Rebecca Roanhorse is an American speculative fiction author whose work includes post-apocalyptic fantasy, epic fantasy, middle-grade mythology, historical fantasy, science fiction, short stories, comics, and licensed Star Wars fiction.
Her books belong to several separate continuities.
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The Sixth World series follows monster hunter Maggie Hoskie in a post-apocalyptic Dinétah. Between Earth and Sky is a completed epic fantasy trilogy set in the Meridian. Race to the Sun is a standalone middle-grade adventure, while Tread of Angels creates its own dark fantasy version of the American West.
Roanhorse’s Star Wars novels belong to the official Star Wars setting and should not be mixed into the reading order of her original fiction.
Three Good Ways to Begin
Begin With Trail of Lightning
Choose Trail of Lightning for post-apocalyptic fantasy, monsters, clan powers, Diné characters, and a fast-moving central relationship between Maggie Hoskie and Kai Arviso.
The Sixth World series currently contains two novels and the later novella “River of Bones.”
Begin With Black Sun
Choose Black Sun for a completed epic fantasy trilogy involving prophecy, political upheaval, sea travel, celestial events, living gods, and cultures inspired by the pre-Columbian Americas.
The three Between Earth and Sky novels must be read in order.
Begin With Race to the Sun
Choose Race to the Sun for a younger audience and a complete adventure in one volume.
The novel follows a seventh-grade girl whose rescue mission draws on Diné stories and the tradition of the Hero Twins.
The Sixth World Books in Order
The Sixth World takes place after rising waters and environmental collapse have transformed much of North America.
Dinétah has survived behind protective walls. Gods, heroes, monsters, medicine people, and clan powers have returned to a landscape where modern technology and older supernatural forces exist together.
Maggie Hoskie works as a monster hunter. Her clan powers make her unusually dangerous, but they also connect her to violence and trauma she does not fully understand.
Trail of Lightning
- Trail of Lightning (2018): Maggie Hoskie investigates the disappearance of a young girl and discovers a new kind of monster operating inside Dinétah.
Maggie reluctantly partners with Kai Arviso, a medicine man whose abilities and easy confidence make him difficult for her to assess.
Their search leads through trading posts, isolated communities, deteriorating technology, clan politics, trickster bargains, and Maggie’s unresolved history with her former mentor.
The novel establishes the Big Water, Dinétah’s walls, clan powers, the presence of legendary beings, and Maggie’s reputation as a Monsterslayer.
Storm of Locusts
- Storm of Locusts (2019): Maggie searches for Kai after he disappears with Caleb Goodacre and appears to have joined a cult led by the White Locust.
Four weeks have passed since the confrontation at Black Mesa.
Maggie travels beyond Dinétah with Hastiin, Ben, and other allies, entering communities damaged by environmental collapse and human exploitation.
Her search forces her to reconsider Kai’s choices, her own ability to trust people, and the difference between rescuing someone and respecting what that person wants.
The novel continues directly from Trail of Lightning and should not be read first.
River of Bones
- “River of Bones” (2026): Kai and Maggie travel to the place where Kai grew up after someone from his past needs help escaping the family that nearly killed him.
The story is told from Kai’s perspective.
It expands his history, relationships, and understanding of the violence that shaped him before he met Maggie.
“River of Bones” is a novella included in River of Bones and Other Stories. It is the first substantial new Sixth World story published after Storm of Locusts.
Recommended placement: After Storm of Locusts.
Status: Included continuation novella.
Is River of Bones Book Three?
It is the third major published Sixth World story, but it is not a third full-length novel.
The sequence currently consists of:
- Trail of Lightning: Maggie and Kai investigate a new kind of monster.
- Storm of Locusts: Maggie searches for Kai and the White Locust.
- “River of Bones”: Kai returns to the place where his earlier life nearly ended.
Readers should use the collection River of Bones and Other Stories to obtain the novella.
Sixth World Reading Order
The correct sequence is straightforward:
- Trail of Lightning (2018): Maggie begins investigating the monsters appearing inside Dinétah.
- Storm of Locusts (2019): The disappearance of Kai pushes Maggie beyond Dinétah’s walls.
