Jacqueline Carey is an American fantasy author best known for the Terre d’Ange novels beginning with Kushiel’s Dart. Her bibliography also includes the Sundering duology, the Agent of Hel urban fantasy trilogy, the Santa Olivia books, and the standalone novels Miranda and Caliban and Starless.
Most of her catalog is straightforward once one distinction is understood.
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The six Kushiel novels and the three Naamah novels all belong to the same Terre d’Ange continuity. Cassiel’s Servant then returns to the beginning of that world and retells much of Kushiel’s Dart from Joscelin’s point of view.
That makes publication order the safest first reading order.
Where to Start With Jacqueline Carey
Choose according to the kind of fantasy you want.
For Terre d’Ange and Carey’s largest connected world, start with Kushiel’s Dart.
For a complete two-book epic fantasy, start with Banewreaker.
For urban fantasy, start with Dark Currents.
For post-apocalyptic speculative fiction, start with Santa Olivia.
For a standalone, choose Miranda and Caliban or Starless.
Readers interested in Terre d’Ange should resist starting with Cassiel’s Servant. Although much of its story overlaps the first novel, it was written for readers who already know Phèdre and Joscelin.
Terre d’Ange Books in Recommended Order
For a first reading of the complete Terre d’Ange sequence, use:
- Kushiel’s Dart (2001)
- Kushiel’s Chosen (2002)
- Kushiel’s Avatar (2003)
- Kushiel’s Scion (2006)
- Kushiel’s Justice (2007)
- Kushiel’s Mercy (2008)
- Naamah’s Kiss (2009)
- Naamah’s Curse (2010)
- Naamah’s Blessing (2011)
- Cassiel’s Servant (2023)
This order preserves the way Carey introduced Terre d’Ange, its political history, its religious traditions, and successive generations of characters.
Cassiel’s Servant belongs last for a first read even though its events return to the period of Kushiel’s Dart.
Phèdre Trilogy Books in Order
The original trilogy follows Phèdre nó Delaunay.
Read:
- Kushiel’s Dart
- Kushiel’s Chosen
- Kushiel’s Avatar
These three novels form one continuous character arc.
Kushiel’s Dart introduces Terre d’Ange, Phèdre’s unusual divine calling, Joscelin Verreuil, and the political conflicts that shape the entire first trilogy.
Kushiel’s Chosen continues directly from the consequences of the first book.
Kushiel’s Avatar completes Phèdre’s principal trilogy.
Do not rearrange them chronologically or insert later prequel-style material between them.
Can Kushiel’s Dart Be Read as a Standalone?
It has a substantial individual plot, but it is still the beginning of a trilogy.
Important relationships and political consequences continue into Kushiel’s Chosen and Kushiel’s Avatar.
Readers who enjoy the first book should plan to finish all three before moving to Imriel’s story.
Imriel Trilogy Books in Order
The second Terre d’Ange trilogy follows Imriel de la Courcel.
Read:
- Kushiel’s Scion
- Kushiel’s Justice
- Kushiel’s Mercy
These are sometimes called the Imriel Trilogy.
Some editions or references also use the name Treason’s Heir Trilogy.
They are the same three books.
Kushiel’s Scion begins after the Phèdre trilogy and assumes that the reader knows who Imriel is, how he came into Phèdre and Joscelin’s life, and what happened during Kushiel’s Avatar.
For that reason, do not begin the Terre d’Ange world with Kushiel’s Scion.
Do You Need the Phèdre Trilogy Before the Imriel Trilogy?
Yes, for the full intended experience.
The Imriel books continue political and family consequences from Phèdre’s story.
Major relationships, identities, historical events, and emotional developments are already established.
The correct broader sequence is:
- Kushiel’s Dart
- Kushiel’s Chosen
- Kushiel’s Avatar
- Kushiel’s Scion
- Kushiel’s Justice
- Kushiel’s Mercy
Naamah Trilogy Books in Order
Carey then moves much later in Terre d’Ange’s history.
Read:
- Naamah’s Kiss
- Naamah’s Curse
- Naamah’s Blessing
The trilogy follows Moirin, a descendant of the Maghuin Dhonn in Alba.
Although the story occurs generations after Phèdre and Imriel, the religious traditions and historical legacy of the earlier books remain important.
Can You Start With Naamah’s Kiss?
Technically, yes.
Naamah’s Kiss introduces a new protagonist and occurs much later than the first six novels.
