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Skyward (The Cytoverse) Reading Order.

Quick Answer

Start with Skyward (2018).

The Skylark series, a classic science fiction/space opera, begins when a scientist accidentally invents a space-drive and sets off to encounter alien civilizations and fight a larger-than-life villain. The subsequent narrative describes the intensifying conflicts between protagonists Seaton and Crane, their rival DuQuesne, and a succession of non-human entities bent on universal conquest.

Where to start

Start with Skyward (2018).

  • •The three novellas (Sunreach, ReDawn, Evershore) take place during Cytonic; read them after Cytonic and before Defiant.

Community Consensus

Low Debate

"The provided Reddit comments do not contain any discussion, consensus, or specific advice regarding the 'Skyward series' reading order. The comments focus primarily on reading habits, high book volume, rating systems, and recommendations for other fantasy series (such as Cradle, Malazan, and Riyria)."

Key Reddit Advice

No advice regarding the Skyward series reading order can be derived from these comments, as the series is not mentioned or discussed.

Complete Series Reading Order

Publication Reading Order7 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.
Best Start Here
1

Skyward

Pub: 2018

SPENSA'S WORLD HAS BEEN UNDER ATTACK FOR DECADES. Now pilots are the heroes of what's left of the human race, and becoming one has always been Spensa's dream. Since she was a little girl, she has imagined soaring skyward and proving her bravery. But her fate is intertwined with her father's--a pilot himself who was killed years ago when he abruptly deserted his team, leaving Spensa the daughter of a coward, her chances of attending Flight School slim to none. No one will let Spensa forget what her father did, yet fate works in mysterious ways. Flight school might be a long shot, but she is determined to fly. And an accidental discovery in a long-forgotten cavern might just provide her with a way to claim the stars. This description comes from the publisher.

2

Starsight

Pub: 2019

Plot details hidden until you finish "Skyward".

ALL HER LIFE, SPENSA'S DREAMED of becoming a pilot. Of proving she's a hero like her father. She made it to the sky, but the truths she learned about her father were crushing. The rumors of his cowardice are true--he deserted his flight during battle against the Krell. Worse, though, he turned against his team and attacked them. Spensa is sure that there's more to the story. And she's sure that whatever happened to her father in his starship could happen to her. When she made it outside the protective shell of her planet, she heard the stars--and it was terrifying. Everything Spensa has been taught about her world is a lie. But Spensa also discovered a few other things about herself--and she'll travel to the end of the galaxy to save humankind if she needs to. This description comes from the publisher. Starsight is the second book in the Skyward series, the first of which is Skyward.

3

Cytonic

Pub: 2021

Plot details hidden until you finish "Starsight".

From the number one New York Times best-selling author of the Reckoners series, the Mistborn trilogy, and the Stormlight Archive comes the third book in an epic series about a girl who will travel beyond the stars to save the world she loves from destruction. Spensa’s life as a Defiant Defense Force pilot has been far from ordinary. She proved herself one of the best starfighters in the human enclave of Detritus, and she saved her people from extermination at the hands of the Krell - the enigmatic alien species that has been holding them captive for decades. What’s more, she traveled light-years from home as an undercover spy to infiltrate the Superiority, where she learned of the galaxy beyond her small, desolate planet home. Now, the Superiority - the governing galactic alliance bent on dominating all human life - has started a galaxy-wide war. And Spensa’s seen the weapons they plan to use to end it: the Delvers. Ancient, mysterious alien forces that can wipe out entire planetary systems in an instant. Spensa knows that no matter how many pilots the DDF has, there is no defeating this predator. Except that Spensa is Cytonic. She faced down a Delver and saw something eerily familiar about it. And maybe, if she’s able to figure out what she is, she could be more than just another pilot in this unfolding war. She could save the galaxy. The only way she can discover what she really is, though, is to leave behind all she knows and enter the Nowhere. A place from which few ever return. To have courage means facing fear. And this mission is terrifying. ©2021 Dragonsteel Entertainment LLC (P)2021 Audible, Inc.