- “River of Bones” (2026): Kai’s past becomes central during a later journey with Maggie.
Publication order is also chronological order.
Is the Sixth World Series Complete?
The two original novels do not close every long-term character and world storyline.
“River of Bones” returns to Maggie and Kai but is presented as a novella rather than the beginning of a newly numbered trilogy.
No third full-length Sixth World novel with a confirmed title and publication date had been announced by August 7, 2026.
The safest classification is:
Published: Two novels and one later novella.
Current status: Open continuity, with no scheduled next novel.
Between Earth and Sky Books in Order
Between Earth and Sky is a completed epic fantasy trilogy set in the Meridian.
The story follows several characters whose lives converge around a solar eclipse and a political crisis in the holy city of Tova.
Serapio has been raised to become the vessel of the Crow God. Xiala is a Teek sea captain hired to carry him across dangerous waters. Naranpa is the Sun Priest attempting to reform a religious institution divided by class and clan politics.
The trilogy develops one continuous conflict and must be read in publication order.
Black Sun
- Black Sun (2020): Xiala is hired to transport the blind and scarred Serapio to Tova before a solar eclipse marks the winter solstice.
Serapio has been prepared since childhood for a specific purpose involving the Crow God and the Watchers who govern Tova’s religious life.
Naranpa struggles to hold the priesthood together while political opposition grows among the city’s clans.
The separate storylines move toward the same celestial event, where prophecy, personal ambition, institutional power, and divine return collide.
The novel introduces Tova, Cuecola, the Teek, the Watchers, the clan matriarchs, dreamwalking, celestial prophecy, and the religious history of the Meridian.
Fevered Star
- Fevered Star (2022): Tova lies damaged beneath the Crow God’s eclipse as rival factions attempt to control the new political and spiritual order.
Serapio and Naranpa have both survived in altered forms, making their struggles over identity and free will inseparable from the expectations placed upon them.
Xiala searches for stability and allies while the wider Meridian reacts to the events in Tova.
Balam and other political figures begin moving pieces across cities, nations, and religious traditions.
The novel begins from the immediate consequences of Black Sun and should not be approached independently.
Mirrored Heavens
- Mirrored Heavens (2024): War spreads across the Meridian as Serapio, Naranpa, Xiala, Balam, and the clan leaders move toward the final struggle over Tova.
The conflict now extends beyond control of one city.
Gods, avatars, political alliances, family loyalties, sea powers, and hidden plans determine whether the old religious order will be replaced, restored, or destroyed.
The central characters must decide how much of themselves they are willing to surrender to prophecy, divine power, and the people who treat them as symbols.
The novel concludes the Between Earth and Sky trilogy.
Why Between Earth and Sky Must Be Read in Order
Each book begins from the political and supernatural changes caused by the previous volume.
Fevered Star reveals the consequences of the eclipse and the survival of major characters. Mirrored Heavens resolves alliances, betrayals, divine transformations, and conflicts established across both earlier books.
The correct order is:
- Black Sun: Serapio and Xiala travel toward Tova as the eclipse approaches.
- Fevered Star: The survivors compete to define the new age.
- Mirrored Heavens: The war for the Meridian reaches its conclusion.
There is no alternate chronological order.
Is Between Earth and Sky Complete?
Yes.
The trilogy ends with Mirrored Heavens.
No prequel novel, sequel novel, or required novella needs to be inserted into the sequence.
Race to the Sun
- Race to the Sun (2020): Seventh grader Nizhoni Begay discovers that she can identify monsters shortly before her father disappears.
Nizhoni, her brother Mac, and her friend Davery begin a rescue mission involving Diné holy people, dangerous trials, legendary weapons, and figures connected to the Hero Twins.
The children must cross supernatural landscapes while learning that courage and family responsibility require more than possessing special abilities.
The novel was published through Rick Riordan Presents and is written for middle-grade readers.
Continuity: Standalone.
Audience: Middle grade.
Series connection: None required.
Is Race to the Sun Connected to the Sixth World?
No.
