Cassandra Clare Books in Order

How to Read the Shadowhunter Chronicles

Cassandra Clare's primary literary achievement is the massive, interconnected universe known as the Shadowhunter Chronicles. Spanning multiple centuries, continents, and subseries, these urban fantasy novels follow the Shadowhunters—half-human, half-angel warriors who protect the mundane world from demons and police the supernatural Downworld. While the size of the universe might seem overwhelming at first, there are three primary ways to approach the series: the Publisher-Recommended Hybrid Order, the strict Publication Order, and the Chronological Order.

1. The Recommended Path: The Hybrid Reading Order

If you want the absolute best narrative experience with maximum emotional payoff and zero spoilers, the hybrid reading order (often recommended by both the author and seasoned fans) is your best bet. Rather than reading full subseries back-to-back, this order matches the publication flow where the storylines of different generations start to intertwine. Here is the recommended path:

1. The Mortal Instruments, Part 1: Start with City of Bones, City of Ashes, and City of Glass. This introduces you to Clary Fray, Jace Herondale, and the modern-day Shadowhunter world.
2. The Infernal Devices: Step back in time to Victorian London with Clockwork Angel, Clockwork Prince, and Clockwork Princess. This prequel trilogy is crucial because the events and family histories directly impact the second half of Clary's story.
3. The Mortal Instruments, Part 2: Return to the present day with City of Fallen Angels, City of Lost Souls, and City of Heavenly Fire. You will notice references and characters from the Victorian era making their mark here.
4. The Bane Chronicles & Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy: Read these companion collections next. They bridge the gap between Clary's story and the next generation of Shadowhunters, focusing on Magnus Bane and Simon Lewis respectively.
5. The Dark Artifices: Dive into Lady Midnight, Lord of Shadows, and Queen of Air and Darkness. Set in Los Angeles five years after the events of City of Heavenly Fire, this trilogy raises the stakes for the entire Shadowhunter government.
6. Ghosts of the Shadow Market: Read this anthology of stories, which spans various eras but heavily sets up the characters and emotional threads for both The Last Hours and future series.
7. The Eldest Curses: Read The Red Scrolls of Magic and The Lost Book of the White. Co-authored with Wesley Chu, this series follows Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood on their adventures during and after the events of the main series.
8. The Last Hours: Experience early 20th-century Edwardian London with Chain of Gold, Chain of Iron, and Chain of Thorns. This series serves as a direct sequel to The Infernal Devices.

2. Strict Publication Order

If you prefer to read the books exactly as they hit bookstore shelves, following the publication order lets you experience the world-building in the exact sequence Cassandra Clare constructed it. While it requires jumping back and forth between eras and characters, it ensures that every reference, cameo, and easter egg lands exactly when it was meant to. The order is as follows:

• City of Bones (2007)
• City of Ashes (2008)
• City of Glass (2009)
• Clockwork Angel (2010)
• City of Fallen Angels (2011)
• Clockwork Prince (2011)
• City of Lost Souls (2012)
• Clockwork Princess (2013)
• City of Heavenly Fire (2014)
• Lady Midnight (2016)
• Lord of Shadows (2017)
• Queen of Air and Darkness (2018)
• The Red Scrolls of Magic (2019)
• Chain of Gold (2020)
• The Lost Book of the White (2020)
• Chain of Iron (2021)
• Chain of Thorns (2023)

3. Chronological Order (Not Recommended for First-Time Readers)

For readers who are embarking on a reread, chronological order can offer a fascinating perspective on history, lineages, and how the Shadowhunter world changed over the centuries. However, this is strongly discouraged for first-time readers because later-written prequel books assume you already know the lore and will spoil major twists in the modern-day series. The timeline order flows from the 1870s to the 2010s:

• The Infernal Devices (Set in 1878 Victorian London)
• The Last Hours (Set in 1903 Edwardian London)
• The Mortal Instruments (Set in 2007 New York)
• The Eldest Curses (Set concurrently with the later half of The Mortal Instruments)
• The Dark Artifices (Set in 2012 Los Angeles)

Other Works and Collaborations

Beyond the mainline Shadowhunter stories, Cassandra Clare has written in other fantasy worlds, both solo and in collaboration with other prominent authors.

The Magisterium Series (Co-authored with Holly Black)

Written alongside her close friend Holly Black, this five-book middle-grade series follows Callum Hunt as he is recruited into the Magisterium, a school where mages train to control the elements. Starting with The Iron Trial (2014) and concluding with The Golden Tower (2018), this series is completely separate from the Shadowhunter universe and offers a fresh, darker spin on the magical boarding school trope. It is best read in publication order: The Iron Trial, The Copper Gauntlet, The Bronze Key, The Silver Mask, and The Golden Tower.

Sword Catcher (Adult Fantasy Debut)

In 2023, Clare stepped into high fantasy for adult readers with Sword Catcher, the first book in the Chronicles of Castellane. The story revolves around Kel, an orphan raised to be the body double (the "Sword Catcher") for the crown prince of a wealthy city-state, and Lin, a physician from a marginalized community who possesses forbidden magic. The sequel, The Ragpicker King, is slated for release in 2025. This series is independent of her previous works and features intricate world-building, high-stakes political intrigue, and mature themes.

What to Know Before You Start

To fully enjoy your trip into Clare's fantasy universes, keep these key tips in mind:

• Co-authorship is common: Many of the short story collections and side series (like The Eldest Curses and Ghosts of the Shadow Market) are co-authored with writers like Wesley Chu, Sarah Rees Brennan, Maureen Johnson, and Robin Wasserman. These collaborations expand the lore without losing Clare's signature voice.
• Can you read them as standalones? While you can technically read individual trilogies on their own (for instance, starting with The Infernal Devices), the emotional impact of the overall narrative increases exponentially when you understand the history of the families and recurring characters.
• Watch out for the companion works: Don't dismiss the anthologies! Collections like Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy contain critical character developments (especially for Simon Lewis) that are directly referenced in the opening pages of Lady Midnight.