Air Awakens Series Order: All Books in Elise Kova’s World

By Anna Marie CarrollFantasy

Trying to sort out the Air Awakens series order can be confusing because Air Awakens is both the name of Elise Kova’s original series and the larger fantasy world that also includes the Golden Guard trilogy, Vortex Chronicles, and A Trial of Sorcerers.

I recommend starting with Air Awakens and reading the connected series in publication order. That preserves the surprises and lets the world expand naturally. Each series tells its own complete story, though, so you can also begin with any book one that interests you.

Jump to:

Air Awakens Series Order

The original Air Awakens series follows Vhalla Yarl and Crown Prince Aldrik across one continuous story. Read the five novels in order, starting with Air Awakens.

  1. Air Awakens (2015)
  2. Fire Falling (2015)
  3. Earth’s End (2016)
  4. Water’s Wrath (2016)
  5. Crystal Crowned (2016)

Optional: Tales from the Front is a collection of bonus scenes from the original series. Read it after Earth’s End if you want the extra perspectives.

Air Awakens World by Series

The wider Air Awakens world contains three more connected series. They share history, characters, and magic, but each one has its own central cast and complete story.

Air Awakens: Golden Guard Trilogy

The Golden Guard trilogy takes place before the original series and explores the people and events that shaped the guard before Vhalla’s story begins. Each book focuses on a different adventure, but I’d still read the trilogy in order.

  1. The Crown’s Dog (2016)
  2. The Prince’s Rogue (2017)
  3. The Farmer’s War (2017)

Air Awakens: Vortex Chronicles

Vortex Chronicles follows Vi Solaris and a new group of characters in the same world. It works as its own series, but the connections carry more weight after reading the original Air Awakens books.

  1. Vortex Visions (2019)
  2. Chosen Champion (2019)
  3. Failed Future (2019)
  4. Sovereign Sacrifice (2019)
  5. Crystal Caged (2020)

A Trial of Sorcerers

A Trial of Sorcerers follows Eira Landan as she competes for a place in the Tournament of Five Kingdoms. The series moves beyond the Solaris family while continuing the world’s larger story after Vortex Chronicles.

  1. A Trial of Sorcerers (2021)
  2. A Hunt of Shadows (2022)
  3. A Tournament of Crowns (2023)
  4. An Heir of Frost (2024)
  5. A Queen of Ice (2024)

Air Awakens World Reading Orders

There are three useful ways to read the connected series. Publication order is my recommendation for a first read. The two chronological orders work better when you already know the major twists.

Publication Order

Publication order begins with Vhalla’s story and introduces each connected series in the order readers first received it.

  1. Air Awakens (2015)
  2. Fire Falling (2015)
  3. Earth’s End (2016)
  4. Water’s Wrath (2016)
  5. Crystal Crowned (2016)
  6. The Crown’s Dog (2016)
  7. The Prince’s Rogue (2017)
  8. The Farmer’s War (2017)
  9. Vortex Visions (2019)
  10. Chosen Champion (2019)
  11. Failed Future (2019)
  12. Sovereign Sacrifice (2019)
  13. Crystal Caged (2020)
  14. A Trial of Sorcerers (2021)
  15. A Hunt of Shadows (2022)
  16. A Tournament of Crowns (2023)
  17. An Heir of Frost (2024)
  18. A Queen of Ice (2024)

Perceived Chronology

This order follows the world’s history as it appears from Vhalla’s perspective. It begins with the Golden Guard prequels, then continues through the original series, Vortex Chronicles, and A Trial of Sorcerers.

  1. The Crown’s Dog
  2. The Prince’s Rogue
  3. The Farmer’s War
  4. Air Awakens
  5. Fire Falling
  6. Earth’s End
  7. Water’s Wrath
  8. Crystal Crowned
  9. Vortex Visions
  10. Chosen Champion
  11. Failed Future
  12. Sovereign Sacrifice
  13. Crystal Caged
  14. A Trial of Sorcerers
  15. A Hunt of Shadows
  16. A Tournament of Crowns
  17. An Heir of Frost
  18. A Queen of Ice

True Chronology

The true chronology follows the actual sequence of events, including the time-alteration story in Vortex Chronicles. It reveals major information much earlier than publication order, so I recommend saving it for a reread.

  1. Vortex Visions
  2. Chosen Champion
  3. Failed Future
  4. Sovereign Sacrifice
  5. The Crown’s Dog
  6. The Prince’s Rogue
  7. The Farmer’s War
  8. Air Awakens
  9. Fire Falling
  10. Earth’s End
  11. Water’s Wrath
  12. Crystal Crowned
  13. Crystal Caged (It can also be read alongside The Crown’s Dog through Crystal Crowned.)
  14. A Trial of Sorcerers
  15. A Hunt of Shadows
  16. A Tournament of Crowns
  17. An Heir of Frost
  18. A Queen of Ice

Air Awakens Bonus Stories and Deleted Scenes

None of the bonus material is required to understand the novels. It’s there for readers who want extra scenes and another visit with the characters.

What is the Air Awakens Series About?

Air Awakens follows Vhalla Yarl, a library apprentice in the Solaris Empire. She prefers books and quiet corners to the Tower of Sorcerers, but her life changes when she unknowingly saves Crown Prince Aldrik with magic she didn’t know she possessed.

Vhalla soon learns that she is a Windwalker, a rare sorcerer with power over air. That discovery pulls her into the empire’s wars, political struggles, and dangerous magical world. She must decide whether to return to the familiar life she understands or accept the power and responsibility now waiting for her.

The series blends epic fantasy, elemental magic, court politics, coming-of-age themes, and a slow-burn romance. The connected series expand the same world through different characters and time periods, but the original five books remain the simplest place to begin.

Looking for more books in order?

If you want more fantasy authors and reading-order guides like this one, start with my Fantasy Books in Order index.

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