Both works draw on Diné stories and feature young women confronting monsters, but they use different characters, settings, timelines, and intended audiences.
Nizhoni Begay is not a younger version of Maggie Hoskie.
Race to the Sun can be read before or after the Sixth World books without creating continuity problems.
Tread of Angels
- Tread of Angels (2022): Card sharp Celeste becomes the advocatus diaboli for her sister Mariel after Mariel is accused of murdering a member of the ruling Virtues.
The story takes place in Goetia, an alternate 1883 mining town where prospectors seek an element called Divinity.
The Virtues descend from the victors of an ancient supernatural war, while the Fallen live under social and legal restrictions created by that defeat.
Celeste’s investigation becomes a test of family loyalty, institutional prejudice, ambition, and the compromises people make when justice is controlled by a ruling class.
Continuity: Standalone novella.
Setting: Separate dark fantasy world.
Series connection: None confirmed.
River of Bones and Other Stories
- River of Bones and Other Stories (2026): Roanhorse’s first major story collection gathers previously published speculative fiction and introduces a new Sixth World novella.
The collection moves among post-apocalyptic fantasy, science fiction, horror, contemporary settings, identity, history, family, and cultural survival.
Its title story returns to Maggie Hoskie and Kai Arviso.
The other pieces are independent and should not be treated as hidden installments of Between Earth and Sky or Race to the Sun.
Notable Stories in River of Bones and Other Stories
River of Bones
- “River of Bones”: Kai and Maggie return to the place where Kai’s past remains dangerous.
Continuity: Sixth World.
Placement: After Storm of Locusts.
Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience™
- “Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience™”: A Native guide working in virtual reality begins losing control of the distinction between performance, identity, work, and appropriation.
The story examines how commercial expectations can reshape a person’s relationship to culture and self.
Continuity: Standalone.
A Brief Lesson in Native American Astronomy
- “A Brief Lesson in Native American Astronomy”: A speculative relationship is structured through celestial storytelling, cultural memory, and changing ideas of distance.
Continuity: Standalone.
Harvest
- “Harvest”: A young woman faces a disturbing family and community obligation after falling in love with someone from outside her expected social world.
The story combines horror, intimacy, tradition, and the fear of becoming trapped by inherited demands.
Continuity: Standalone.
Wherein Abigail Fields Recalls Her First Death, and Subsequently Her Best Life
- “Wherein Abigail Fields Recalls Her First Death, and Subsequently Her Best Life”: A young Black woman recounts a life involving love, violence, survival, and the supernatural during the American West.
Continuity: Standalone.
The Takeback Tango
- “The Takeback Tango”: A young woman attempts to recover cultural objects stolen from her people, turning restitution into a science fiction heist.
Continuity: Standalone.
Falling Bodies
- “Falling Bodies”: A young man caught between different worlds and expectations searches for identity and belonging in a science fiction setting.
Continuity: Standalone.
White Hills
- “White Hills”: A woman confronts social horror and bodily danger inside an environment shaped by wealth, expectation, and the policing of identity.
Continuity: Standalone.
Eye and Tooth
- “Eye and Tooth”: Two siblings who hunt supernatural threats encounter a case where the boundary between monster and human cruelty is difficult to maintain.
Continuity: Standalone horror.
When Should the Story Collection Be Read?
Readers following the Sixth World should complete both novels before opening “River of Bones.”
The remaining stories have no required order.
The cleanest placement is:
- Trail of Lightning
- Storm of Locusts
- River of Bones and Other Stories
Readers interested only in Roanhorse’s short fiction can begin with the collection without reading her novels, but they should expect the title novella to refer to established Sixth World characters.
Star Wars: Resistance Reborn
- Star Wars: Resistance Reborn (2019): General Leia Organa, Poe Dameron, Rey, Finn, and their remaining allies attempt to rebuild the Resistance after the events of The Last Jedi.
The Resistance has lost ships, personnel, allies, and political influence.
Leia and Poe seek veteran pilots and former rebels, including Wedge Antilles, while confronting distrust created by Poe’s earlier decisions.
