Samantha Shannon Books in Order: The Bone Season and Roots of Chaos

Samantha Shannon writes fantasy on two very different scales. In The Bone Season, clairvoyants are persecuted by an authoritarian government in a futuristic version of Europe. In The Roots of Chaos, dragons, ancient prophecies, political rivalries, and powerful magical traditions shape a sprawling secondary world.

The reading order matters most when Paige Mahoney’s story is involved. The Roots of Chaos books offer more flexibility, but choosing between publication order and chronological order can change how you discover their history and secrets. Here’s how to read both series, including the novellas and upcoming releases.

The Bone Season Books in Order

The Bone Season is a planned seven-book dystopian fantasy saga following Paige Mahoney, a young clairvoyant living under the oppressive Republic of Scion. The series combines supernatural abilities, political resistance, Greek mythology, and a dangerous struggle for freedom.

Samantha Shannon has also revised the published books into her Author’s Preferred Texts, adding fresh material and making stylistic changes. If you’re starting the series now, these are the editions the author recommends.

The main novels

1. The Bone Season (2013)

Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld of Scion-controlled London, where clairvoyants are treated as enemies of the state. After she is arrested, she is sent to a mysterious penal colony where her unusual abilities make her valuable to powerful forces.

The debut establishes the series’ complex system of clairvoyance and introduces Paige’s fight to survive in a society built around controlling people like her. It is the essential starting point for the entire saga.

2. The Mime Order (2015)

Paige returns to London after the events of the first book and discovers that the clairvoyant underworld is more politically complicated than she realized. Rival factions, shifting loyalties, and the struggle to organize resistance become increasingly important.

This installment expands the world beyond Paige’s immediate survival and develops the political conflicts that drive the later novels.

3. The Song Rising (2017)

The resistance faces a new phase of conflict as Paige’s position changes and the stakes rise. Her choices affect not only her own future but also the prospects of other clairvoyants living under Scion’s rule.

The novel moves the story toward a wider confrontation with the forces controlling the country. Read it directly after The Mime Order because the events build on the earlier books.

4. The Mask Falling (2021)

Paige’s journey takes her beyond the familiar political landscape of London. New discoveries force her to reconsider what she knows about Scion, its enemies, and the larger forces shaping her world.

The book deepens the series’ mythology while raising questions about identity, power, and the cost of resistance.

5. The Dark Mirror (2025)

The fifth novel continues Paige’s story as the conflict surrounding Scion grows more complicated. The revelations and consequences of earlier installments become increasingly important as the series approaches its final stages.

Because this book follows a long-running plot, it is best read only after the first four novels. Readers should also note that the Author’s Preferred Texts of earlier installments may include revised material.

6. The Moth Reborn (scheduled for 2027)

The sixth novel is the next major installment in Paige Mahoney’s saga. Samantha Shannon’s official website lists it for February 2027.

As of October 15, 2026, this is a forthcoming release, not a published book. Its place in the series is confirmed, but readers should check the author’s website for the latest release information.

7. The final Bone Season novel

The series is planned as a seven-book saga. A seventh and final novel is part of that plan, but a confirmed title and publication date have not been announced on the author’s official website.

For that reason, the current reading list includes five published main novels and the forthcoming sixth installment, rather than presenting the series as complete.

The Bone Season Novellas and Shorter Works

The main novels tell Paige’s continuing story, but two novellas add useful background and character development.

On the Merits of Unnaturalness

This shorter work is a prequel to the main series and can be read independently. It provides additional context for the world of The Bone Season, but it is not required to understand the first novel.

Suggested placement: Read it before the main series if you enjoy background stories, or return to it after The Bone Season if you would rather discover the world through Paige’s eyes first.

The Pale Dreamer (2016)

This novella follows Paige before the events of the first novel and offers a closer look at her earlier life. It provides additional character context without replacing the opening novel.

Suggested placement: Read it before The Bone Season for chronological context, or after the first novel if you prefer to meet Paige in the main story before exploring her past.

