It's been a great few weeks for fans of The Empyrean series from Rebecca Yarros and the Fourth Wing TV series. First, we got the first Yarros' first Empyrean novella, Threshing Day, on Sept. 29, 2026.
Then, just a few weeks later, we learned that Esther McGregor and Emilio Sakraya had been cast as Violet Sorrengail and Xaden Riorson in Prime Video's Fourth Wing TV series.
Now, if you breezed through Threshing Day like more of the Fourth Wing fans, you're probably looking for something else to read this fall. Unfortunately, Fourth Wing Book 4 is still a long way off, with Yarros continuing to write the fourth book of The Empyrean series this fall. The good news is there are always more books to read.
I picked three new books coming this fall to read if you're a big fan of Fourth Wing and The Empyrean series. All have similarities with Fourth Wing, but they're also meant to expand your fantasy horizons. No, Threshing Day is not on the list, but you should definitely read that, too, if you haven't already.
Let's get the list started with a new fantasy release that's already available to read right now.
Dead Beat by Leigh Bardugo
Release date: Sept. 15, 2026
Dead Beat is the third and final book of Leigh Bardugo's Alex Stern trilogy. The book follows Ninth House and Hell Bent, the first and second books, that follow Alex Stern's journey from a personal tragedy to an Ivy League school.
Alex isn't like your regular Ivy League student, though. She has special powers that make her an asset in assessing the occult and supernatural. If you like dark fantasy and an academic setting, Bardugo's Ninth House series is the perfect series for you. Dead Beat is a great ending to the series. The even better part is that, if you haven't started this series, you have three more books to add to your reading list this fall.
For Fourth Wing fans, there are some similarities and key differences between the stories. Violet's story is dark and painful, of course, but Alex's is much darker. In tone, the stories are very different, even though they have similar settings and power dynamics at play. Violet is also a fish-out-of-water in a way that's similar to Alex in their respective settings.
A Court of Splintered Harmony by Sarah J. Maas
Release date: Oct. 27, 2026
The wait for A Court of Splintered Harmony, the sixth book of Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorns and Roses series, is finally over. By the end of October, fans all over the world will be diving in and reading the new book in the series, a book they've waited for more than five years.
If you're a fan of ACOTAR, you probably already have A Court of Splintered Harmony on your reading list. If not, well, you can add a few more books to your reading list to get caught up. Obviously, you won't be able to read all five books before the new book is released, but you can sure make a big dent. For fantasy books, they aren't that long!
ACOTAR is the perfect series for Fourth Wing fans. The similarities between the stories are obvious. There's romance in a big, fantastical world full of magic. At their core, the series follows young women trying to figure out their path while facing test after test in the process. Every win comes with a tragic loss down the line, and vice versa.
If you love Violet, you're going to love Feyre, a human who ends up in Prythian, the world of the faeries, against her will. After leaving everything behind, Feyre tries to make the most of her new life. That's just where the story begins. I know there are spoilers all over, and these books have been out for years, but there are so many surprises and epic twists along the way that Fourth Wing fans will appreciate. I don't want to ruin anything right now.
The Wolves of War by John Gwynne
Release date: Nov. 3, 2026
I'm going in a totally different direction for my last pick on this list for Fourth Wing fans. The Wolves of War is a new fantasy book coming out on Nov. 3 from John Gwynne, who is best known for his series, The Faithful and the Fallen, The Bloodsworn, and Of Blood and Bone.
The Wolves of War is the first book of The Wolfheart Chronicles, so you're getting a head start by reading the book right when it comes out. According to Hachette Book Group, Gwynne's latest revolves around Ivan, who "cares not for wars or kings. His only concern is the safety of his family, especially his daughter Halia, whom he would protect with his life. Halia has been trapped in her own body since birth, yet at night she has dreams of running with wolves and speaking with fae creatures of the forest. Many believe her cursed, but Halia’s awakening powers may be the only way she and her family can survive the coming storm."
We love a story about a girl with powers or abilities who might hold the key to everything, don't we? It sounds like that's what is going on here.
Now, I haven't read everything Gwynne has ever written, nor have I read The Wolves of War, which doesn't come out for a couple more weeks. With that said, if you're a Fourth Wing fan looking to add some heavier fantasy books to your reading list, The Wolves of War is probably a great place to start. Gwynne tells fast-moving stories with tons of action. There's a lot of lore, but it's never overly challenging to understand or remember.
After Threshing Day, the three new fantasy books to read this fall for Fourth Wing fans are Dead Beat, A Court of Splintered Harmony, and The Wolves of War. Obviously, what you should read first depends entirely on your preference, but I'll share my recommendation for what I would do.
I like to be a part of the discourse, and I enjoy knowing what's what online, especially in the book community. A Court of Splintered Harmony is going to be everywhere very, very soon. I would probably move that book up on my reading list first just to make sure I'm in the loop, not getting spoiled, and able to participate with fans online.
Then, I'd probably go with Bardugo's Alex Stern books and Dead Beat, which was just released in September. Finally, I'd get around to reading The Wolves of War because I know Gwynne has other books coming in that series. I also could easily avoid spoilers because fans of Gwynne are not regularly popping up on my social media as much as A Court of Thorns and Roses.
Stay tuned for more fantasy book recommendations from Winter is Coming.
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