The Last King of Faerie, the first book in Cassandra Clare’s newest(final?) Shadowhunter series, The Wicked Powers, is expected to release November 3, 2026. Here’s the re-read I have planned to prepare for this new book. Will I make it? Time will tell! The new book is supposed to take place after The Dark Artifices and center the characters Kit, Ty, and Dru, with Ash being featured as well. I took that into account when choosing what I want to re-read.
Update (8/24/26): I had already re-read Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy and The Lost Book of the White when I saw this Instagram post from Cassandra Clare about what she would re-read, and it included City of Heavenly Fire as part of the “Absolute Most Relevant Stuff” along with The Dark Artifices.
If you want to have the Fast Guide to the Absolutely Most Relevant Stuff, I would say (and this is again if you want to re-read novels or read extra stuff for the first time): The Dark Artifices, City of Heavenly Fire, and the short stories “The Time of Two.” “Bred in the Bone.” “Too Wise to Love,” and “Forever Fallen”.
Optionally you could also read “The Lost World” (Ty at the Scholomance) and “Through Blood, through Fire” (Kit’s Lost Heir stuff.) You could also read Secrets of Blackthorn Hall, which is online and free, but you don’t have to.
From Cassandra Clare’s Instagram post. The short stories The Time of Two, Bred in the Bone, and Too Wise to Love are from Better in Black, which I read pretty recently. Secrets of Blackthorn Hall is on tumblr (be sure to start with the oldest post). Forever Fallen, The Lost World, and Through Blood, through Fire are in Ghosts of the Shadow Market and were included in my original re-reading list.
I checked my review of the last time I re-read City of Heavenly Fire, and my previous self said that if it were a TV show, I would call it a “backdoor pilot” for The Dark Artifices. So, even though I just re-read two books that basically come right after it chronologically, I’m adding in City of Heavenly Fire as kind of a flashback. I started the audiobook last night, and it opens up with Emma and the Blackthorn family, basically their origin story.
The Last King of Faerie Anticipation Reread
(Original release dates in parentheses).
- ✅ Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy - Shorts released February 17-November 17, 2015. Volume of shorts released November 15, 2016.
- ✅ The Lost Book of the White (September 1, 2020) - Takes place after Tales from Shadowhunter Academy
- Reading - City of Heavenly Fire (May 27, 2014)
- Lady Midnight (The Dark Artifices Book 1) (March 8, 2016)
- Lord of Shadows (The Dark Artifices Book 2) (May 23, 2017)
- Queen of Air and Darkness (The Dark Artifices Book 3) (December 4, 2018)
- Ghosts of the Shadow Market (June 4, 2019)
- Through Blood, Through Fire (Kit)
- The Lost World (Kit, Ty, Dru)
- Forever Fallen (Kit, Ash)