Books in Order
Naomi Novik Books in Order
About Naomi Novik
Naomi Novik (born 1973, New York City) is a fantasy author celebrated for her ability to reimagine fairy tale and folklore traditions into richly original novels. She studied English Literature and Computer Science at Brown University and worked in video game design before turning to writing. Her Temeraire series — an alternate history of the Napoleonic Wars with dragons — launched her career. Uprooted (2015) won the Nebula Award for Best Novel and became her breakthrough standalone. Her Scholomance trilogy began in 2020 and quickly attracted a massive following with its darkly witty boarding-school dark magic premise.
New to Naomi Novik? If you love fairy tales, start with Uprooted. If you prefer darker, wittier fantasy with a school setting, start with A Deadly Education (Scholomance #1).
Standalone Novels
Uprooted
2015
Best starting point / Nebula WinnerA village girl is taken by the enigmatic Dragon — a wizard who has protected her valley for centuries. Polish folklore meets dark fairy tale. Nebula Award winner.
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Spinning Silver
2018
A retelling of Rumpelstiltskin woven into Eastern European Jewish folklore. Three women navigate dangerous bargains.
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The Scholomance Trilogy
A school for magic where the graduation rate is catastrophically low. Dark, witty, and utterly original.
Book 1
![A Deadly Education cover]()
A Deadly Education
2020
Start hereEl is a loner at the Scholomance — a school where monsters lurk and the students are the food supply.
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Book 2
![The Last Graduate cover]()
Book 3
![The Golden Enclaves cover]()
The Golden Enclaves
2022
The trilogy's conclusion expands the world beyond the school.
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Temeraire Series
Alternate history: the Napoleonic Wars, but with dragons in the air force. Nine novels in the main series.
Book 1
![His Majesty's Dragon cover]()
His Majesty's Dragon
2006
Series debutCaptain Will Laurence bonds with a Celestial dragon captured from the French.
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(Books 5–9)
![...continue through Victory of Eagles, Tongues of Serpents, Crucible of Gold, Blood of Tyrants, League of Dragons cover]()
...continue through Victory of Eagles, Tongues of Serpents, Crucible of Gold, Blood of Tyrants, League of Dragons
2008–2016
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Frequently Asked Questions
What order should I read Naomi Novik books?
The standalones (Uprooted, Spinning Silver) and the Scholomance trilogy can be read in any order relative to each other. For the Temeraire series, read in publication order starting with His Majesty's Dragon. Most new readers start with Uprooted or A Deadly Education.
Is Uprooted or A Deadly Education better?
Both are excellent but very different. Uprooted is warmer, more lyrical, closer to a classic fairy tale. A Deadly Education is darker, funnier, and has a more modern voice. Reader preference usually depends on which tone appeals more.
Is Naomi Novik working on anything new?
As of 2025, Novik has completed the Scholomance trilogy and has not announced a new series. She has indicated interest in returning to standalone novels.