Ed Greenwood is a Canadian fantasy writer, game designer, and the creator of the Forgotten Realms, one of the best-known settings associated with Dungeons & Dragons.
His novel bibliography is dominated by the Realms, but it is not one continuous series. Shandril’s Saga, the Shadow of the Avatar Trilogy, the Knights of Myth Drannor, the Cormyr Saga, and the long Elminster sequence all occupy the same Forgotten Realms continuity while following different characters and periods.
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Outside the Realms, Greenwood created several completely separate worlds, including the Band of Four books set in Aglirta, the Falconfar Saga, the Niflheim novels, and The Iron Assassin.
The safest general starting point is Elminster: The Making of a Mage if you want Greenwood’s signature character. Readers who want to enter the Forgotten Realms through a smaller self-contained trilogy should begin with Spellfire.
The Most Important Reading Choice
There is no need to read every Ed Greenwood Forgotten Realms novel in one giant publication sequence.
Instead, choose a character or storyline:
- Elminster: Begin with Elminster: The Making of a Mage.
- Shandril Shessair: Begin with Spellfire.
- The Knights of Myth Drannor: Begin with Swords of Eveningstar.
- The Time of Troubles: Begin Greenwood’s Shadow of the Avatar sequence with Shadows of Doom, although the trilogy is a companion story to the wider Avatar crisis.
- Cormyr: Begin with Cormyr: A Novel, co-written with Jeff Grubb.
- Greenwood outside the Forgotten Realms: Begin with The Kingless Land for traditional heroic fantasy, or Dark Lord for portal fantasy.
The Elminster Books in Order
Elminster Aumar is the character most closely associated with Ed Greenwood.
The series spans centuries of Forgotten Realms history. Early novels show Elminster becoming a mage and Chosen of Mystra. Later books move into the Spellplague era, the Sundering, and the fifteenth century Dalereckoning.
The cleanest reading order is publication order.
1. Elminster: The Making of a Mage
Elminster: The Making of a Mage (1994): A young Elminster begins as an enemy of magic after the destruction of his home, only to discover that his destiny is tied to Mystra and the Art he once hated.
The novel follows his transformation from dispossessed prince to developing wizard and establishes his relationship with the goddess of magic.
This is the best starting point for the entire Elminster sequence.
2. Elminster in Myth Drannor
Elminster in Myth Drannor (1997): Elminster travels to the elven city of Cormanthor, where magical study, political intrigue, and the creation of the mythal help transform the city into legendary Myth Drannor.
The novel continues his early life centuries before most modern Forgotten Realms stories.
Read it after The Making of a Mage.
3. The Temptation of Elminster
The Temptation of Elminster (1998): Elminster serves Mystra across the Realms while enemies, rival mages, and his own doubts test whether he can remain faithful to the role she has chosen for him.
The book completes the major early-life phase of the Elminster story.
Its chronology remains centuries before Elminster in Hell.
4. Elminster in Hell
Elminster in Hell (2001): Elminster becomes trapped in Avernus, where the archdevil Nergal tears through his memories in an attempt to seize the knowledge and magical secrets accumulated across his long life.
The novel uses Elminster’s captivity to revisit people and events from many periods of his history.
It works best after the first three novels because those memories already have context.
5. Elminster’s Daughter
Elminster’s Daughter (2004): Narnra Shalace, a thief with an unexpected connection to Elminster, becomes entangled in Cormyr’s politics while Elminster deals with the consequences of secrets from his extraordinarily long life.
The novel places greater emphasis on Elminster’s family and the cost of relationships he could not always protect.
This ends the original five-book Elminster series as it was initially marketed.
Elminster Omnibus Editions
Two collections frequently cause confusion.
The Annotated Elminster
The Annotated Elminster (2007): This large volume collects Elminster: The Making of a Mage, Elminster in Myth Drannor, and The Temptation of Elminster with extensive annotations and commentary by Greenwood.
It does not contain a fourth story.
Readers who own this volume already have the first three Elminster novels.
Elminster Ascending
Elminster Ascending (2010): This omnibus also collects the first three Elminster novels.
It is not Book Two of the Sage of Shadowdale, despite occasionally appearing that way in automated series listings.
Do not insert it between Elminster Must Die and Bury Elminster Deep.
The Sage of Shadowdale Books in Order
After a long gap, Greenwood returned to Elminster in a Forgotten Realms transformed by the Spellplague and the death of Mystra.
These books continue the same Elminster continuity.
6. Elminster Must Die
Elminster Must Die (2010): Nearly a century after Mystra’s death, an aging and greatly diminished Elminster struggles to keep the Simbul alive while old enemies, including Manshoon, close in around him.
The book presents a far more vulnerable Elminster than the legendary archmage of earlier novels.
It begins the formal Sage of Shadowdale trilogy.
7. Bury Elminster Deep
Bury Elminster Deep (2011): Elminster survives an apparent destruction in an unusual magical state while Storm Silverhand and his allies attempt to restore him before Manshoon’s plans consume Cormyr.