The Dawn Chorus (2020)

This novella should be read between The Song Rising and The Mask Falling. It gives readers additional insight into Paige and the events surrounding her life during this stage of the series.

Its position matters more than that of the prequel novellas because it connects directly with the later part of the main storyline.

A simple Bone Season reading checklist

• The Bone Season
• The Mime Order
• The Song Rising
• The Dawn Chorus
• The Mask Falling
• The Dark Mirror
• The Moth Reborn (forthcoming)
• The seventh and final novel (not yet announced)

You can read On the Merits of Unnaturalness and The Pale Dreamer before or after the opening novel. They are optional additions rather than mandatory steps in the central plot.

The Roots of Chaos Books in Order

The Roots of Chaos is an epic fantasy cycle set in a world shaped by dragons, magic, political divisions, and an ancient threat. Unlike The Bone Season, it does not follow one protagonist through a single uninterrupted sequence of novels.

The two main novels are self-contained adventures separated by roughly five centuries. That means you can start with the original book or follow the historical chronology from the beginning.

1. The Priory of the Orange Tree (2019)

The book that introduced readers to the world of Roots of Chaos follows several characters whose lives become entangled in a looming threat to the known world. Ead, Loth, Niclays, and Tané each have different loyalties, ambitions, and secrets, while dragons and old legends shape the conflict around them.

The novel combines political intrigue, religious divisions, dragonriders, and a struggle to prevent catastrophe. It is a substantial standalone epic, making it a good entry point if you want to experience the world as readers first encountered it.

2. A Day of Fallen Night (2023)

Set approximately 500 years before The Priory of the Orange Tree, this full-length prequel explores an earlier crisis known as the Great Sorrow. Its protagonists include Tunuva, a mage protecting her family; Dumai, a godsinger; Wulf, a foundling with a mysterious past; and Princess Glorian, heir to the Queendom of Inys.

The book expands the world’s history, showing how earlier generations faced a threat that would leave a lasting mark on the societies seen in The Priory of the Orange Tree.

3. Among the Burning Flowers (2025)

This shorter, illustrated prequel takes place before The Priory of the Orange Tree. It offers another entry into the history of the Roots of Chaos world and is particularly appealing to readers who want a shorter read before committing to the longer novels.

Because it is a direct prequel, it also works well as the first stop for readers who prefer chronological storytelling.

Which Roots of Chaos reading order is best?

Both approaches work, but they create different reading experiences.

Publication order:

1. The Priory of the Orange Tree
2. A Day of Fallen Night
3. Among the Burning Flowers

This order lets you experience the world as it was introduced to readers and discover its history gradually.

Chronological order:

1. Among the Burning Flowers
2. A Day of Fallen Night
3. The Priory of the Orange Tree

This sequence follows the world’s timeline from the shorter prequel through the earlier historical crisis and into the events of the original novel.

Samantha Shannon’s official website presents both approaches and notes that the two main novels are self-contained adventures. You do not need to read every Roots of Chaos title to understand the central story of either main novel.

Samantha Shannon Books in Publication Order

If you want to follow Shannon’s writing career instead of reading one series at a time, this list combines her main novels and significant shorter fiction in publication order. The dates below refer to original publication, not the dates of revised editions or later paperback releases.

This combined list is useful for seeing the evolution of Shannon’s work, but it is not the best reading order for The Bone Season. For that series, follow the main sequence and place The Dawn Chorus between books three and four.

Where to Start If You’re New to Samantha Shannon

Choosing a first Samantha Shannon book comes down to the kind of fantasy you want.

Choose The Bone Season if you enjoy:

• Dystopian societies and resistance movements
• Characters with supernatural abilities
• A long, connected plot with political intrigue
• A protagonist whose understanding of her world keeps changing

Choose The Priory of the Orange Tree if you prefer:

• Dragons and epic fantasy
• Multiple viewpoints and political rivalries
• Ancient prophecies and religious conflict
• A large, self-contained story rather than a long sequence of direct sequels

Choose Among the Burning Flowers if you want a shorter introduction to the Roots of Chaos world before tackling the much longer novels.