However, readers who begin there will encounter a world whose history was built across the Kushiel books.
For the strongest reading experience, use:
- Phèdre trilogy
- Imriel trilogy
- Naamah trilogy
That gives nine novels before Cassiel’s Servant.
Does Naamah’s Trilogy Belong to Kushiel’s Legacy?
Series labels vary.
Some publishers reserve Kushiel’s Legacy for the first six books, meaning the Phèdre and Imriel trilogies.
Broader reader lists often group all nine pre-2023 Terre d’Ange novels together because Naamah’s trilogy occupies the same world and later historical period.
For reading order, the label matters less than the continuity.
The sequence is unquestionably:
- Phèdre trilogy
- Imriel trilogy
- Naamah trilogy
Cassiel’s Servant
Cassiel’s Servant was published in 2023.
It returns to the story of Kushiel’s Dart from the perspective of Joscelin Verreuil.
The novel also gives substantially more material about Joscelin’s childhood, his training in the Cassiline Brotherhood, his vows, and his internal response to events that Phèdre originally narrated.
It is not a continuation after Naamah’s Blessing.
It is a parallel retelling of the beginning of the Terre d’Ange saga.
When Should You Read Cassiel’s Servant?
For a new reader, read it after the original Terre d’Ange novels, or at minimum after Kushiel’s Dart.
The most complete order is:
- Kushiel’s Dart
- Kushiel’s Chosen
- Kushiel’s Avatar
- Kushiel’s Scion
- Kushiel’s Justice
- Kushiel’s Mercy
- Naamah’s Kiss
- Naamah’s Curse
- Naamah’s Blessing
- Cassiel’s Servant
Readers who mainly care about Phèdre and Joscelin can reasonably read Cassiel’s Servant immediately after completing the Phèdre trilogy.
That alternate route is:
- Kushiel’s Dart
- Kushiel’s Chosen
- Kushiel’s Avatar
- Cassiel’s Servant
Then continue with Imriel.
Should Cassiel’s Servant Be Read Before Kushiel’s Dart?
No.
Cassiel’s Servant provides Joscelin’s perspective on events readers were originally meant to discover through Phèdre.
Reading it first changes the balance of mystery, character knowledge, and emotional revelation.
Kushiel’s Dart remains the best introduction.
Is Cassiel’s Servant Kushiel’s Legacy Book 4?
Some publisher metadata has labeled it that way because that catalog treats the original Phèdre trilogy as the relevant immediate series.
That numbering is not useful for the complete Terre d’Ange bibliography.
Carey herself has pointed out that, if the Naamah trilogy is counted along with the earlier books, Cassiel’s Servant is effectively the tenth novel in the broader world.
For readers, avoid relying on retailer numbering and follow titles instead.
Earth Begotten
Earth Begotten is a limited-edition Terre d’Ange companion work originally published in 2003.
It deals with the mythology surrounding Blessed Elua and the foundations of the world’s religious tradition.
The physical edition was limited and is not a required part of the main novel sequence.
Carey has made the text available through her official site.
For a reading-order guide:
Status: Optional companion.
A sensible placement is after Kushiel’s Dart or after the complete Phèdre trilogy.
Do not delay the main novels because you cannot obtain the original limited edition.
Complete Terre d’Ange Reading Plan
For readers who want everything without disrupting the main story:
- Kushiel’s Dart
- Kushiel’s Chosen
- Kushiel’s Avatar
- Earth Begotten, optional
- Kushiel’s Scion
- Kushiel’s Justice
- Kushiel’s Mercy
- Naamah’s Kiss
- Naamah’s Curse
- Naamah’s Blessing
- Cassiel’s Servant
This is not strict fictional chronology. It is a reader-first order designed to preserve discoveries and character development.
Is There a Terre d’Ange Chronological Order?
A strict chronological list is not especially useful.
Cassiel’s Servant begins with Joscelin’s childhood, so parts of it occur before Kushiel’s Dart. It then overlaps the events of that novel.
Moving Cassiel’s Servant to the front would give readers information from a later-written perspective before they encounter Phèdre’s original account.
The Naamah trilogy occurs much later than the first six books and already belongs naturally after them.
Publication-based order is therefore the better choice.
The Sundering Books in Order
The Sundering is a separate epic fantasy world.
Read:
- Banewreaker (2004)
- Godslayer (2005)
These two books form one complete story.