The novel begins shortly after Elminster Must Die.
Read the two without interruption.
8. Elminster Enraged
Elminster Enraged (2012): Elminster returns to action while Mystra’s surviving power, Manshoon’s ambitions, Cormyr’s security, and dangerous magical rifts push him into another struggle over the future of the Weave.
This concludes the formal Sage of Shadowdale trilogy.
It does not conclude Elminster’s later life.
The Sundering and Later Elminster Books
9. The Herald
The Herald (2014): Elminster and the Chosen of Mystra become central to the restoration of the goddess and the Weave while ancient powers attack places tied to magical stability across the Realms.
This novel is simultaneously an Elminster continuation and Book Six of the multi-author Sundering series.
Readers following only Elminster can read it directly after Elminster Enraged.
Readers following the entire Sundering should read the five preceding books by other authors first.
10. Spellstorm
Spellstorm (2015): Elminster enters a mansion filled with rival archmages seeking a legendary lost spell, only for a magical storm to trap them together while someone begins killing the guests.
The book functions partly as a magical locked-room mystery.
It is a later Elminster novel and should be read after The Herald.
11. Death Masks
Death Masks (2016): Waterdeep’s Open Lord Laeral Silverhand faces assassinations, political conspiracies, and attacks on the city’s Masked Lords while Elminster, Mirt, and other veteran Realms figures become involved.
The novel moves the focus toward Waterdeep and Laeral but remains closely tied to Elminster’s later continuity.
As of August 7, 2026, this is Greenwood’s latest traditionally published Forgotten Realms novel.
The Complete Elminster Reading Order
For the cleanest continuous route:
- Elminster: The Making of a Mage (1994): Elminster begins his transformation into Mystra’s servant.
- Elminster in Myth Drannor (1997): He studies among elves and becomes part of Myth Drannor’s early history.
- The Temptation of Elminster (1998): His service to Mystra is tested across centuries.
- Elminster in Hell (2001): Nergal attacks his memories in Avernus.
- Elminster’s Daughter (2004): Family and Cormyrean politics complicate his later life.
- Elminster Must Die (2010): The post-Spellplague Elminster struggles to survive without his former power.
- Bury Elminster Deep (2011): His allies attempt to recover him while Manshoon advances his plans.
- Elminster Enraged (2012): Elminster fights to protect Cormyr and the returning Weave.
- The Herald (2014): Mystra’s restoration becomes part of the Sundering.
- Spellstorm (2015): Rival archmages are trapped around a supposedly lost spell.
- Death Masks (2016): Political murder and intrigue threaten Waterdeep.
Publication order is the best first reading order.
Shandril’s Saga Books in Order
Shandril’s Saga follows Shandril Shessair, a young woman who gains spellfire, one of the most dangerous magical abilities in the Forgotten Realms.
Elminster and other established Realms characters appear, but Shandril remains the central figure.
Spellfire
Spellfire (1988): Shandril leaves an ordinary life seeking adventure and instead discovers that she possesses spellfire, making her a target for the Zhentarim, the Cult of the Dragon, and anyone who wants to control her power.
This was Greenwood’s first published Forgotten Realms novel.
Begin the trilogy here.
Crown of Fire
Crown of Fire (1994): Shandril and Narm continue fleeing powerful enemies as the Zhentarim intensify their attempts to capture her and turn spellfire into a weapon.
The novel was also published as part of the larger multi-author Harpers line.
It remains Book Two of Shandril’s Saga.
Hand of Fire
Hand of Fire (2002): Shandril and Narm make a desperate journey toward Silverymoon while the Cult of the Dragon, Zhentarim, and other enemies converge on them.
The book completes Shandril’s central story.
The trilogy is complete.
Shandril’s Saga Reading Order
- Spellfire (1988): Shandril discovers spellfire and becomes hunted.
- Crown of Fire (1994): The struggle over her power expands.
- Hand of Fire (2002): Shandril’s flight and confrontation reach their conclusion.
Do not let the fourteen-year publication span suggest missing books. There are only three novels.
Shadow of the Avatar Books in Order
The Shadow of the Avatar Trilogy follows events in the Dalelands during the Time of Troubles, when the gods are cast down into mortal forms.
The trilogy overlaps the broader Avatar series written by several Forgotten Realms authors.
Shadows of Doom
Shadows of Doom (1995): Elminster and the people of Shadowdale face Zhentarim aggression and divine upheaval as the Time of Troubles begins destabilizing magic and politics throughout the region.
The novel shows the crisis from characters who remain in the Dales rather than following the main Avatar quest.
Cloak of Shadows
Cloak of Shadows (1995): Shadowdale’s defenders continue resisting Zhent attacks while unreliable magic and the gods’ absence make ordinary strategies increasingly dangerous.
The second volume continues directly from Shadows of Doom.
