Rebecca Yarros's Empyrean series is one of the biggest fantasy phenomena of the decade — a breathless blend of military academy drama, dragon-bonding lore, and enemies-to-lovers romance. Here's every book in order, with summaries and links to buy.
Rebecca Yarros's Empyrean series drops readers into Basgiath War College, a brutal military institution where aspiring dragon riders risk their lives to bond with the most powerful creatures in existence. The world is one where war is constant, magic is real, and surviving the first year is far from guaranteed. At the center of it all is Violet Sorrengail — small, seemingly fragile, but ferociously determined — who was never supposed to become a rider at all.
What makes the series impossible to put down isn't just the dragons or the high-stakes battles. It's the tension between Violet and Xaden Riorson: the most dangerous man at the college, her commanding officer, and the son of a rebel she has every reason to hate. The enemies-to-lovers dynamic is slow-burn and crackling with chemistry, the kind that readers lose sleep over.
Yarros weaves together military fantasy, romance, and a conspiracy that keeps growing darker with every book. The deeper the series goes, the more the stakes escalate — secrets about the war, the wards protecting Navarre, and the true nature of the Venin threat all converge in ways that feel both shocking and inevitable. If you love fantasy romance that doesn't pull its punches, this series is essential reading.
Violet Sorrengail is forced into Basgiath War College's deadly Rider Quadrant, where candidates bond with dragons or die. As one of the few who survives the brutal gauntlet, she must navigate war, power, and an impossible attraction to Xaden Riorson — her sworn enemy and the most dangerous man in the college. The book that started a global obsession, Fourth Wing establishes the world with relentless pacing and a romance that burns from the very first page.
Violet knows the truth about the Venin now. The wards protecting Navarre are failing. And Xaden has been keeping a secret that changes everything she thought she knew. As second year begins, the war outside the college walls can no longer be ignored — and the price of fighting it may be everything. Iron Flame raises every stake established in the first book and delivers one of the most talked-about endings in recent fantasy.
Violet and her wingleader must venture beyond Navarre's borders for the first time in history, uncovering truths about the Venin, ancient powers, and the nature of the war itself — truths that could either save the world or end it. The third installment pushes the world-building to its farthest reaches yet, answering long-standing questions while opening new ones that will carry readers straight into book four.
The fourth installment of the Empyrean series. No official title or confirmed release date has been announced yet. Given the cliffhangers and escalating revelations of Onyx Storm, anticipation for this book is at an all-time high — check back for updates as more information is released.
The planned conclusion to the Empyrean series. Rebecca Yarros has confirmed the series will run five books, making this the ultimate ending for Violet, Xaden, and the world of Basgiath. No release date or title has been announced yet. The series finale.
Rebecca Yarros has planned five books in the Empyrean series. As of 2025, three have been published: Fourth Wing (2023), Iron Flame (2023), and Onyx Storm (2025). Books 4 and 5 are still to come.
Yes — absolutely. Each book picks up almost immediately after the events of the last, with major plot threads, character developments, and cliffhangers that only make sense if you've read the prior installment. Start with Fourth Wing and don't skip anything.
No, the series is still ongoing. As of 2025, three of the five planned books have been published. Book 4 has no confirmed title or release date yet, and Book 5 will be the series finale. Keep an eye on Rebecca Yarros's official channels for announcements.
Fourth Wing is approximately 517 pages, Iron Flame is approximately 640 pages, and Onyx Storm is approximately 690 pages. The books get longer as the series progresses — the world and stakes keep expanding.
Book 4 in the Empyrean series comes after Onyx Storm. The title has not been officially announced yet. Given the explosive ending of Onyx Storm, the fourth book is among the most anticipated fantasy releases of 2025 or 2026.