The novel connects Star Wars: Episode VIII, The Last Jedi with Star Wars: Episode IX, The Rise of Skywalker.
Continuity: Official Star Wars canon.
Recommended preparation: Watch or read the story of The Last Jedi first.
Connection to Roanhorse’s original fiction: None.
Star Wars: Edge of the Abyss
- Star Wars: Edge of the Abyss (Forthcoming September 15, 2026): Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, Saw Gerrera, and emerging rebel groups confront the Empire’s growing control of truth, loyalty, education, and political opposition.
The novel takes place more than a decade into Imperial rule and approximately one year before the first season of Andor.
Mon Mothma and Bail Organa face declining influence inside the Senate while clandestine resistance becomes increasingly necessary.
Competing rebel factions remain divided, making them vulnerable to Imperial infiltration and manipulation.
The book is the second volume of the multi-author Reign of the Empire trilogy.
Status: Confirmed and forthcoming.
Publication date: September 15, 2026.
Reign of the Empire Books in Order
Rebecca Roanhorse writes the second book, but the trilogy as a whole is a multi-author project.
- The Mask of Fear (2025), by Alexander Freed: Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, and Saw Gerrera begin finding their separate responses to the first year of Imperial rule.
- Edge of the Abyss (2026), by Rebecca Roanhorse: The Empire tightens control while senators and rebel groups struggle to cooperate.
- Untitled Reign of the Empire book three (Forthcoming): The final author, title, and publication details should be checked when officially confirmed.
Readers interested in Roanhorse alone may read Edge of the Abyss as her licensed novel, but the complete trilogy should begin with The Mask of Fear.
Where Resistance Reborn Fits in Star Wars
Resistance Reborn and Edge of the Abyss take place in different eras.
Reign of the Empire Era
- The Mask of Fear: The early Empire begins replacing the Republic.
- Edge of the Abyss: Resistance groups develop more than a decade into Imperial rule.
- The forthcoming third book: The trilogy will continue toward the organized rebellion.
Sequel Trilogy Era
- The Last Jedi: The Resistance is nearly destroyed.
- Resistance Reborn: Leia and Poe attempt to rebuild its forces.
- The Rise of Skywalker: The surviving Resistance faces the Final Order.
Do not place Resistance Reborn immediately after Edge of the Abyss. They are separated by decades of Star Wars history.
Star Wars Short Fiction and Anthology Work
Roanhorse has also contributed to Star Wars anthologies.
Stories of Light and Dark
- “The Siege of Mandalore” in Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark (2020): Maul’s perspective is used to revisit events connected to the final Mandalore storyline of The Clone Wars.
Roanhorse wrote one contribution rather than the complete anthology.
Continuity: Star Wars canon anthology.
Other Licensed Contributions
Roanhorse has written for Marvel and other licensed projects, including short comic work.
These contributions should be listed separately from her prose novels because she did not write every story or issue in the collected editions where they may appear.
Marvel Comics and Graphic Work
Roanhorse has contributed stories to Marvel anthology comics and character collections.
Her work appears in projects associated with titles such as Women of Marvel, Marvel’s Voices, Phoenix Song, and Crypt of Shadows.
These publications may include multiple writers and artists.
They are not sequels to the Sixth World, Between Earth and Sky, Race to the Sun, or Tread of Angels.
Readers collecting Roanhorse’s complete work should check the contents and credits of each comic volume, since her contribution may be one short story inside a larger anthology.
Rebecca Roanhorse Books in Publication Order
The following order covers her principal novels, novella, and story collection.
- Trail of Lightning (2018): Maggie Hoskie investigates a missing girl and a new form of monster inside Dinétah.
- Storm of Locusts (2019): Maggie leaves Dinétah to search for Kai and confront the White Locust.
- Star Wars: Resistance Reborn (2019): Leia, Poe, and their allies rebuild the Resistance after The Last Jedi.
- Race to the Sun (2020): Nizhoni Begay begins a mythic rescue mission after her father disappears.
- Black Sun (2020): Serapio and Xiala travel toward Tova as a prophesied eclipse approaches.
- Fevered Star (2022): The survivors of the eclipse struggle to control Tova and the new age.