All Shadows Fled
All Shadows Fled (1995): The military struggle around Shadowdale reaches its climax as Zhentarim forces make another effort to control the Dales during the divine crisis.
This completes Greenwood’s three-book companion arc.
Shadow of the Avatar and the Avatar Series
The Shadow of the Avatar Trilogy is not a replacement for the main Avatar novels.
The broader Time of Troubles story is told primarily in the multi-author Avatar sequence, beginning with Shadowdale, Tantras, and Waterdeep.
Greenwood’s trilogy shows events occurring alongside that crisis.
For a focused Greenwood reading, use:
- Shadows of Doom
- Cloak of Shadows
- All Shadows Fled
For a complete Time of Troubles reading, combine them with the Avatar novels by the other authors.
Knights of Myth Drannor Books in Order
The Knights of Myth Drannor are based on one of the adventuring companies from Greenwood’s own longstanding Forgotten Realms campaign.
The trilogy shows their beginnings in Eveningstar before they become legendary heroes associated with Shadowdale.
Swords of Eveningstar
Swords of Eveningstar (2006): Florin Falconhand and a young group of Cormyrean adventurers begin fighting local threats and political enemies before receiving the royal recognition that will change their lives.
The novel shows the Knights before their famous name has fully formed.
Swords of Dragonfire
Swords of Dragonfire (2007): The adventurers face increasingly dangerous enemies as their growing reputation draws them into plots involving Cormyr, rival powers, and powerful magic.
The friendships and loyalties established in Eveningstar are repeatedly tested.
The Sword Never Sleeps
The Sword Never Sleeps (2008): The future Knights confront conspiracies reaching into royal and magical circles while their adventures move closer to the history later generations remember.
This concludes the trilogy.
Knights of Myth Drannor Reading Order
- Swords of Eveningstar (2006): The adventuring company forms.
- Swords of Dragonfire (2007): Their enemies and responsibilities grow.
- The Sword Never Sleeps (2008): The trilogy brings their early career to its conclusion.
The series is complete.
The Cormyr Saga Books in Order
The Cormyr Saga is a three-book, multi-author sequence about the Forest Kingdom and the Obarskyr dynasty.
Greenwood co-wrote Books One and Three.
Cormyr: A Novel
Cormyr: A Novel (1996), with Jeff Grubb: The novel moves between Cormyr’s ancient foundation and a modern royal crisis, showing how dragons, elves, human settlers, and the Obarskyr dynasty shaped the kingdom across more than a thousand years.
This is one of the broadest historical novels about Cormyr.
Begin here.
Beyond the High Road
Beyond the High Road (1999), by Troy Denning: King Azoun IV faces murder, treason, monsters, and political instability as threats inside Cormyr become as dangerous as foreign enemies.
Greenwood did not write this middle volume.
It is still required for the complete Cormyr Saga.
Death of the Dragon
Death of the Dragon (2000), with Troy Denning: Cormyr faces a major invasion and a succession crisis as the kingdom’s rulers and defenders fight for survival against a threat capable of reshaping the realm.
The book concludes the trilogy and has major consequences for later Cormyrean history.
Cormyr Saga Reading Rule
Read all three books:
- Cormyr: A Novel
- Beyond the High Road
- Death of the Dragon
Do not skip the middle book simply because Greenwood is not one of its authors.
Stormlight
Stormlight (1996): Storm Silverhand investigates a series of deadly events involving nobles, Harpers, and enemies operating within Cormyr.
The novel belongs to the multi-author Harpers line but tells a largely self-contained Storm Silverhand story.
It is not the second volume of a formal Seven Sisters trilogy.
Read it after becoming familiar with Greenwood’s Realms if recurring characters matter to you.
Silverfall
Silverfall: Stories of the Seven Sisters (1999): This linked collection follows Mystra’s Seven Sisters through several separate adventures, giving characters such as Storm, Laeral, the Simbul, and their siblings individual attention.
The book is a collection of connected stories rather than a conventional novel.
It can be read after Stormlight or alongside the Elminster books.
The City of Splendors
The City of Splendors: A Waterdeep Novel (2005), with Elaine Cunningham: Two young women become caught in Waterdeep’s criminal, noble, and political struggles while the city faces threats from both its respectable elite and its underworld.
The novel is part of the multi-author Cities line.
It stands on its own and does not require the Elminster sequence.
Double Diamond Triangle Contributions
The Double Diamond Triangle was an unusual multi-author Forgotten Realms serial published in shorter installments.
Greenwood contributed two entries.
The Mercenaries
The Mercenaries (1998): Adventurers pursuing the stolen Diamond become involved with hired fighters, dangerous factions, and the larger chase driving the Double Diamond Triangle.
This is Book Three of the nine-part sequence.
It should not be read as a standalone Greenwood series.
The Diamond
The Diamond (1998), with J. Robert King: The multi-author chase reaches its conclusion as the factions seeking the artifact finally converge.
