Looking for Divergent books in order? With Veronica Roth now returning to the series for a new duology, there are more books in the Divergent world than there used to be, and the best reading order depends on whether you want the safest first-time path or a more chronological approach.
For most readers, publication order is still the best way to go. Start with the original trilogy, use the Four stories and companion extras where they fit best for you, and then move into The Sixth Faction after you already know the original world.
In an interview with Elle, Veronica Roth announced The Sixth Faction will publish on October 6, 2026, with book two following on February 2, 2027.
Jump to:
- Where to Start?
- Divergent Books in Publication Order
- Divergent Books in Chronological Order
- Divergent Books FAQ
Where to Start?
Divergent is still the right place to start. Even with the new duology on the way, the original trilogy is the foundation of the series, and it gives the Four stories, epilogues, and extras a lot more weight.
If you only want one clean recommendation, read the series in publication order. That keeps the original trilogy front and center, lets the companion material work like bonus reading instead of homework, and saves The Sixth Faction for after you already know the version of the story it is playing against.
Divergent Books in Publication Order
The publication order is still the easiest way to read the Divergent books. It starts with the original trilogy, adds the Four stories and companion material around it, and now ends with the new Sixth Faction duology.
Main Series Books and Extras
- Divergent (2011)
- Free Four (2012) (Extra Scene)
- Insurgent (2012)
- The Transfer (2013) (Novella)
- The Path to Allegiant (2013) (Companion)
- Allegiant (2013)
- The Initiate (2014) (Novella)
- The Son (2014) (Novella)
- The Traitor (2014) (Novella)
- We Can Be Mended (2018) (Short Story)
There are only three main novels in the original trilogy, but the companion material is where the reading order starts to get a little messy. Four: A Divergent Collection bundles The Transfer, The Initiate, The Son, and The Traitor, along with three additional scenes from Divergent told from Tobias’s point of view.
Free Four, The Path to Allegiant, and We Can Be Mended still need to be picked up separately. So if you want everything, not just the main trilogy, those are the easy ones to miss.
The Sixth Faction Duology
Veronica Roth’s new duology is not being framed as a straight sequel to Allegiant. Instead, it reimagines the story through an alternate-universe lens, asking what happens when Tris makes a different choice at the Choosing Ceremony.
- The Sixth Faction (October 6, 2026)
- Untitled Sixth Faction #2 (February 2, 2027)
Divergent Books in Chronological Order
If you’d rather front-load the Tobias material, the chronological order is still a valid way to go. The original Four stories mostly take place before or alongside the trilogy, which is why some readers prefer to slide them earlier.
That said, the safest Divergent series order is still publication order. The chronological path works best for readers who already know they want the Four stories earlier and don’t mind breaking up the main trilogy a little.
- The Transfer (Novella)
- The Initiate (Novella)
- The Son (Novella)
- Divergent
- Free Four (Extra Scene)
- The Traitor (Novella)
- Insurgent
- The Path to Allegiant (Companion)
- Allegiant
- We Can Be Mended (Short Story)
Divergent Alternate Timeline (Sixth Faction)
The new Sixth Faction books are a little different. Because they branch off from an alternate version of Divergent, they do not slide neatly into the original chronology the way the Four stories do.
So even if you use the chronological path above, the cleanest place to read the new duology is still after you finish the original trilogy and companion material.
Divergent Books FAQ
What is the best Divergent reading order?
For most readers, publication order is still the best choice. It keeps the original trilogy front and center, lets the companion material work as extra reading instead of interruptions, and saves The Sixth Faction for after you already know the original story.
Do I need to read Four before Allegiant?
No. You can read the main trilogy straight through without stopping for Four. The Tobias stories add context and are worth reading, but they are companion pieces, not required setup for Allegiant.
Is The Sixth Faction a sequel to Allegiant?
Not exactly. It is a new Divergent duology that reimagines the story through an alternate-universe lens, so it makes more sense as a branch of the series than as a direct sequel to Allegiant.
Looking for more books like Divergent?
If you want more science fiction authors and reading-order guides like this one, start with my Science Fiction Books in Order index.