Carey wrote the project as a deliberate engagement with traditional epic fantasy, particularly the assumptions that divide one side into heroes and the other into villains.
The perspective largely follows characters who would occupy the role normally assigned to the forces of darkness.
Should Banewreaker and Godslayer Be Read Together?
Yes.
Carey originally conceived the story as one long book.
It was divided into two volumes for publication.
That means Godslayer is not a loosely connected sequel. It is effectively the second half of the same narrative.
Read:
- Banewreaker
- Godslayer
without inserting another Carey novel between them.
What Is Elegy for Darkness?
Elegy for Darkness was Carey’s original title for the work that became Banewreaker and Godslayer.
A later limited edition reunited the two volumes under that title.
Therefore:
Elegy for Darkness = Banewreaker + Godslayer
It is not Sundering Book 3.
Readers have two options.
Individual Editions
- Banewreaker
- Godslayer
Omnibus Edition
- Elegy for Darkness
Both contain the same central two-part epic.
Is The Sundering Connected to Kushiel?
No.
The Sundering takes place in a separate fantasy universe.
Its mythology, characters, cosmology, and history have no required continuity with Terre d’Ange.
Readers can start with Banewreaker without reading Kushiel’s Dart.
Santa Olivia Books in Order
The Santa Olivia sequence contains two novels.
Read:
- Santa Olivia (2009)
- Saints Astray (2011)
The books follow Loup Garron, a young woman with genetically engineered abilities raised in an isolated community near the United States and Mexico border.
Saints Astray continues her story.
These books should be read consecutively.
Is Santa Olivia Complete?
Two novels were published:
- Santa Olivia
- Saints Astray
No third Santa Olivia novel has been published as of August 9, 2026.
The pair can therefore be treated as the complete available sequence.
Is Santa Olivia Fantasy?
It is generally closer to speculative fiction, dystopian fiction, and science fiction than to the epic fantasy of Kushiel.
Its altered society and genetically engineered characters belong to a separate continuity.
Do not connect it to Agent of Hel merely because both series use contemporary or near-contemporary settings.
Agent of Hel Books in Order
The Agent of Hel trilogy is Carey’s urban fantasy series.
Read:
- Dark Currents (2012)
- Autumn Bones (2013)
- Poison Fruit (2014)
The books follow Daisy Johanssen in the Michigan town of Pemkowet, where supernatural beings coexist with humans under the authority of Hel.
Daisy serves as Hel’s liaison while also dealing with local law enforcement, supernatural politics, and her own demonic heritage.
Is Agent of Hel Complete?
Yes.
The principal series contains three novels:
- Dark Currents
- Autumn Bones
- Poison Fruit
Poison Fruit is officially identified as Book 3 of 3.
Read the trilogy in publication order.
Is Agent of Hel Connected to Terre d’Ange?
No.
Agent of Hel is a separate urban fantasy setting.
There is no crossover reading requirement.
A reader interested in modern supernatural fiction can begin with Dark Currents without any knowledge of Kushiel.
Miranda and Caliban
Miranda and Caliban was published in 2017.
It reimagines characters and events associated with William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, focusing especially on Miranda and Caliban before and during the familiar play.
It is a standalone novel.
Reading The Tempest first is useful for recognizing how Carey reframes the characters, but it is not required to understand the book.
Status: Separate continuity.
Is Miranda and Caliban Part of a Series?
No.
There is no published sequel.
Do not connect it to Starless merely because both were published during Carey’s later standalone period.
Starless
Starless was published in 2018.
It is a standalone epic fantasy involving Khai, who is raised from childhood to serve as the shadow and protector of Princess Zariya.
The novel has its own world, gods, cultures, and political conflict.
It does not belong to Terre d’Ange or The Sundering.
Status: Standalone.
Does Starless Have a Sequel?
No sequel has been published as of August 9, 2026.
Carey’s current biography continues to identify Starless as a standalone.
Readers can treat the novel as complete in one volume.
