Everything to Know About the 'Fourth Wing' Books: Your Guide to the 'Empyrean' Series
Rebecca Yarros's fantasy novels have become a literary phenomenon—and there's more on the way very soon.
Sadie Bell
If you needed proof that the world could use a little escapism, a simple look on #BookTok would suffice. Between the fantasy-based A Court of Thorns and Roses and The Song of Achilles, which has its roots in Greek mythology, the internet’s most beloved book picks are practically a cry for diversion. Enter: Rebecca Yarros’s Fourth Wing series—a charming tale about a young woman who must overcome great peril and hellacious odds to become a kickass dragon rider. (Yes, you read that right.)
In case you’ve been living under a rock, the first book in this romantasy (a.k.a. romance meets fantasy) collection, Fourth Wing, took off like a rocket in 2023, climbing straight to the top of The New York Times Best Sellers list and remaining there for three months. As of January 2025, Fourth Wing and its two follow-ups had sold more than 12 million copies—a number bound to get even higher, with two more volumes left in the series. And don’t even get us started on social media: The hashtag #fourthwing has more than 1 billion (that’s billion, with a "B") views on TikTok alone.
Feeling a bit of book FOMO? We don’t blame you. Below, we've rounded up everything you need to know about the fantasy series, from the number of books the author has planned to the anticipated release date of the latest Fourth Wing drop. (Hint: Fans may have a longer wait than usual.)
The third book in the Fourth Wing series was released in January 2025.
What is the 'Fourth Wing' book series about?
The Fourth Wing series, also known as the Empyrean series, is about a 20-year-old woman named Violet Sorrengail who is thrown into the competitive—and dangerous—world of dragon-riding at the punishing military academy Basgiath War College.
Plagued by physical ailments from a childhood illness, assassination attempts at the hands of her competitors, and a growing attraction to rival rider Xaden Riorson, Violet’s quest is a dangerous one, full of secrets, betrayal, and violence.
However, if she can stay alive, she might unlock the power of the winged mythical beasts she’s set out to ride and share in their magic. (How else to channel, oh, say, lightning manipulation?)
How many books does Rebecca Yarros have planned for the 'Fourth Wing' series?
According to Yarros, the series was initially plotted for three books, but she needed five to tell the full story arc. “Probably about 30,000 words in, I called my editor and I said, 'I think this is a five-book series,'” she told Variety in 2023. “And that’s how we went from three to five.”
You'll have to wait a while to read the entire series: Books four and five have yet to be written.
How to read the 'Fourth Wing' series in order:
To read the Fourth Wing series chronologically, you'll want to start with Fourth Wing, then move on to Iron Flame, the second book in the series. Fourth Wing first hit shelves in April 2023, with Iron Flame (divided into two parts) coming just several months later in November 2023.
Onyx Storm is the third book in the series. The third installment was released in January 2025 and became the fastest-selling adult title in 20 years.
As for books four and five, their names and release dates are still unknown.
When was 'Onyx Storm,' the third book in the 'Fourth Wing' series released?
Onyx Storm was released on January 21, 2025. Yarros announced the book's title and publication date in a March 2024 appearance on Good Morning America.
She also cited the book as her favorite in the series while giving fans a look at the back cover on Instagram. With the phrase "I will not die today" crossed out in favor of the words "I will save him," the cover suggests a shift in priorities for our heroine, Violet.
"I can’t wait for you to get your hands on it!" Yarros told fans in the caption of a post on Instagram.
The release came more than a year after the release of 2023’s Iron Flame, which left fans with a cliffhanger ending that had bookworms practically salivating for more.
What is the third 'Fourth Wing' book, 'Onyx Storm,' about?
Yarros originally told Good Morning America only that Onyx Storm was about “politics, new adventures, old enemies, and, of course, dragons.” From her website, it was clear that there would be plenty of guts and gore: There’s a trigger warning for “war, battle, hand-to-hand combat, perilous situations, blood, intense violence, brutal injuries, death, poisoning, graphic language, and sexual activities.”
In September 2024, the author finally released the official summary on her Instagram. The third installment in the series picks up 18 months into Violet’s war college training. “Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre,” the official logline reads. “The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him. Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything.”
It ends by teasing, “A storm is coming...and not everyone can survive its wrath." Ominous!
When will the fourth 'Fourth Wing' book come out?
So far, the Empyrean series has been released at an impressive pace, with three 500-plus-page books released between April 2023 and January 2025. Understandably, there will be a longer wait between Onyx Storm and the fourth book than any other Empyrean title thus far.