This is Book Nine and the finale.
Readers interested in the full narrative should read all nine Double Diamond Triangle installments by their various authors.
The Best of the Realms II
The Best of the Realms II: The Stories of Ed Greenwood (2005): This collection gathers Greenwood’s Forgotten Realms short fiction from earlier anthologies and publications.
The stories involve Elminster, the Seven Sisters, Waterdeep, magic, and other corners of the setting.
It is optional, but it is one of the easiest ways to obtain Greenwood’s older Realms short fiction without tracking down many separate anthologies.
Important Forgotten Realms Short Stories
Elminster at the Magefair
Elminster at the Magefair: Elminster attends a gathering of wizards where magical rivalry and danger transform what should be a social meeting into another test of survival.
This is one of Greenwood’s best-known early Elminster short stories.
So High a Price
So High a Price: Political ambition and personal consequences collide in a story involving powerful figures whose plans demand more than money.
The story originally appeared in Realms of Infamy.
The Eye of the Dragon
The Eye of the Dragon: A magical object and the people pursuing it create another compact view of how dangerous enchanted artifacts can become in the Realms.
It appeared in Realms of Magic.
A Slow Day in Skullport
A Slow Day in Skullport: The infamous settlement beneath Waterdeep provides the setting for a darkly comic encounter involving criminals and dangers that would be extraordinary almost anywhere else.
It appeared in Realms of the Underdark.
The Whispering Crown
The Whispering Crown: Magic, ambition, and old secrets drive a shorter Realms story centered on the consequences of pursuing supernatural power.
It appeared in Realms of the Arcane.
The Burning Chalice
The Burning Chalice: This Sembian story contributes to The Halls of Stormweather, the opening volume of the multi-author Sembia sequence.
Greenwood wrote only this portion of the book.
Forgotten Realms Omnibus and Duplicate Editions
A Greenwood collection can easily duplicate novels already owned individually.
The Annotated Elminster
Contains:
- Elminster: The Making of a Mage
- Elminster in Myth Drannor
- The Temptation of Elminster
It adds Greenwood’s commentary.
Elminster Ascending
Contains the same first three Elminster novels without representing another stage of the story.
Shandril’s Saga Reissues
The later branding of Spellfire, Crown of Fire, and Hand of Fire formalized the trilogy years after the first two books appeared.
No missing novel belongs between them.
The Best of the Realms II
This is short fiction, not another Elminster novel.
The Band of Four Books in Order
Outside Forgotten Realms, one of Greenwood’s largest fantasy projects is set in Aglirta, the Kingless Land.
The main series follows Hawkril, Craer, Sarasper, and Embra Silvertree.
The Kingless Land
The Kingless Land (2000): Warrior Hawkril, thief Craer, healer Sarasper, and sorceress Embra become allies in a fractured land where competing barons and magical powers have replaced stable royal government.
The novel forms the Band of Four.
Begin here.
The Vacant Throne
The Vacant Throne (2001): The four companions attempt to restore stability to Aglirta while ambitious nobles and magical enemies exploit the absence of a secure ruler.
The political stakes become larger than the group’s original survival.
A Dragon’s Ascension
A Dragon’s Ascension (2002): The Band confronts new threats to Aglirta as dragons, magic, and rival claimants complicate their attempt to create lasting order.
The series’ supernatural scope expands substantially.
The Dragon’s Doom
The Dragon’s Doom (2003): Hawkril, Craer, Sarasper, and Embra face the final major struggle over Aglirta’s future and the enemies who have pursued them throughout the series.
This completes the principal four-book Band of Four adventure.
The Silent House
The Silent House: A Chronicle of Aglirta (2004): Two treasure seekers enter the ancestral Silvertree stronghold and uncover generations of magical corruption, family history, curses, and secrets bound to the living structure itself.
The novel shares the world and Silvertree history of the Band of Four.
Some databases call it Book Five. A clearer description is companion novel or Chronicle of Aglirta, because it is a multigenerational history centered on Silent House rather than another conventional Band of Four quest.
Read it after The Dragon’s Doom.
Complete Aglirta Order
- The Kingless Land (2000): The four principal heroes unite.
- The Vacant Throne (2001): They struggle over Aglirta’s political future.
- A Dragon’s Ascension (2002): Dragons and deeper magical threats enter the conflict.
- The Dragon’s Doom (2003): The principal Band of Four story concludes.
- The Silent House (2004): A companion chronicle explores the Silvertree dynasty and Aglirta’s history.
The Falconfar Saga Books in Order
Falconfar begins with a fantasy writer discovering that the imaginary world he created may actually exist.
Dark Lord
Dark Lord (2007): Writer Rod Everlar is drawn into Falconfar and learns that the world he believed he invented is ruled by three powerful Dark Lords who know more about him than he understands.
The novel turns authorship itself into part of the fantasy premise.
