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The Folk of the Air Reading Order.

Authorby Holly Black
3 Entries
Quick Answer

Start with The Cruel Prince (2018).

The Folk of the Air is a young adult fantasy series following the journey of mortal girl Jude Duarte and faerie prince Cardan Greenbriar as they navigate the world of Elfhame, filled with hate, betrayal, contempt, and complex feelings for each other.

Where to start

Start with The Cruel Prince (2018).

  • •The Stolen Heir duology is a sequel set eight years later.
  • •How the King of Elfhame Learned to Hate Stories is an optional illustrated companion.
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Community Consensus

Low Debate

"The provided Reddit comments do not contain any discussion, recommendations, or reading order advice for "The Folk of the Air" series. The conversation focuses primarily on the r/Fantasy Bingo card, tracking spreadsheets, and recommendations for other authors like Lois McMaster Bujold, Robin Hobb, and NK Jemisin."

Key Reddit Advice

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Complete Series Reading Order

Publication Reading Order3 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

The Cruel Prince

Pub: 2018

GUARD YOUR MORTAL HEART. JUDE WAS SEVEN WHEN HER PARENTS were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King. To win a place at the Court, she must defy him--and face the consequences. As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for tricker and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself. From #1 New York Times bestselling author Holly Black comes the first book in a stunning new trilogy filled with twists and enchantment, as one girl learns the meaning of true power when she finds herself caught in a web of royal faerie intrigue. This description comes from the publisher. The Cruel Prince is the first book of the Folk of the Air trilogy.

2

The Wicked King

Pub: 2019

Plot details hidden until you finish "The Cruel Prince".

YOU MUST BE STRONG ENOUGH TO STRIKE AND STRIKE AND STRIKE AGAIN WITHOUT TIRING. THE FIRST LESSON IS TO MAKE YOURSELF THAT STRONG. JUDE HAS BOUND THE WICKED KING, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were biddable. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her, even as his fascination with her remains undiminished. When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world. From author Holly Black comes an enchanting and bloodthirsty sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel The Cruel Prince. This description comes from the publisher. The Wicked King is the second book in the Folk of the Air series, the first of which is The Cruel Prince.

3

The Queen of Nothing

Pub: 2019

Plot details hidden until you finish "The Wicked King".

The novel follows a mortal, Jude Duarte, as she returns to the troubled Faerie realm to solve an important riddle and save the king and the land she loves. Now as the exiled mortal Queen of Faerie, Jude is powerless and left reeling from Cardan's betrayal. She bides her time determined to reclaim everything he took from her. Opportunity arrives in the form of her twin sister, Taryn, whose life is in peril.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What order should I read The Folk of the Air in?

Start with The Cruel Prince (2018).

How many books are in The Folk of the Air?

3 main books, published 2018–2019.

Can I read The Folk of the Air out of order?

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