Yarros revealed on Instagram in September 2024 that she took a writing hiatus after she finished Onyx Storm. In interviews, the author has also spoken about how the much-needed break will give her more time to spend with her family and to recuperate after the past few breakneck years.
"After Onyx Storm pushed my body and mental health to every possible limit, I told myself I could take a year to heal," she wrote in a post. "A year where I didn’t write or so much as open a word document once I turned it in during September. I truly believe it was that self-given permission that’s made it feasible to be back here so much faster than I ever thought possible. Working on Fourth Wing’s graphic novel has been the best bridge to bring me back to my desk!!! Healthy hours—no more 15 hour days—are where it’s at!"
Speaking with Today in March 2025, Yarros shared an update on her immediate writing plans. She told the outlet that her next book will be a "contemporary romance," as she continues to "swing back and forth" between her initial genre and romantasy.
In December 2025, she updated fans about her progress on the two books. On Instagram, Yarros shared a selfie and confirmed she's still writing her traditional, modern-day-set romance novel and will return to Fourth Wing once she's done. "Behold, the happy face of the author who finally gets to settle in for months of doing what I do best…playing with my imaginary friends at my desk!!! (And writing down their antics 😆)," she wrote in the caption. "For transparency’s sake… I’m currently working on a contracted contemporary, and once I’m done, I’ll be living in the Empyrean world! ♥️ I can’t wait for you guys to see what I have in store for you!"
It's hard to say how long it will take for her to complete her latest novel and for it to hit shelves, but it seems likely that she won't be able to shift gears back to the Empyrean books until late 2026 at the earliest. With that being said, the fourth book may not be released until late 2027.
Fear not, though: Yarros still has a foot in the world of Fourth Wing. She has already made her writing playlist for Book 4—and, as a Swiftie through and through, the first song on the list is from Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department. The author has also confirmed she's working on a graphic novel adaptation of Fourth Wing.
What is the fourth 'Fourth Wing' book about?
Spoilers for the ending of Onyx Storm below. Little concrete information is known about the plot of the next Fourth Wing novel, but we can be sure that it'll pick up following the cliffhanger events at the end of Book 3. As fans eager to read on are well aware, the novel ends as Violet wakes up with no memory of the past 12 hours, but a wedding ring on her finger and the goddess Dunne's blessing for her to marry Xaden. Xaden, meanwhile, has started to go darker after using more of his venin power.
Yarros has emphasized that Xaden's transition will become a focus in the next book. While speaking at a late October 2025 event with the "Fantasy Fangirls" podcast hosts, she said that fans "should really be prepared in book four to see Xaden enter his villain era." The author also confirmed that we'll find out what happened in those mysterious 12 hours and what the implications of their marriage could be.
She's also teased what readers should expect about the larger series. For example, while promoting Onyx Storm at an event in February 2025, she pointed to the significance of dragons never announcing their names themselves. The writer explained that this could mean that, when riders share their dragon's name to Scribes, the rider or dragon could be lying. She seemed to imply that this could affect the plot in several ways, namely that the children of rebels could bond with their relatives's dragons and develop signet powers, and that there could be dragons with false identities.
Fingers crossed that, as Yarros makes more progress in the writing process, she shares more updates about what to expect!
Is 'Fourth Wing' being adapted into a TV series?
Great news: In due time, once you finish poring through these page-turners, you'll be able to binge-watch it, too, because Fourth Wing is the latest hit book series to get the on-screen adaptation treatment. Prime Video and actor Michael B. Jordan’s production company, Outlier Society, have teamed up to develop a show based on the popular books.
Yarros is among the executive producers, and Meredith Averill, known for executive producing shows like Wednesday, The Haunting of Hill House, and co-showrunning Locke and Key, will lead as showrunner. (Originally, Moira Walley-Beckett, who created Anne With an "E," was supposed to showrun, but she exited the series for unknown reasons.)
The news that the show was in development came from Yarros herself, with the author sharing her excitement on Instagram in October 2023. “I'm so humbled and thrilled to announce that FOURTH WING has been optioned!!!” she wrote. “I can't wait to see their adaptation of Fourth Wing brought to life! I have all the faith in the world in them!”
It will likely be some time until the Fourth Wing TV series hits our screens. Casting hasn't even been confirmed yet. However, Yarros and the team behind the series have been working hard to find the right names to bring to life her beloved dragon-riders. She's even offered insight into who will be playing Xaden. In a November 2023 interview, she told Variety, “We’re just going to say he’s POC; we’re just going to leave it at that…I want to make sure that role is open to as much diversity as possible."
She added, "I was never going to give the readers my vision because I know that once you give the readers your vision, that’s what they’re gonna stick to. And I wanted to make sure we left it open to as much diversity as possible.”