Arch Wizard
Arch Wizard (2009): Rod’s involvement with Falconfar deepens as rival wizards, betrayals, and the uncertain boundary between creator and creation make escape increasingly difficult.
The second book continues directly from Dark Lord.
Falconfar
Falconfar (2010): Rod and his allies confront the powers controlling the world as the relationship between Falconfar and the reality outside it reaches its final stage.
This concludes the trilogy.
Falconfar Reading Order
- Dark Lord
- Arch Wizard
- Falconfar
The trilogy is complete.
Niflheim Books in Order
The Niflheim novels are a dark fantasy sequence centered on subterranean elves called the Niflghar.
Dark Warrior Rising
Dark Warrior Rising (2007): Orivon Firefist, abducted by dark elves as a child and enslaved for fifteen years, becomes determined to escape the underground society that has brutalized him.
A slave uprising forces him into an unexpected alliance with Taerune Evendoom, one of his former Niflghar masters.
Dark Vengeance
Dark Vengeance (2008): Orivon’s struggle against the Niflghar continues as escape, revenge, political violence, and conflicts among the dark-elven houses intensify.
The sequel directly continues the first novel.
Only two Niflheim novels have been published.
No third volume has a confirmed release date as of August 7, 2026.
The Iron Assassin
The Iron Assassin (2015): Inventor Jack Straker creates a reanimated clockwork-enhanced corpse as a weapon for the Crown in an alternate Victorian London, only to discover that his supposedly controllable assassin has intentions and a past of its own.
The novel combines steampunk, alternate history, horror, espionage, and political conspiracy.
It is a standalone.
It has no connection to Forgotten Realms, Aglirta, Falconfar, or Niflheim.
The Whispering Skull
The Whispering Skull (2017): A traveling peddler takes shelter in a supposedly haunted attic and emerges bound to a floating skull whose whispers compel him to seek the dead and avenge them.
The novel is based on the world of the Folklore: The Affliction game.
It belongs to licensed game fiction rather than one of Greenwood’s original novel settings.
As of August 7, 2026, this remains Greenwood’s latest clearly published full-length fiction book.
Pathfinder Tales: The Wizard’s Mask
The Wizard’s Mask (2013): The cursed adventurer known as the Masked and escaped halfling slave Tantaerra become reluctant partners while both sides of the Molthune-Nirmathas war attempt to use them to recover a powerful magical artifact.
This novel is set in Golarion, the Pathfinder campaign world.
It is separate from Forgotten Realms despite Greenwood’s association with Dungeons & Dragons.
The story can be read independently.
A Matter of Knives
A Matter of Knives (2013): Tantaerra becomes involved in another dangerous confrontation in a Pathfinder Tales web serial connected to the characters of The Wizard’s Mask.
Read it around the novel if collecting all of Greenwood’s Pathfinder fiction.
It is shorter companion material rather than a second novel.
Guns of Alkenstar
Guns of Alkenstar: This Pathfinder story takes readers to the gunmaking city of Alkenstar for an adventure shaped by firearms, dangerous politics, and Golarion’s unusual mixture of fantasy and technology.
It is separate from The Wizard’s Mask characters.
It should be treated as optional Pathfinder short fiction.
The Eternity Quartet
The Eternity Quartet is a collaborative fiction project associated with Ed Greenwood and Robert B. Marks.
Despite the name, its structure was developed through shorter installments rather than four conventional full-length novels.
Published pieces include stories such as:
- Seizing the Torch (2015): The collaborative sequence begins establishing its world, characters, and larger supernatural conflict.
- An Evil Wind (2015): New dangers widen the scope of the developing story.
- Of Wizards and Watchers (2015): Magical powers and those monitoring them become increasingly central.
- Wild Talent Rising (2015): An emerging ability creates new complications for the characters.
- The Holy Sword (2015): A powerful weapon becomes tied to the conflict’s larger stakes.
- The Conjurer’s Treason (2015): Betrayal among magical figures pushes the sequence in another direction.
- Snaring the Smoke (2015): Another short installment develops the supernatural struggle.
- Hunting the Future (2015): Characters confront dangers tied to what may happen rather than only the present.
- The Confession of C. August Gaston (2015): A personal account adds another perspective to the shared story.
- The Allmother’s Avenging Eye (2015): Divine or supernatural power becomes central to the conflict.
- Foolish Ideas Involving a Volcano (2015): The escalating story combines danger with Greenwood’s characteristic humor.
- Far Too Few Wizards (2016): The sequence continues into another magical crisis.
This is a specialist collaborative project rather than one of Greenwood’s major novel series.
Platter of Surprises
Greenwood also published collections of very short fiction under the Platter of Surprises label.
A Modest Gallimaufry of Brief Tales
A Modest Gallimaufry of Brief Tales (2013): A collection of compact fantasy and speculative stories designed to deliver many different settings and ideas in short form.
The pieces are not one continuous narrative.
A Miscellany of Luxating Palinodes
A Miscellany of Luxating Palinodes (2014): Another assortment of short fiction continues the deliberately eclectic approach of the first collection.