My recommendation for most first-time readers is The Bone Season if you enjoy following one character through a continuing story, and The Priory of the Orange Tree if you prefer a substantial standalone fantasy. Neither choice requires you to finish the other series first.

How the Two Fantasy Worlds Differ

The Bone Season and Roots of Chaos share Shannon’s interest in power, oppression, history, and the way personal decisions can reshape a society. However, they offer quite different reading experiences.

If you enjoy watching a character grow across a long series, The Bone Season is the natural choice. If you want a richly developed fantasy world without immediately committing to a single continuing protagonist, Roots of Chaos may suit you better.

Frequently Asked Questions About Samantha Shannon Books

How many books has Samantha Shannon published?

Her bibliography includes two major fantasy series, the Bone Season novels and novellas, and the Roots of Chaos novels and shorter prequels. As of October 2026, five main Bone Season novels have been published, with the sixth scheduled for February 2027. Roots of Chaos includes two main novels and the shorter Among the Burning Flowers.

Should I read The Bone Season books in order?

Yes. The main novels follow Paige Mahoney’s continuing story, and later books depend on events and revelations from earlier installments. Read the main novels in sequence and place The Dawn Chorus between The Song Rising and The Mask Falling.

Is The Priory of the Orange Tree part of a series?

It is part of the Roots of Chaos cycle. However, it is a self-contained epic fantasy novel, and readers can enjoy it without first reading A Day of Fallen Night. The books share a world and its history rather than following one continuous cast across every installment.

Should I read A Day of Fallen Night before The Priory of the Orange Tree?

You can, but you don’t have to. A Day of Fallen Night takes place about 500 years earlier, so chronological reading begins with that book’s historical period. Publication order starts with The Priory of the Orange Tree, allowing you to discover the world before exploring its past.

Is Among the Burning Flowers a full-length novel?

No. It is a shorter, illustrated prequel to The Priory of the Orange Tree. It is a useful addition for readers interested in the earlier history of the Roots of Chaos world, but it is not a substitute for either main novel.

What is the newest Samantha Shannon book?

Among the Burning Flowers is her latest published book in the main bibliography as of October 2026. The Moth Reborn, the sixth Bone Season novel, is scheduled for February 2027.

Will there be a seventh Bone Season book?

Yes. The Bone Season saga is planned as a seven-book series. The sixth novel, The Moth Reborn, is forthcoming, while a confirmed title and publication date for the seventh and final novel have not yet been announced.

About Samantha Shannon

Samantha Shannon is a British fantasy author born in London in 1991. She studied English Language and Literature at the University of Oxford before publishing The Bone Season in 2013. Her work has since expanded into epic fantasy, with The Priory of the Orange Tree and A Day of Fallen Night establishing the Roots of Chaos cycle.

Her books are known for detailed worldbuilding, layered political conflicts, characters confronting oppressive systems, and stories that explore how history shapes the present. Readers who enjoy immersive fantasy with a strong sense of place can explore two very different but thematically connected bodies of work through her bibliography.

Final Note

For a connected character journey, start with The Bone Season and read Paige Mahoney’s story in sequence, including The Dawn Chorus in its recommended position. For epic fantasy, choose The Priory of the Orange Tree or follow the Roots of Chaos timeline from Among the Burning Flowers onward. Both paths offer a different introduction to Samantha Shannon’s worldbuilding, and you can explore the other series whenever you’re ready for a new kind of fantasy.

Written by

Emon Anam

Hi, I’m Emon. I’m the voice and heart behind Whimsy Read. After nine years in the world of banking, I followed my passion for storytelling into the world of SEO and content strategy. Now, I blend that analytical eye with a deep love for literature to bring you book reviews that are thoughtful, honest, and always focused on the stories that stay with you. When I’m not reading or writing, you’ll find me enjoying joyful chaos with my wife and three kids, getting lost in a new series, or revisiting my old loves: theater, music, and gaming. At the end of the day, I believe great books are meant to be shared, and I’m so glad you’re here to share them with me.