Reading Order: The Shadowhunters Chronicles

The Series Order

There are multiple ways to read The Shadowhunter Chronicles. One is by the order the series began to be published.

I. The Mortal Instruments

The most main/first series of The Shadowhunter Chronicles. This series is mainly set in the year 2007 and revolves around the Shadowhunter Clary Fray.

1. City of Bones
2. City of Ashes
3. City of Glass

1. City of Fallen Angels
2. City of Lost Souls
3. City of Heavenly Fire

II. The Infernal Devices

The second series published is a prequel. Set in 1878 in Victorian era London, this series centers on Tessa Gray.

1. Clockwork Angel
2. Clockwork Prince
3. Clockwork Princess

III. The Bane Chronicles

The Bane Chronicles is an anthology consisting of eleven novellas revolving around Magnus Bane. This should be read after familiarity with the first two series, though chronologically these novellas are all over.

IV. Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy

Tales from the Shadowhunters Academy is an anthology of ten novellas revolving around Simon Lewis. Takes place after City of Heavenly Fire.

V. The Dark Artifices

This series is a sequel to The Mortal Instruments series. It’s 2012, five years after the events of that series’ final book. It revolves around the Shadowhunter Emma Carstairs.

1. Lady Midnight
2. Lord of Shadows
3. The Queen of Air and Darkness

VI. Ghosts of the Shadow Market

Follow Brother Zachariah and see, against the backdrop of the Shadow Market’s dark dealing and festival, Anna Lightwood’s doomed romance, Matthew Fairchild’s great sin and Tessa Gray plunged into a world war. Valentine Morgenstern buys a soul at the Market and a young Jace Wayland’s soul finds safe harbor. In the Market is hidden a lost heir and a beloved ghost, and no-one can save you once you have traded away your heart. Not even Brother Zachariah.

VII. The Eldest Curses (Currently being Published)

The Eldest Curses is a trilogy centering on Magnus Bane.

1. The Red Scrolls of Magic
2. The Lost Book of the White (no release date yet)
   
3. The Black Volume of the Dead (coming in 2020)

VIII. The Last Hours Trilogy

The Shadowhunters enter the Downton Abbey era in The Last Hours. Will Herondale is head of the London Institute, where he lives with his wife Tessa. But now it’s their children, James and Lucie, who take center stage, alongside their parabatai, Matthew Fairchild and Cordelia Carstairs.

1. Chain of Gold (Coming March 3, 2020)

Everything will be coming to an end with The Wicked Powers, the fifth set of books destined to wraps up The Shadowhunter Chronicles.

Further Reading

There are a handful of companion books as well.

 

1. Shadowhunters and Downworlders – a collection of YA authors writing about the series and its world.
2. The Shadowhunter’s Codex – Delve into the details of all things Shadowhunter with this illustrated guide to the knowledge and lore of the Shadowhunter world.
3. A History of Notable Shadowhunters & Denizens of Downworld: Told in the Language of Flowers – A special collection of artwork and never-before-known details of all your favorite characters from the Shadowhunters’world.

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The Publication Order

One of the best ways to read this series is in publication order, rather than the series order.

1. The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones
2. The Mortal Instruments: City of Ashes
3. The Mortal Instruments: City of Glass
4. The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Angel
5. The Mortal Instruments: City of Fallen Angels
6. The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Prince
7. The Mortal Instruments: City of Lost Souls
8. The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Princess
9. The Bane Chronicles
10. The Mortal Instruments: City of Heavenly Fire
11. Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy
12. The Dark Artifices: Lady Midnight
13. The Dark Artifices: Lord of Shadows
14. The Dark Artifices: The Queen of Air and Darkness
15. The Eldest Curses: The Red Scrolls of Magic
16. Ghosts of The Shadow Market
17. The Last Hours: Chain of Gold

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The Chronological Order

I. The Infernal Devices

1. Clockwork Angel
2. Clockwork Prince
3. Clockwork Princess

II. The Last Hours

1. Chain of Gold
2. Chain of Iron
3. Chain of Thorns

III. The Mortal Instruments

1. City of Bones
2. City of Ashes
3. City of Glass
4. City of Fallen Angels
5. City of Lost Souls
6.  City of Heavenly Fire

III. The Bane Chronicles

IV. Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy

V. The Eldest Curses

1. The Red Scrolls of Magic
2. The Lost Book of the White
3. The Black Volume of the Dead

VI. The Dark Artifices

1. Lady Midnight
2. Lord of Shadows
3. The Queen of Air and Darkness

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Cassandra Clare’s Order

She gives her own personal reading order on her website. She suggests that you read them in a “slightly strange order”:

I. The Mortal Instruments, Part One

1. City of Bones
2. City of Ashes
3. City of Glass

II. The Infernal Devices

1. Clockwork Angel
2. Clockwork Prince
3. Clockwork Princess

III. The Mortal Instruments, Part Two

1. City of Fallen Angels
2. City of Lost Souls
3. City of Heavenly Fire

IV. The Bane Chronicles

V. Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy

VI. The Dark Artifices

1. Lady Midnight
2. Lord of Shadows
3. The Queen of Air and Darkness

VII. Ghosts of The Shadow Market

VIII. The Eldest Curses

1. The Red Scrolls of Magic
2. The Lost Book of the White
3. The Black Volume of the Dead

VIV. The Last Hours

1. Chain of Gold
2. Chain of Iron
3. Chain of Thorns