- Tread of Angels (2022): Celeste defends her sister against a murder charge in the mining town of Goetia.
- Mirrored Heavens (2024): War and divine power determine the final fate of the Meridian.
- River of Bones and Other Stories (2026): A new Kai and Maggie novella joins Roanhorse’s award-winning short fiction.
- Star Wars: Edge of the Abyss (Forthcoming 2026): The Empire targets political resistance and the generation raised under its rule.
Anthologies containing one Roanhorse contribution are not counted as full books by her in this list.
Reading Roanhorse by Audience
Adult Epic Fantasy
- Black Sun (2020): An eclipse draws Serapio, Xiala, and Naranpa toward political and divine upheaval.
- Fevered Star (2022): The new age begins beneath the Crow God’s shadow.
- Mirrored Heavens (2024): The Meridian’s war reaches its conclusion.
Adult Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy
- Trail of Lightning (2018): Maggie and Kai investigate supernatural killings.
- Storm of Locusts (2019): Maggie searches for Kai outside Dinétah.
- “River of Bones” (2026): Kai confronts the place and people connected to his earlier trauma.
Adult Standalone Dark Fantasy
- Tread of Angels (2022): A card sharp defends her sister inside a supernatural mining society.
Middle-Grade Fantasy
- Race to the Sun (2020): Nizhoni, Mac, and Davery undertake a rescue quest involving Diné holy people and monsters.
Licensed Star Wars Fiction
- Resistance Reborn (2019): The Resistance rebuilds after The Last Jedi.
- Edge of the Abyss (Forthcoming 2026): Early rebel leaders struggle against Imperial control.
These two novels should be placed according to Star Wars chronology, not read as a pair.
Reading Roanhorse by Continuity
Sixth World
- Trail of Lightning: Maggie’s monster-hunting story begins.
- Storm of Locusts: Kai’s disappearance widens the journey.
- “River of Bones”: Kai’s earlier life returns as a direct threat.
Between Earth and Sky
- Black Sun: The eclipse and Crow God prophecy converge.
- Fevered Star: The survivors compete over the transformed Meridian.
- Mirrored Heavens: The trilogy’s war and divine conflict conclude.
Standalone Original Worlds
- Race to the Sun: Middle-grade Diné mythological adventure.
- Tread of Angels: Alternate historical dark fantasy.
- The independent stories in River of Bones and Other Stories: Speculative pieces from several unrelated settings.
Star Wars
- Edge of the Abyss: A Reign of the Empire installment set before Andor.
- Resistance Reborn: A sequel-era bridge between Episodes VIII and IX.
The dates inside Star Wars make this the chronological order, but the books do not share one direct cast or plot.
Which Books Are Complete Stories?
Completed Trilogy
Between Earth and Sky is complete:
- Black Sun
- Fevered Star
- Mirrored Heavens
Continuing or Open Setting
The Sixth World has two novels and the later “River of Bones” novella.
No next full-length book has a confirmed release date.
Complete Standalones
Race to the Sun and Tread of Angels each provide a complete central story.
Licensed Series Participation
Resistance Reborn tells a complete bridging story inside Star Wars.
Edge of the Abyss is book two of the incomplete multi-author Reign of the Empire trilogy.
Latest Rebecca Roanhorse Book
As of August 7, 2026, Roanhorse’s latest published book is River of Bones and Other Stories.
It was released on March 3, 2026.
The collection is especially important for Sixth World readers because its new title novella returns to Kai Arviso and Maggie Hoskie after Storm of Locusts.
The next scheduled Rebecca Roanhorse book is Star Wars: Edge of the Abyss, due September 15, 2026.
Because that date is after this article’s update date, the novel remains forthcoming.
Upcoming Rebecca Roanhorse Book
Star Wars: Edge of the Abyss
- Star Wars: Edge of the Abyss (September 15, 2026): Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, Saw Gerrera, and divided rebel groups face an Empire increasingly skilled at controlling truth and turning resistance factions against one another.
The novel is Reign of the Empire book two.
It should be read after Alexander Freed’s The Mask of Fear by readers following the complete trilogy.
