Where to Start Reading Aden Polydoros
Aden Polydoros has quickly established himself as a powerful voice in Young Adult (YA) and middle-grade fiction. His stories blend dark historical settings, speculative elements, and rich Jewish and Slavic folklore with deeply personal queer themes. Because his books range from science fiction to gothic horror, the best place to start depends heavily on your favorite genres:
- For Historical Gothic Fantasy & Thrillers: Start with The City Beautiful. This award-winning novel is widely considered Polydoros's breakout work, offering a haunting mystery set in late-19th-century Chicago.
- For High-Concept Sci-Fi Thrillers: Start with Project Pandora, the first book in his action-packed Assassin Fall series, which reads like a YA thriller meets conspiracy science fiction.
- For Slavic-Inspired Dark Fantasy: Pick up Bone Weaver, a standalone epic that transports readers to a world inspired by Imperial Russia and Baltic myths.
- For Middle-Grade Magical Adventures: Begin with Ring of Solomon, a lively and heartwarming entry point into Jewish folklore aimed at younger readers.
The City Beautiful Sequence (Chicago World's Fair Duology)
This sequence represents Polydoros at his most acclaimed, merging historical detail with dark gothic fantasy. The books follow the same characters and should be read in chronological and publication order.
- The City Beautiful (2021) – Alter Rosen, a queer Jewish immigrant in 1893 Chicago, becomes possessed by the dybbuk of his murdered best friend, Yakov. To solve the murder and save himself, Alter must work with Frankie, a boy from his past, while navigating a city full of corruption and anti-immigrant sentiment.
- The City of Slaughter (Expected August 2026) – Following the events of the first book, Frankie and Alter have established a detective agency. When local children begin vanishing and supernatural forces are suspected, the duo is pulled into a new investigation involving a malevolent 'sheyd' (demon-like entity) while confronting Frankie's traumatic past.
Assassin Fall Series (The Olympus Experiments)
This series centers on a dangerous conspiracy involving brainwashed teenage assassins. The reading order here has a slight publication versus chronological split due to a prequel novella.
- Project Pandora (2017) – The first novel introduces readers to Tyler Bennett and Shannon, two teens who discover they have been programmed as lethal killers with selective amnesia. They must piece together their pasts while running for their lives.
- Hades Rising (2018) – A prequel novella that focuses on the backstory of Hades, one of the crucial figures in the conspiracy.
- Project Prometheus (2018) – The final novel wraps up the story as the surviving teens launch an all-out assault against the shadowy organization behind the project.
Reading Recommendation: You can read these in publication order (Project Pandora, Hades Rising, then Project Prometheus) to experience the central mystery first. Alternatively, reading the prequel Hades Rising first provides a chronological setup that details the origins of the program before the main action kicks off.
Ring of Solomon Series (Middle-Grade Trilogy)
Marking Polydoros's debut into middle-grade fiction, this trilogy is a fun, fast-paced adventure deeply rooted in Jewish mythology. The books should be read in order.
- Ring of Solomon (2023) – Twelve-year-old Zach Darlington finds a magical ring that unleashes Ashmedai, the king of demons. Together with his friend Sandra, Zach must protect the ring from dark forces seeking to use it.
- Nightmares in Paradise (2024) – When Zach's sister Naomi goes missing, Zach, Sandra, and Ashmedai must journey into the dangerous Garden of Eden to save her.
Standalone Novels & Anthologies
If you prefer self-contained stories, Polydoros has written several highly praised standalone novels that require no prior reading:
- Bone Weaver (2022) – Set in the Kosa Empire, this standalone dark fantasy follows Toma, a girl raised by undead creatures (upyri), who teams up with a deposed Tsar and a persecuted magic-user to rescue her sister and stop a dark revolution.
- Wrath Becomes Her (2023) – A historical horror set in 1943 Lithuania. A grieving father uses ancient, forbidden magic to create a golem in the image of his murdered daughter, Chaya. The golem, born with Chaya's memories and a thirst for vengeance against the occupying Nazis, struggles to define her own humanity.
- The Gathering Dark: An Anthology of Folk Horror (2022) – Edited by Tori Bovalino, this anthology features Polydoros's short story 'It Stays With You,' which reinvents the Bloody Mary legend.
What to Know Before You Start
Aden Polydoros's books are known for their dark, often graphic themes. Many of his works handle heavy topics, including grief, antisemitism, the horrors of war, and trauma. However, they are also deeply grounded in hope, resilience, and queer identity. As a nonbinary, trans author who transitioned at a young age, Polydoros brings an authentic perspective to his LGBTQ+ protagonists, making his books highly recommended for readers looking for diverse, emotional, and culturally rich stories.