting, courtly politics, and high-emotional drama. While the romance is a major selling point (particularly the chemistry between Wendy and Loki), the core of the story centers on themes of duty, identity, and finding where you belong when you are caught between two worlds.