4

Sunreach

Pub: 2021Optional

Plot details hidden until you finish "Cytonic".

From #1 bestselling author Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson comes the first of three Skyward series novellas, each told from the perspective of a different member of the team back on Detritus. Read FM's story between Starsight and Cytonic. When a planet-destroying Delver suddenly appears in the sky of Detritus and vanishes just as suddenly, FM knows that the last free human society got lucky. Her Skyward Flight companion, Spensa, figured out how to draw this Delver away, but it won’t be so easy next time. The forces of the Galactic Superiority will be back—and if the Defiant Defense Force can’t figure out a way to escape the planet, humanity’s destruction is only a matter of time. Spensa’s mission to infiltrate the Superiority unveiled the secret to their hyperdrives—a cytonic slug species called the Taynix. Now FM’s flightleader, Jorgen, has found a large group of Taynix hiding in the caverns far below Detritus’s surface. FM and Jorgen must work together with the engineer Rig to awaken the mysterious alien Alanik and unlock the powers of the Taynix, or humanity will be trapped. With Spensa’s friend Minister Cuna of the Superiority stranded at the outpost of Sunreach, they need to figure out how to rescue her—or the Superiority government will be in the sole clutches of those who want to wipe out Detritus once and for all.

5

ReDawn

Pub: 2021Optional

Plot details hidden until you finish "Sunreach".

A bold new adventure promising a startling shift in reality, where heroes fight to bring light back to a perpetually shadowed world.

6

Evershore

Pub: 2021Optional

Plot details hidden until you finish "ReDawn".

From #1 bestselling author Brandon Sanderson and Janci Patterson comes the final of three Skyward series novellas, each told from the perspective of a different member of the team back on Detritus. Listen to Jorgen's story along with Cytonic. With the government of Detritus in disarray because of Superiority treachery, and with Spensa still away on her mission in the Nowhere, Jorgen must work together with the alien Alanik to pick up the pieces. They intercept a strange transmission from the planet Evershore and its Kitsen inhabitants, who say they have some of Jorgen’s people and want to return them—but can the Kitsen be trusted? And can Jorgen learn to master his increasingly erratic cytonic powers before they spiral out of control and destroy all hope of forming an alliance against the Superiority? Praise for Skyward An Instant New York Times Bestseller A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year • "Startling revelations and stakes-raising implications . . . Sanderson plainly had a ball with this nonstop, highflying opener, and readers will too." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review • "With this action-packed trilogy opener, Sanderson offers up a resourceful, fearless heroine and a memorable cast." —Publishers Weekly, starred review • "It is impossible to turn the pages fast enough." —Booklist

7

Defiant

Pub: 2023

Plot details hidden until you finish "Evershore".

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson comes the final book in an epic series about a girl who will travel beyond the stars to save the world she loves from destruction. Spensa made it out of the Nowhere, but what she saw in the space between the stars has changed her forever. She came face to face with the Delvers, and finally got answers to the questions she's had about her own strange Cytonic gifts. The Superiority didn't stop in it's fight for galactic dominance while she was gone, though. Spensa's team, Skyward Flight, was able to hold Winzik off, and even collect allies to help with the cause, but it's only a matter of time until humanity--and the rest of the galaxy--falls. Defeating them will require all the knowledge Spensa gathered while in the Nowhere. But being Cytonic is more complicated than she ever could have imagined. Now, Spensa must ask herself: how far is she willing to go for victory, if it means losing herself--and her friends--in the process.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What order should I read Skyward (The Cytoverse) in?

Start with Skyward (2018).

How many books are in Skyward (The Cytoverse)?

4 main books, published 2018–2023, plus 3 side stories.

Can I read Skyward (The Cytoverse) out of order?

It's best not to. The books build on each other, so reading out of order spoils earlier twists.

Which books in Skyward (The Cytoverse) are prequels, novellas or side stories?

"Sunreach" (novella), "ReDawn" (novella), "Evershore" (novella). Each is placed in the reading order below.