What order should all the books be read?

[Nicole D.]

I have clockwork angel but should I get the city of bones,city of ashes and city of glass and read them first?Does it help in understanding Clockwork Angel?

[[deleted user]]

Not really the books have nothing to do with eachother but I did feel as though we learn more about the shadowhunter culture morein the mortal instruments but if you have clockwork angel already deffinately read it! the series dont really relate.

[Stacia (the 2010 club)]

They are two separate series with their own identities, but they do relate with each other, albeit very distantly. Mortal Instruments is from the Urban Fantasy genre and takes place in today's world, while Infernal Devices is Steampunk/historical.

Each series can be read separately and apart from each other, but if you would like to catch crossover hints as the story unfolds, then I would suggest to read the books in the order that they were/will be published, which is :

[Nicole D.]

Thanks both of you.But Stacia I love to catch crossover hints and stuff like that so I have desided to read them in the order published.

[Daylighter, Mizpah]

You can also add TDA to the list =)

After CoHF:

[Vixen]

Daylighter wrote: "You can also add TDA to the list =)

After CoHF:
"

always on top of things ;)
its on my list!

[Hayley]

I think TMI first then TID, but i really doesnt matter! They're both great, but just keep in mind, that whichever one you read first you will probably like more - i know thats the case for a few people :)

[l]

I read them like this:

[Jannah]

It doesn't really matter which one u start but u have to start and finish in the same series

[Angel]

i read the TMI first then TID but that was because i found out about TMI finished the books then found out about TID....

[Aarnisha]

I read TMI first before starting TID and I found it didnt matter that I did that. Most prequels are read after their joining books anyway, like the Loed of the Rings and The Hobbit.

[Angel]

cassandra clare said that it doesnt matter which order you read them in....i think its on book FAQs on her website

[[deleted user]]

It doesnt matter what what you read them just choose the one you want to read most and read away!

[SHINY]

I would recommend reading the books in this order:

[SHINY]

Sarah wrote: "Shiny wrote: "I would recommend reading the books in this order:[bookcover:City of Fallen Angels|67..."

Oh, I chose that order because i kinda like to cling to a cliffhanger sometimes ( it keeps the anticipation)

[Jessica]

I think the order that the books came out.

[Elisabeth]

The mortal instruments, the infernal devices and then the bane chronicles

[Kel]

Well i read the mortal instruments first, just because they were out first. I saw clockwork angel and saw it was by cassandra clare so i picked it up. By the time i was reading it i was already finished with city of fallen angels. I liked reading mi first because i felt like then i got more of the inside jokes. Either way, it doesn't matter that much, but i would recommend reading tmi BEFORE tid

[Ruweida]

I completely disagree with almost everyone on here, sorry. I read both the infernal devices and the Mortal Instruments series and I was so glad that I read The Infernal devices first, it's not necessarily CRUCIAL, but it makes understanding the lineage and characters like Magnus Bane and his mysterious "blue eyed dark haired boy Will". Soo You'r question was a year ago but I hope you read the Infernal devices first! It would be a lot more enjoyable!

[Allison]

I read all of the Mortal Instruments first and then The Infernal Devices. I prefer TID over TMI. But IMO I don't think it really matters which series goes first. I would say that it would be silly to read some of one series and then another. Simply because they are a set and for me it would just be confusing to jump around.

[Aleksiel]

I think TMI makes a better introduction to the Shadowhunter world and therefor it would be easier to get to know it. I enjoyed reading TID after it and I was so excited to see who that Will was, what happened between Camille and Magnus and who was brother Zac.

I recommend reading the first 3 book from TMI, then the whole TID trilogy and after it - the rest of TMI, so more details start making sense (like who was the girl in the white dress, who is the female warlock Jocelyn spoke if, etc)

[Brianna]

I read TMI first because TID wasn't written yet. Then, I read TID.

[Anmol]

I read TID, read all of TMI, then I read Clockwork Princess.

[Sarah]

I would read the Infernal Devices first, then the Mortal Instruments. Though, I read the Mortal Instruments first, but have come to love the Infernal Devices more( if that's even possible) than the Mortal Instruments. The Infernal Devices plays with our emotions, while the Mortal Instruments seems to have a more action feel to it.

[Randomanize45]

Kitty wrote: "I would read the Infernal Devices first, then the Mortal Instruments. Though, I read the Mortal Instruments first, but have come to love the Infernal Devices more( if that's even possible) than the..."

I started with The Mortal Instruments before The Infernal Devices. If you want your opinion on which one to read first it really doesn't matter. There are a few connections you might make between TMI and TID if you read TID first but it's nothing to major or that totally adds all the things together.

[Sarah]

Randomanize45 wrote: "Kitty wrote: "I would read the Infernal Devices first, then the Mortal Instruments. Though, I read the Mortal Instruments first, but have come to love the Infernal Devices more( if that's even poss..."
That's true. It doesn't really matter.

[Tyn]

So I'm kinda new here, and I am super apathetic about Clary and all her drama (based on the movie), and am only interested in the romance between Magnus & Alec, so can I skip ahead and just read The Bane Chronicles? Will I understand anything if I do that? Thanks! xx

[Angel]

The Bane Chronicles are mostly about just Magnus and his adventures....the last ones are the only only with even a bit of actual Alec in it. You should still read the Mortal Instruments books in order because all of it leads up to a grand finale and you may understand it just not the full meaning of it.

