The ACOTAR, Throne of Glass and Crescent City timeline explained

Sarah J. Maas’ unofficial fantasy saga spans all three of her book series to date, featuring an occasionally interconnected timeline between Cutting thorns and roses, Throne of Glassand Crescent City. Maas began his career with the young adult Throne of Glass series, depicting the epic story of Aelin and her allies reclaiming their kingdoms from the forces of evil. In the middle of publishing this series, Maas began Cutting thorns and rosestaking place in a distinct setting and following a new iteration of the Fae and the intrepid human hunter who is pulled into their world.

A fascinating moment in one of the best Throne of Glass books established that Throne of Glass and Cutting thorns and roses they take place in the same setting, inhabiting different realms of a structure similar to a multiverse. When Maas debuted Crescent Cityhis first book series entirely for adults, it was safe to assume the same logic applied. Proposals for adaptations of his works, including Cutting thorns and roses TV show, are a long way from becoming some kind of television entertainment universe. Additionally, the timeline between the three series is more complicated than other franchises in the genre.

The Throne of Glass series takes place over the course of a year

Celaena Sardothien competes to be the king’s champion one winter; Aelin retakes her kingdom next year

The main Throne of Glass The books take place approximately over the course of a year. The Prequel Novel Collection The Assassin’s Blade delays the timeline by about a year, showing Celaena at a younger age, before Throne of Glasswhen she still works and lives with Arobynn Hamel. Her travels to and from the Red Desert for further training and then the year she spends trapped on Endovier bring the narrative into the main timeline. Likewise, the epilogue of Kingdom of Ashes advances the timeline a few months to next spring, after the final battle.

So the books technically span a few years. However, as far as the main timeline is concerned, Celaena is released from Endovier and returns to Rifthold to participate in the king’s competition in autumn, close to winter. The definitive time marker of this book is the Yulemas celebrations, including the ball, which takes place just before the final battle of the competition. In the last book, the characters fight their way through brutal snowstorms while trying to defeat their enemies when winter returns, and mention that the events of the first book took place almost a year ago.

A Court of Thorns and Roses books (so far) span two to three years

The timeline of Feyre and her family is confusing, but can be deduced from seasonal events

A Court of Thorns and Roses’ The timeline is notoriously unclear, but attentive readers can determine the amount of time that has passed thanks to a few annual events. After initially being kidnapped by Tamlin, Feyre spends a few months in the Spring Court, during which time the Calanmai celebration to mark the beginning of spring takes place. Tamlin frees her and she goes home to her family for a while. She then returns to Prythian to rescue Tamlin and spends three months imprisoned by Amarantha Under the Mountain. She spends her first Winter Solstice (also her birthday) in Prythian, in the Spring Court.

A Court of Mist and Fury covers several more months with Feyre going back and forth between the Spring and Night Courts and then her moving to the Night Court, dedicating his time healing and training there. Feyre mentions that Calanmai is the same night she and Rhysand officially became friends. The war against Hybern covers the rest of the year, as A Court of Ice and Starlight puts them on the Winter Solstice again. A Court of Silver Flames picks up a few months later and builds up to the next Winter Solstice, with Nyx being born in early spring, about three years after the start of the series.

The Last Throne of Glass book aligns with the newer ACOTAR book

Aelin’s fateful encounter with the High Lord and Lady tells us how the series coincides

In Kingdom of AshesAelin seals the Wyrdgate, destroys the Wyrdkeys, imprisons the vengeful gods who wronged her in another realm, and is cast through many realms, briefly glimpsing them all. She actually sees the titular location of Crescent City – “She passed through a world where a great city was built along the bend of a river, the buildings impossibly tall and glowing with lights..” – although the first book in this series had not yet been published at the time. However, the biggest moment is when she sees Rhys and Feyre, who are waiting.

Node ACOTAR side of things, this happens during A Court of Silver Flames. Rhys uses his magic to help slow Aelin’s trajectory so she can return home. Through Nesta’s narration, it is said that the residents of Velaris witnessed a red comet this is considered an omen. All this means that the final events of the Throne of Glass were happening at the same time as the last Cutting thorns and roses book. When Throne of Glass’ The timeline also covers a few years, including The Assassin’s Bladethe series take place side by side.

The Crescent City books take place in less than a year

Aside from the initial jump after Danika’s death, Bryce’s adventures take place within a year

House of Earth and Blood begins with Bryce and Danika living their best lives before Danika and her wolf pack are killed. The first book moves forward two years, when a new discovery is made that questions the supposed truths about Danika’s murder. Bryce and Hunt investigate the case and face the villains of this book.

The second book, House of Heaven and Breaththen picks up again a few months later, with the main couple trying to live in peace before the plot gets in the way. House of Flame and Shadow picks up immediately after the end of its predecessor, all within a year since Bryce and Hunt properly met when the events of each individual book last no more than a few months.

Bryce arrives in Prythian after the events of A Court of Silver Flame

Bryce’s encounter with the night court places Crescent City in the general timeline

A shocking turn of events House of Heaven and Breath puts Bryce on the same plane as the Cutting thorns and roses cast, albeit briefly. As she figures out how to get home, she mainly interacts with Nesta and Azriel. Nyx is mentioned during this section of the book and is approximately a few months old at the time, placing A House of Flames and Shadows in the same year at the end of A Court of Silver Flames. Therefore, these two series also overlap.

Throne Of Glass, ACOTAR and Crescent City take place (roughly) side by side

The Maasverse has been running consecutively and the future is wide open for these characters and possible crossovers

Roughly speaking, Maas lines up the last installments of all three series at the same time. Aelin reclaiming Terrasen, Feyre giving birth, and Bryce arriving at the Night Court will likely all occur within six months. At this point, each of the series’ timelines has been going on for a few years, meaning there’s a lot of overlap between all of its major events. It can be estimated that the events of The Assassin’s Blade begins sometime during Feyre’s initial foray into the Prythian adventure, with Danika’s death happening near the beginning of A Court of Mist and Fury.

It’s also difficult to say exactly when these things happen in relation to each other because the worlds appear to be on different seasonal calendars: The Red Star and the birth of Nyx happen in early spring in A Court of Silver Flameseven though it’s the height of winter in Kingdom of Ashes. However, Maas goes further into crossover territory with each book. House of Flame and Shadow shows more interaction between the series’ respective lore than ever before, setting the stage for a new era of the triad of Throne of Glass, A court of thorns and roses, and Crescent City.