When SHOULD You Read The Assassin’s Blade? | Throne of Glass

Should you read The Assassin’s Blade before Throne of Glass, after Crown of Midnight, or only once you have finished Heir of Fire? All three orders work—but they do not create the same reading experience. This Throne of Glass reading order guide compares the three most common placements for Sarah J. Maas’s prequel collection. We look at what changes when you meet Celaena Sardothien with her past already explained, when you discover that past after she has become a mystery, and when you save the novellas until just before Queen of Shadows. The central question is not simply which order is chronological. It is when The Assassin’s Blade delivers the greatest emotional impact. The video explains how its stories deepen Celaena’s relationships with Arobynn Hamel and Sam Cortland, clarify her complicated relationship with trust and freedom, and prepare important connections that return later in the series. My recommendation is to read The Assassin’s Blade after Crown of Midnight: late enough for its revelations to matter, but early enough to avoid interrupting the momentum created by Heir of Fire. Subscribe to Myths & Motives for more Throne of Glass analysis, Maasverse reading guides, and deeper discussions of fantasy characters, choices, and lore. ⚠️This video contains spoilers for the premise and character relationships in The Assassin’s Blade, Throne of Glass, and Crown of Midnight, with general references to Heir of Fire and Queen of Shadows. It does not reveal major late-series events. Disclaimer Visuals in this video are original, unofficial artistic interpretations created for commentary and analysis. Myths & Motives is not affiliated with Sarah J. Maas, Bloomsbury Publishing, or any official adaptation. All rights to the original books, characters, settings, and related material remain with their respective rights holders. 0:00 The Great Reading Order Debate 0:33 Chronological Order Is Not Always the Best Order 1:24 Why Crown of Midnight Is the Sweet Spot 2:21 But What About Reading It After Heir of Fire? 3:10 What The Assassin’s Blade Is Really Doing 3:55 The Real Question