[J'aime]

I would read The Mortal Instruments first then the bane chronicles because both Magnus' and Alec's characters are formed in

[Angel]

^agreed. It makes a bit more sense if you read TMI before TBC or else the mystery, characters and mystery behind characters doesn't play out as well.

[J'aime]

The Mortal Instruments. The basis of the characters need to be formed before you learn about bits and pieces from their past.

Sorry about the two posts..... For some reason it posted before I was done writing. :)

[kardia]

City of BonesCity of AshesCity of GlassClockwork AngelClockwork PrinceClockwork PrincessCity of Fallen AngelsCity of Lost SoulsCity of Heavenly Fire

[Astrid]

NERDS FOR THE WIN wrote: "City of BonesCity of AshesCity of GlassClockwork AngelClockwork PrinceClockwork Princess[book:City of Fall..."

i agree with you but I think that clockwork princess should be read at the end because it's more heartbroken than the fifth book :)

[[deleted user]]

Personally I don't think it matters. I read TMI books 1-5 first then TID and I just finished COHF♡

[Astrid]

That's what i actually said .. You read clockwork princess at the end too. :)

[Ninsch_]

I read them like that:
CA, CP, CP2, CoB, CoA, CoG, CoFA, CoLS, CoHF

[Mamiko]

In the order that books were published. And that's what Cassandra Clare recommended. I actually did that way and was glad I did. If you read them in that order, you will find subtle reference to other series that you otherwise might not notice. That will make your reading twice as fun.

[Doubledimension]

Well, I read all of the Mortal Instruments, that was before City of Heavenly Fire came out, then I read all of TID, then I read COHF. So that's how I read it. This includes some that haven't come out, but let's see. I would Say:

The Infernal Devices -> The Last Hours -> The Mortal Instruments -> The Dark Artifices

[Ellie]

I read them in the way they came out. CoB, CoA, CoG, CoFA and then Clockwork Angel, Clockwork Prince, then CoLS, Clockwork Princess then CoHF :D

[Naomi]

I would read TID beforehand. There are some things you won't understand in the second sequel of The Mortal Instruments (City of Fallen Angels and upward) unless you have read The Infernal Devices.
I read The Mortal Instruments first. I thought nothing of this mysterious Will who I knew nothing of, or Jace's fear of ducks, or Brother Zachariah's protectivness of Jace.
And then I read The Infernal Devices and I was literally like "Ohhhh right!" all the way through.

[Rosario]

Well how I started to read the series was Clockwork Angel,Prince and then Princess
Then I got interested in the city of bones,ashes,glass,fallen angels,lost souls and then heavenly fire

[Christina]

I Love these books!!! I suggest that (I know that this was 2 years ago but for anyone else who might be looking for advice) you read them in this order:
1) Mortal Instruments Part 1
2) The Infernal Devices
3) The Bane Chronicles and the Codex
4) Mortal Instruments Part 2
This order shows you who some of the characters are and makes the Mortal Instruments Part 2 more emotional. Then,
5) The Dark Artifices (when it comes out)
6) The Last Hours (also when they come out)
7) The Wicked Powers (when it- ya know)

[Itxamara]

That's exactly what I tell my friends when they ask.

[Diana]

Read it in the order published

[borchielein]

Christina wrote: "I Love these books!!! I suggest that (I know that this was 2 years ago but for anyone else who might be looking for advice) you read them in this order:
1) Mortal Instruments Part 1
2) The Infernal..."

This seems to be a perfect option. Otherwise I'd recommend release order.
I've read TMI first, than TID and so I didn't really get the importance of Brother Zachariah and Tessa in "City of Heavenly Fire" which makes me a little sad. Now I want to reread their scenes in CoHF.

I wouldn't recommend reading TID before TMI because TMI, like other people pointed out, gives you a way btter introduction into the Nephilim world.

[Nina]

I knew that The Infernal Devices was the prequel series so I read all of the infernal devices and then the mortal instruments. Some people find City of Bones slow or hard to get into so reading the infernal devices helps them to understand the Shadow World and you would want to to read the Mortal Instruments

[Hay]

I would suggest reading it as TMI, TID and then TDA. This is because TMI establishes the Shadowhunter Culture more and you get a better understanding. Then I'd say TID because it gives you a better idea of what happened in the Shadowhunter Steampunk Era to establish more of that and of Jem and Tessa. Then TDA because it is set in the future and it helps to know the other things from TMI and TID. Honestly it doesn't matter what order you read the books in, because it's all good, just read it one series after another, not in between series:

[BusyBookaholic]

I've read TID and then TMI and I was fine with everything. It's true that TMI contains more information about the Shadow World but in TID I didn't really miss or need more information than was given.
TID was more exciting for me than the first 3 books of TMI, TID is a masterpiece to me but just read what intrests you more, Victorian London or Modern Day New York. Bookworm Tessa or artist Clary? I can only suggest to start with TID.

[Yasmina000]

Clockwork Angel,clockwork prince,the mortal instruments first five books,clockwork princess,city of heavenly fire

[Sydney]

I would recommend reading TMI first, only because that series is like the foundation of the Shadowhunter world. Lady Midnight will also be more interesting if you read TMI first.