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Book of Night Reading Order.

Expert Guideby Holly Black
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Quick Answer

Start Book of Night by Holly Black with "Book of Night", then follow the publication sequence. This order preserves the intended narrative twists and world-building progression.

The complete reading order for the Book of Night series by Holly Black. Below you'll find the authoritative guide on how to read the books in order, including publication dates and chronological timeline placements.

Official Verdict

Short Answer:
Start with "Book of Night"

To experience the narrative as intended, read the main sequence in Publication Order.Ignore novellas and side stories until you finish the first 3 core novels. This resolves all timeline confusion and preserves every major twist.

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Community Consensus

Medium Debate

"The provided comments do not discuss 'Book of Night.' They overwhelmingly focus on the reading order for the Malazan series (Steven Erikson's main sequence vs. Ian C. Esselmont's complementary novels). There is a division regarding whether to read the Esselmont books concurrently (often suggesting integration of Night of Knives and Return of the Crimson Guard) or to postpone them entirely until the main Erikson series is finished. Publication order is frequently recommended for the first read-through."

Key Reddit Advice

Start with the main series in publication order. If integrating the companion novels, read Night of Knives (NoK) after Midnight Tides (MT), and Return of the Crimson Guard (RotCG) after Reaper's Gale (RG).

Why This Order Is Confusing

Many reading lists for Book of Night conflict because early publishers often labeled short story collections as standalone novels, or rearranged internal chronologies for marketing. This guide follows original author intent and narrative continuity to settle the debate for good.

Can I skip the short stories?

Technically yes, but we strongly advise against it for Book of Night. The shorter volumes often establish the core character motivations and world-building that the main saga assumes you already know.

I watched the show/movie first — where should I start?

Ignore the screen adaptations' timeline. Start with "Book of Night" to see the original depth of the world. The books offer a significantly different (and usually more complete) experience than the on-screen versions.

Why do people disagree on the order?

Disagreement usually stems from the conflict between purely chronological order and publication order. Most long-term fans recommend publication order to preserve the emotional arc and mystery reveals.

Curator's Strategy

Recommended Reading Order Strategy

The authoritative way to read the "Book of Night" series is in Publication Order. Start with the first published book. It's the way the author intended the world to be revealed.This ensures you experience character reveals and plot twists exactly as the author intended.

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Complete Series Reading Order

Publication Order

Preserves character reveals and plot twists exactly as the author intended. Compare →

Chronological Order

May spoil surprises but improves timeline clarity for fans. Compare →

Publication Reading Order1 Titles

Why Publication Order?We recommend reading in Publication Order (default). This follows the author's release schedule, ensuring you experience plot twists, character growth, and world-building exactly as intended without spoilers.
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1

Book of Night

Pub: 2022★ 3.54

"A delicious, dark, adrenaline rush of a book. I'm already dying to see Charlie Hall's next con." - New York Times bestselling author, Alix E. Harrow#1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black makes her stunning adult debut with Book of Night, a modern dark fantasy of betrayals, secret societies, and a dissolute thief of shadows, in the vein of Naomi Novik and Erin Morgenstern.Charlie Hall has never found a lock she couldn’t pick, a book she couldn’t steal, or a bad decision she wouldn’t make.She's spent half her life working for gloamists, magicians who manipulate shadows to peer into locked rooms, strangle people in their beds, or worse. Gloamists guard their secrets greedily, creating an underground economy of grimoires. And to rob their fellow magicians, they need Charlie Hall.Now, she’s trying to distance herself from past mistakes, but getting out isn’t easy. Bartending at a dive, she’s still entirely too close to the corrupt underbelly of the Berkshires. Not to mention that her sister Posey is desperate for magic, and that Charlie's shadowless, and possibly soulless, boyfriend has been hiding things from her. When a terrible figure from her past returns, Charlie descends into a maelstrom of murder and lies.Determined to survive, she’s up against a cast of doppelgangers, mercurial billionaires, gloamists, and the people she loves best in the world—all trying to steal a secret that will give them vast and terrible power.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is it okay to skip books in the Book of Night series?

We recommend ignoring novellas and short stories until you finish the core sequence. However, main sequence novels should never be skipped as they contain critical character development and plot progression.

What is the best order to read Book of Night?

The final answer for the best experience is to start with "Book of Night" and proceed in publication order. This sequence preserves character developments and plot reveals exactly as Holly Black intended.

Can I read Book of Night books in any order?

No. The main narrative is strictly sequential. Skipping volumes or reading out of order will lead to significant plot spoilers and confusion regarding character arcs.

Are there spin-offs or companion books?

Yes, the Book of Night universe includes several companion works. These are marked as 'Optional' in our guide and can be read at any time without disrupting the main storyline.