It can be read independently.
Major Ed Greenwood Novels in Publication Order
The following chronology focuses on Greenwood’s principal novels and avoids game supplements, anthologies he only contributed to, and duplicate omnibus editions.
- Spellfire (1988): Shandril Shessair gains spellfire and becomes hunted across the Forgotten Realms.
- Crown of Fire (1994): Shandril and Narm flee the forces trying to seize her power.
- Elminster: The Making of a Mage (1994): Elminster begins his transformation from prince to wizard.
- Shadows of Doom (1995): Shadowdale faces Zhentarim aggression during the Time of Troubles.
- Cloak of Shadows (1995): The struggle for the Dales continues amid unstable magic.
- All Shadows Fled (1995): Greenwood’s Time of Troubles trilogy reaches its military conclusion.
- Stormlight (1996): Storm Silverhand investigates danger involving Cormyr and the Harpers.
- Cormyr: A Novel (1996), with Jeff Grubb: The Forest Kingdom’s history and modern royal crisis are intertwined.
- Elminster in Myth Drannor (1997): Elminster studies in Cormanthor before it becomes legendary Myth Drannor.
- The Mercenaries (1998): Greenwood contributes Book Three to the Double Diamond Triangle serial.
- The Diamond (1998), with J. Robert King: The nine-book Double Diamond Triangle reaches its conclusion.
- The Temptation of Elminster (1998): Mystra’s chosen servant faces another long test of loyalty and identity.
- Silverfall (1999): The Seven Sisters receive a collection of linked stories.
- The Kingless Land (2000): Hawkril, Craer, Sarasper, and Embra form the Band of Four.
- Death of the Dragon (2000), with Troy Denning: Cormyr faces invasion and dynastic crisis.
- The Vacant Throne (2001): The Band of Four fights for stability in Aglirta.
- Elminster in Hell (2001): Nergal assaults Elminster’s memories in Avernus.
- A Dragon’s Ascension (2002): Dragons and magic intensify the struggle for Aglirta.
- Hand of Fire (2002): Shandril’s Saga reaches its conclusion.
- The Dragon’s Doom (2003): The principal Band of Four storyline ends.
- Elminster’s Daughter (2004): Elminster’s hidden family ties enter a Cormyrean political crisis.
- The Silent House (2004): The Silvertree stronghold reveals generations of Aglirtan history.
- The City of Splendors (2005), with Elaine Cunningham: Waterdeep becomes the stage for crime, nobility, and political struggle.
- Swords of Eveningstar (2006): The future Knights of Myth Drannor begin adventuring in Cormyr.
- Dark Lord (2007): Rod Everlar discovers that Falconfar may be more real than fiction.
- Dark Warrior Rising (2007): Orivon Firefist begins his struggle against the Niflghar.
- Swords of Dragonfire (2007): The young adventuring company faces larger threats.
- Dark Vengeance (2008): Orivon’s war against Niflheim continues.
- The Sword Never Sleeps (2008): The Knights of Myth Drannor trilogy concludes.
- Arch Wizard (2009): Rod Everlar’s conflict with Falconfar’s magical powers deepens.
- Falconfar (2010): The Falconfar Saga concludes.
- Elminster Must Die (2010): The weakened post-Spellplague Elminster faces old enemies.
- Bury Elminster Deep (2011): Storm and Elminster’s allies try to restore him.
- Elminster Enraged (2012): Elminster returns to battle over Cormyr and the Weave.
- The Wizard’s Mask (2013): Two fugitives are forced into a Pathfinder conflict over a magical artifact.
- The Herald (2014): Elminster and Mystra’s Chosen participate in the Sundering.
- The Iron Assassin (2015): A clockwork-enhanced corpse threatens an alternate Victorian empire.
- Spellstorm (2015): Elminster joins a deadly gathering of archmages trapped by magical weather.
- Death Masks (2016): Laeral Silverhand, Elminster, and Mirt confront political murder in Waterdeep.
- The Whispering Skull (2017): A peddler becomes magically bound to a talking skull demanding justice for the dead.
This publication sequence is useful for tracking Greenwood’s career, but it repeatedly switches between unrelated settings.
A Better Way to Read Everything
For the Forgotten Realms, begin with Elminster rather than trying to follow all Greenwood novels by date.
Read:
- Elminster: The Making of a Mage
- Elminster in Myth Drannor
- The Temptation of Elminster
- Elminster in Hell
- Elminster’s Daughter
- Elminster Must Die
- Bury Elminster Deep
- Elminster Enraged
- The Herald
- Spellstorm
- Death Masks
Then move backward into the side series:
- Spellfire
- Crown of Fire
- Hand of Fire
- Shadows of Doom
- Cloak of Shadows
- All Shadows Fled
- Swords of Eveningstar
- Swords of Dragonfire
- The Sword Never Sleeps
- Cormyr: A Novel
- Beyond the High Road
- Death of the Dragon
- Stormlight
- Silverfall
- The City of Splendors
After the Realms, choose one independent world at a time.