No new original-world Roanhorse novel with a confirmed title and publication date had been announced by August 7, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Rebecca Roanhorse book should I read first?
Begin with Trail of Lightning for urban and post-apocalyptic fantasy.
Begin with Black Sun for epic fantasy.
Choose Race to the Sun for middle-grade readers.
What order should the Sixth World books be read in?
Read:
- Trail of Lightning: Maggie begins investigating supernatural killings in Dinétah.
- Storm of Locusts: Maggie searches for Kai and the White Locust.
- “River of Bones”: Kai and Maggie return to the place where Kai grew up.
Is River of Bones a full novel?
No.
It is a Sixth World novella published in River of Bones and Other Stories.
Is River of Bones and Other Stories part of the Sixth World?
Only the title novella belongs to the Sixth World.
The rest of the collection contains independent stories from different settings.
Is the Sixth World series complete?
It has no formally announced final volume.
Two novels and one later novella have been published, but no third novel is currently scheduled.
Can Storm of Locusts be read first?
No.
It begins only weeks after the first novel and assumes knowledge of Maggie, Kai, Black Mesa, clan powers, and their relationship.
What order should Between Earth and Sky be read in?
Read Black Sun, Fevered Star, and Mirrored Heavens.
The trilogy is one continuous story.
Is Between Earth and Sky complete?
Yes.
Mirrored Heavens concludes the trilogy.
Can Mirrored Heavens be read as a standalone?
No.
It resolves the political, personal, and supernatural conflicts established in the first two books.
Is Race to the Sun part of the Sixth World?
No.
It is a separate middle-grade novel with different characters and continuity.
Is Race to the Sun a series?
It is currently a standalone.
No sequel with a confirmed publication date had been announced by August 7, 2026.
Is Tread of Angels connected to Black Sun?
No.
It takes place in a separate dark fantasy world inspired by the American West.
Is Tread of Angels a novel or novella?
It is a novella.
Its central mystery is complete in one volume.
Did Rebecca Roanhorse write Star Wars books?
Yes.
She wrote Resistance Reborn and Edge of the Abyss, along with shorter anthology material.
When does Resistance Reborn take place?
It begins after Star Wars: Episode VIII, The Last Jedi and helps bridge the story toward The Rise of Skywalker.
When does Edge of the Abyss take place?
It is set during the Imperial era, more than a decade after the Empire’s creation and approximately one year before the first season of Andor.
Should Resistance Reborn be read before Edge of the Abyss?
No continuity requires that order.
Edge of the Abyss takes place decades earlier in Star Wars history and belongs to a different series.
Is Edge of the Abyss already published?
No.
It is scheduled for September 15, 2026.
What should I read before Edge of the Abyss?
Read The Mask of Fear by Alexander Freed.
It is book one of the Reign of the Empire trilogy.
Did Roanhorse write all of The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark?
No.
She contributed one story to the multi-author anthology.
Are her Marvel books part of her original fiction?
No.
They belong to Marvel continuity and are usually anthology or collaborative comics.
What is Rebecca Roanhorse’s newest published book?
River of Bones and Other Stories is her newest published book as of August 7, 2026.
What is Rebecca Roanhorse’s next book?
Her next scheduled release is Star Wars: Edge of the Abyss on September 15, 2026.
Conclusion
Begin the Sixth World with Trail of Lightning, continue with Storm of Locusts, and then read “River of Bones” in River of Bones and Other Stories. The novella is the newest continuation, but it is not a third full-length novel.
For a completed epic, read Black Sun, Fevered Star, and Mirrored Heavens in order. The trilogy should not be rearranged or interrupted because each installment follows directly from the political and divine changes of the previous book.
Race to the Sun and Tread of Angels are separate standalones. Keep Roanhorse’s Star Wars books on their own shelf, with Resistance Reborn placed after The Last Jedi and Edge of the Abyss placed after The Mask of Fear in the Reign of the Empire trilogy.
Frank is the editor of BookSeries.blog, focusing on publication order, chronological timelines, and spoiler-free reading guides for book series and fictional universes.