The Empyrean (Fourth Wing) books in order: which to read and which to listen to
Rebecca Yarros’s Empyrean series has three novels so far, Fourth Wing, Iron Flame and Onyx Storm, plus the story collection Threshing Day. Each audiobook adds voices as the series goes on.
Short answer: Read the Empyrean series in this order: Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, Onyx Storm, then Threshing Day, a collection of 13 stories that the publisher says is best read after Onyx Storm. Threshing Day is not book 4: the fourth novel has no title or release date yet. The audiobooks add voices as the series goes on, from two narrators on Fourth Wing and Iron Flame to four on Onyx Storm and fourteen on Threshing Day, and every one of them is a Listen verdict on this site.
The series at a glance
| # | Book | Verdict | Audiobook | Narrator | Pages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fourth Wing | Listen, 62% | 22h 3m | Rebecca Soler and Teddy Hamilton | 528 |
| 2 | Iron Flame | Listen, 70% | 28h 16m | Rebecca Soler and Teddy Hamilton | 800 |
| 3 | Onyx Storm | Listen, 82% | 23h 52m | Rebecca Soler, Teddy Hamilton, Jasmin Walker and Justis Bolding | 672 |
| Stories | Threshing Day (story collection, read after Onyx Storm, not book 4) | Listen, 70% | 5h 52m | 14 narrators | 224 |
| 4 | Book 4 (untitled) | Not announced | |||
| Three novels | 74h 11m |
Lengths and narrators from the Audible UK listings, checked 6 November 2026; all four are unabridged Recorded Books editions, the same recordings as on Audible US. Page counts are the print editions given on each verdict page. Book 4 has no title or date yet.
Reading order
Read the three novels in order, then Threshing Day. Hachette UK says that “due to contained spoilers, it is best read after Onyx Storm”, even though its 13 stories are set years before the main books and are told by riders such as Xaden, Brennan, Mira, Liam, Imogen and Rhiannon (Ink & Imaginings). Books of Brilliance calls it optional before book 4, and Book Riot confirms it is not a sequel to Onyx Storm.
- Fourth Wing (2023)
- Iron Flame (2023)
- Onyx Storm (2025)
- Threshing Day (story collection, 2026, not book 4)
- Book 4 (no title or date yet)
Yarros began writing book 4 in February 2026 and said the 2026 Empyrean release “hasn’t altered book 4’s timeline in the least”. Winter Is Coming estimates late 2027 at the earliest, but that is its own guess, not an announcement.
The Fourth Wing TV series. Amazon MGM Studios is making a Fourth Wing series for Prime Video, ordered in May 2026. Esther McGregor plays Violet Sorrengail and Emilio Sakraya plays Xaden Riorson, with Meredith Averill as showrunner and Lisa Joy set to direct the pilot (Amazon News, 21 October 2026). No release date has been announced (as of November 2026).
Which recording?
The verdicts score the unabridged Recorded Books audiobooks, the same recordings on Audible UK and US. Rebecca Soler and Teddy Hamilton read Fourth Wing and Iron Flame; on Iron Flame, Hamilton reads only the final chapter (Library Journal). Onyx Storm has four narrators, one per point of view (Audible Blog), and its audiobook won the 2025 Goodreads Choice Award for audiobook, a readers’ vote (Kirkus). Threshing Day has fourteen narrators across its 13 stories.
Every Empyrean book on this site is a Listen verdict, from Fourth Wing (62%) to Onyx Storm (82%, clear). Onyx Storm scores highest, the book where each viewpoint character has their own narrator.
GraphicAudio has made full-cast dramatisations, with music and effects, of all three novels (each in two parts: 18h 32m, 21h 5m and 19h 58m) and of Threshing Day (5h 34m, from 13 October 2026), all on Audible UK. Each is a dramatised adaptation, not the full text, so they are not scored. See also the best full-cast audiobooks and the best fantasy audiobooks.
How long is the series?
| Book | Audiobook | At 1.5x | At 2x |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fourth Wing | 22h 3m | 14h 42m | 11h 2m |
| Iron Flame | 28h 16m | 18h 51m | 14h 8m |
| Onyx Storm | 23h 52m | 15h 55m | 11h 56m |
| Threshing Day | 5h 52m | 3h 55m | 2h 56m |
| Three novels | 74h 11m | 49h 27m | 37h 6m |
| With Threshing Day | 80h 3m | 53h 22m | 40h 2m |
Lengths from the Audible UK listings as given on each verdict page, 6 November 2026. Totals and speed times are calculated. The GraphicAudio versions of the three novels run 59h 35m in all.
Questions people ask
What order should I read the Fourth Wing books in?
Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, Onyx Storm, then Threshing Day. The publisher says Threshing Day is best read after Onyx Storm because it contains spoilers.
How many books are in the Empyrean series?
Three novels so far (Fourth Wing, Iron Flame and Onyx Storm) and one story collection, Threshing Day. Yarros has said the series will continue with a fourth novel.
Is Threshing Day book 4?
No. Threshing Day is a collection of 13 stories set in the Empyrean world, published on 29 September 2026. The fourth novel has no title or release date yet.
When should I read Threshing Day?
After Onyx Storm. Its stories are set years before Fourth Wing, but the publisher warns that it contains spoilers for the main books.
When is Fourth Wing book 4 coming out?
No release date or title has been announced (as of 6 November 2026). Yarros began writing it in February 2026.
Who narrates the Fourth Wing audiobooks?
Rebecca Soler and Teddy Hamilton read Fourth Wing and Iron Flame. Jasmin Walker and Justis Bolding join them on Onyx Storm, and Threshing Day has 14 narrators.
How long are the Fourth Wing audiobooks?
Fourth Wing is 22 hours 3 minutes, Iron Flame 28 hours 16 minutes and Onyx Storm 23 hours 52 minutes on Audible UK, about 74 hours for the three novels. Threshing Day adds 5 hours 52 minutes.
Is there a full-cast Fourth Wing audiobook?
Yes. GraphicAudio has made full-cast dramatised adaptations of all three novels and of Threshing Day. They are adaptations, not the full text, so this site scores the unabridged recordings instead.
Is there a Fourth Wing TV series?
Yes. Prime Video is making one, with Esther McGregor as Violet and Emilio Sakraya as Xaden (Amazon News, 21 October 2026). No release date has been announced.
Should I read or listen to the Empyrean books?
Listen. Every Empyrean book on this site is a Listen verdict, from Fourth Wing (62%) to Onyx Storm (82%, clear).
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Start hereHow we decide
The thirteen questions behind every verdict on this site.
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How these verdicts were reached
Every book on this site is checked against the same thirteen questions, set in advance and applied identically to every title. They are based on research into what readers and listeners generally find easier to follow in each format, not on personal preference, and they are published in full so you can check the reasoning yourself. Verdicts are never paid for, sponsored or influenced by affiliate partners.
- The criteria: read the thirteen questions in full.
- What we checked: the Audible UK and US listings for each recording, Hachette UK, Ink & Imaginings, Books of Brilliance, Book Riot and Winter Is Coming for the reading order and book 4, and Amazon News, Hollywood Life and Stylist for the TV series.
- Last edited: 6 November 2026. Editions and narrators change, so verdicts are rechecked annually.