Recommended Non-Forgotten Realms Order
Aglirta
- The Kingless Land (2000): Four unlikely companions form a band in a kingdom without stable rule.
- The Vacant Throne (2001): Their attempt to restore order creates new political enemies.
- A Dragon’s Ascension (2002): Dragons and sorcery expand the conflict.
- The Dragon’s Doom (2003): The principal adventure reaches its ending.
- The Silent House (2004): Read the multigenerational Aglirta companion afterward.
Falconfar
- Dark Lord (2007): A writer is pulled into the world he believed he invented.
- Arch Wizard (2009): The war for control of Falconfar intensifies.
- Falconfar (2010): The trilogy concludes.
Niflheim
- Dark Warrior Rising (2007): An enslaved human begins fighting his dark-elven captors.
- Dark Vengeance (2008): His struggle continues through Niflghar politics and violence.
Standalone and Licensed Worlds
The Wizard’s Mask (2013): Read independently as Pathfinder fiction.
The Iron Assassin (2015): Read independently as alternate-history steampunk.
The Whispering Skull (2017): Read independently as a Folklore: The Affliction tie-in.
Forgotten Realms Continuity Warning
Greenwood’s Forgotten Realms novels share a world with hundreds of books written by other authors.
That does not mean readers must complete the entire Forgotten Realms library.
Shandril’s Saga can be read by itself. The Knights of Myth Drannor form their own trilogy. The core Elminster novels can be followed in sequence without reading every Drizzt, Harpers, Sembia, or Cormyr novel.
The exceptions are crossovers such as The Herald, which belongs to the Sundering, and the Cormyr Saga, whose middle novel was written by Troy Denning.
When Greenwood’s book occupies one part of a deliberately multi-author sequence, reading the surrounding books gives the clearest continuity.
Latest Ed Greenwood Novel
The Whispering Skull (2017): This remains Greenwood’s latest clearly published full-length fiction book as of August 7, 2026.
It is licensed fiction based on Folklore: The Affliction rather than a Forgotten Realms novel.
Death Masks (2016): This remains his latest traditionally published full-length Forgotten Realms novel.
Greenwood has continued producing Forgotten Realms lore, short stories, campaign material, sourcebooks, Patreon fiction, and collaborative projects after those dates.
Upcoming Ed Greenwood Fiction
Greenwood continues to discuss and work on new Forgotten Realms fiction and lore projects.
A project involving Larloch, commonly discussed under the title Souls for the Taking, has circulated publicly, but its format has been described inconsistently. It has been associated with Dungeon Masters Guild material and prose-heavy Realms content rather than a standard Wizards of the Coast novel release.
Because no conventional novel edition with a stable publisher date had been confirmed by August 7, 2026, it should not yet be added to the numbered Forgotten Realms novel order.
Similarly, campaign guides and sourcebooks containing substantial narrative prose should remain separate from novels.
Series Completion Status
Shandril’s Saga
Complete: Three novels, ending with Hand of Fire.
Shadow of the Avatar
Complete: Three novels, ending with All Shadows Fled.
Knights of Myth Drannor
Complete: Three novels, ending with The Sword Never Sleeps.
Cormyr Saga
Complete: Three novels by Greenwood, Jeff Grubb, and Troy Denning, ending with Death of the Dragon.
Elminster
Open continuity: Eleven principal Greenwood novels run from The Making of a Mage through Death Masks.
The latest book does not announce a formal end to Elminster’s life or adventures.
Band of Four
Complete principal arc: Four Band of Four novels end with The Dragon’s Doom.
The Silent House is a later companion Chronicle of Aglirta.
Falconfar Saga
Complete: Three novels, ending with Falconfar.
Niflheim
Two novels published: Dark Warrior Rising and Dark Vengeance.
No third book has a confirmed current publication date.
The Iron Assassin
Standalone: No sequel has been published.
The Whispering Skull
Standalone published tie-in: No sequel by Greenwood has been confirmed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Ed Greenwood book should I read first?
Start with Elminster: The Making of a Mage if you want the character and world most strongly associated with Greenwood.
Start with Spellfire if you want his earliest Forgotten Realms novel and a shorter completed trilogy.
What is the correct Elminster order?
Read The Making of a Mage, Elminster in Myth Drannor, The Temptation of Elminster, Elminster in Hell, Elminster’s Daughter, Elminster Must Die, Bury Elminster Deep, Elminster Enraged, The Herald, Spellstorm, and Death Masks.
Is Elminster Ascending Book Two of Sage of Shadowdale?
No.
It is an omnibus containing the first three Elminster novels.
What is The Annotated Elminster?
It also contains the first three Elminster novels, but with Greenwood’s annotations and commentary.
Does Death Masks come after Spellstorm?
Yes.
Death Masks occurs later and is the latest Greenwood Forgotten Realms novel currently published through Wizards of the Coast.
Is The Herald part of the Elminster series?
Yes, but it is also Book Six of the multi-author Sundering series.
Elminster readers can place it after Elminster Enraged.
Do I need to read all six Sundering books before The Herald?
Not strictly for Elminster’s personal storyline.
Reading the entire Sundering provides broader context for the changes occurring across the Forgotten Realms.
What is Shandril’s Saga order?
Read Spellfire, Crown of Fire, and Hand of Fire.
Is Crown of Fire also a Harpers novel?
Yes.
It was published within the Harpers line while also functioning as Book Two of Shandril’s Saga.
Is Shandril’s Saga complete?
Yes.
Hand of Fire concludes Shandril’s central storyline.
What is the Shadow of the Avatar order?
Read Shadows of Doom, Cloak of Shadows, and All Shadows Fled.
Do I need the Avatar books before Shadow of the Avatar?
They are not mandatory for following Greenwood’s local storyline.
They provide the larger explanation for the Time of Troubles occurring around Shadowdale.
What is the Knights of Myth Drannor order?
Read Swords of Eveningstar, Swords of Dragonfire, and The Sword Never Sleeps.
Are the Knights of Myth Drannor connected to Greenwood’s actual D&D campaign?
Yes.
The fictional adventuring company grew from characters in Greenwood’s home Forgotten Realms campaign.
What is the Cormyr Saga order?
Read Cormyr: A Novel, Beyond the High Road, and Death of the Dragon.
Did Ed Greenwood write every Cormyr Saga book?
No.
He co-wrote Cormyr: A Novel with Jeff Grubb and Death of the Dragon with Troy Denning. Troy Denning wrote Beyond the High Road.
Is Stormlight an Elminster book?
Elminster and other connected Realms figures overlap with its world, but Stormlight is principally a Storm Silverhand story published in the Harpers line.
Is Silverfall a novel?
It is a linked collection of stories about the Seven Sisters.
Is The City of Splendors part of Elminster?
No.
It is a Waterdeep novel co-written with Elaine Cunningham.
What is the Band of Four order?
Read The Kingless Land, The Vacant Throne, A Dragon’s Ascension, and The Dragon’s Doom.
Then read The Silent House as an Aglirta companion.
Is The Silent House Book Five?
Some databases label it that way because it shares Aglirta.
It is more accurately described as a companion chronicle about the Silvertree dynasty and their ancestral stronghold.
What is the Falconfar order?
Read Dark Lord, Arch Wizard, and Falconfar.
Is Falconfar connected to Forgotten Realms?
No.
It is a separate world.
What is the Niflheim order?
Read Dark Warrior Rising and then Dark Vengeance.
Is Niflheim complete?
Only two novels have been published, and no third volume has a confirmed release date.
It is safer to describe the sequence as two published books rather than asserting a fully completed arc.
Is The Iron Assassin part of a series?
No confirmed sequel has been published.
It is a standalone steampunk and alternate-history novel.
Is The Whispering Skull a Forgotten Realms novel?
No.
It is based on the Folklore: The Affliction setting.
Did Ed Greenwood write Pathfinder books?
Yes.
His principal Pathfinder Tales novel is The Wizard’s Mask, and he also wrote shorter Golarion fiction.
What is Ed Greenwood’s latest full-length novel?
The Whispering Skull, published in 2017, remains his latest clearly published full-length fiction book as of August 7, 2026.
What is his latest Forgotten Realms novel?
Death Masks, published in 2016.
Is a new Larloch novel confirmed?
New Larloch-related material has been discussed, but a conventional novel release with a stable publisher and publication date was not confirmed as of this update.
It should therefore remain outside the numbered reading order.
The Best Reading Route
Begin with Elminster.
Read the first three novels to understand his origins, then continue through Elminster in Hell and Elminster’s Daughter. Move directly into Elminster Must Die, Bury Elminster Deep, and Elminster Enraged, then finish the current published sequence with The Herald, Spellstorm, and Death Masks.
After Elminster, read Shandril’s Saga for a smaller completed story and the Knights of Myth Drannor for Greenwood’s fictionalized treatment of one of the adventuring companies rooted in his home campaign.
Keep the Cormyr books together even though the trilogy changes authors. Read Cormyr: A Novel, Beyond the High Road, and Death of the Dragon without skipping the middle installment.
Outside Forgotten Realms, the easiest complete route is the Band of Four followed by The Silent House. Falconfar offers another completed trilogy, while Niflheim currently contains only two published books.
The central rule for Ed Greenwood is to read by storyline rather than by overall publication date. His Forgotten Realms novels share one enormous world, but most individual series have clear boundaries and do not require reading hundreds of other Realms books first.
Frank is the editor of BookSeries.blog, focusing on publication order, chronological timelines, and spoiler-free reading guides for book series and fictional universes.