Jacqueline Carey Novels in Publication Order
For readers interested in the development of her career, the principal novels were published in this order:
- Kushiel’s Dart (2001)
- Kushiel’s Chosen (2002)
- Kushiel’s Avatar (2003)
- Banewreaker (2004)
- Godslayer (2005)
- Kushiel’s Scion (2006)
- Kushiel’s Justice (2007)
- Kushiel’s Mercy (2008)
- Naamah’s Kiss (2009)
- Santa Olivia (2009)
- Naamah’s Curse (2010)
- Naamah’s Blessing (2011)
- Saints Astray (2011)
- Dark Currents (2012)
- Autumn Bones (2013)
- Poison Fruit (2014)
- Miranda and Caliban (2017)
- Starless (2018)
- Cassiel’s Servant (2023)
This is useful bibliographically but not as a recommended reading plan.
Strict publication order would make you leave Terre d’Ange for The Sundering after Kushiel’s Avatar, then return several years later for Imriel.
Readers focused on continuity should finish one world at a time.
Jacqueline Carey Series at a Glance
Phèdre Trilogy
- Kushiel’s Dart
- Kushiel’s Chosen
- Kushiel’s Avatar
Imriel Trilogy
- Kushiel’s Scion
- Kushiel’s Justice
- Kushiel’s Mercy
Naamah Trilogy
- Naamah’s Kiss
- Naamah’s Curse
- Naamah’s Blessing
Terre d’Ange Retelling
- Cassiel’s Servant
Read after Kushiel’s Dart, preferably after the original trilogy or later in the complete sequence.
The Sundering
- Banewreaker
- Godslayer
Elegy for Darkness collects both.
Santa Olivia
- Santa Olivia
- Saints Astray
Agent of Hel
- Dark Currents
- Autumn Bones
- Poison Fruit
Standalones
- Miranda and Caliban
- Starless
Which Jacqueline Carey Books Share a World?
The principal shared continuity is Terre d’Ange.
That includes:
- Kushiel’s Dart
- Kushiel’s Chosen
- Kushiel’s Avatar
- Kushiel’s Scion
- Kushiel’s Justice
- Kushiel’s Mercy
- Naamah’s Kiss
- Naamah’s Curse
- Naamah’s Blessing
- Cassiel’s Servant
Earth Begotten is supplementary material from the same mythology.
Everything else belongs elsewhere.
The Sundering has its own world.
Santa Olivia has its own setting.
Agent of Hel has its own supernatural continuity.
Miranda and Caliban is a Shakespearean reimagining.
Starless is an independent fantasy world.
Which Jacqueline Carey Series Are Complete?
Several sequences have firm endings.
Complete Phèdre Trilogy
- Kushiel’s Dart
- Kushiel’s Chosen
- Kushiel’s Avatar
Complete Imriel Trilogy
- Kushiel’s Scion
- Kushiel’s Justice
- Kushiel’s Mercy
Complete Naamah Trilogy
- Naamah’s Kiss
- Naamah’s Curse
- Naamah’s Blessing
Complete Sundering Duology
- Banewreaker
- Godslayer
Complete Agent of Hel Trilogy
- Dark Currents
- Autumn Bones
- Poison Fruit
Complete Published Santa Olivia Sequence
- Santa Olivia
- Saints Astray
Cassiel’s Servant currently stands as a single retelling rather than the start of a confirmed new trilogy.
Is Cassiel’s Servant the Beginning of a Joscelin Trilogy?
No Joscelin trilogy has been formally announced.
Cassiel’s Servant retells Kushiel’s Dart from Joscelin’s perspective.
As of August 9, 2026, there is no firmly confirmed second novel retelling Kushiel’s Chosen from his point of view.
Do not list speculative sequels.
What Is Jacqueline Carey’s Latest Book?
As of August 9, 2026, Carey’s latest published novel is:
Cassiel’s Servant (2023)
It was released on August 1, 2023.
The 2024 paperback edition is a new format of the same novel, not a new book.
No later original novel with a confirmed publication date was found during the current bibliography check.
Is Jacqueline Carey Writing Another Book?
Carey’s current official material continues to discuss her existing novels and special editions, but no new post-Cassiel’s Servant novel with a firm title and publication date has been announced as of August 9, 2026.
A reference reading-order page should therefore stop at Cassiel’s Servant rather than add rumored or hoped-for books.
Jacqueline Carey Books in Order FAQs
What Jacqueline Carey book should I read first?
Start with Kushiel’s Dart if you want her largest and best-known world.
For a shorter complete commitment, start with Banewreaker and read directly into Godslayer.
For a standalone, choose Starless.
What order should I read the Kushiel books?
Read:
- Kushiel’s Dart
- Kushiel’s Chosen
- Kushiel’s Avatar
- Kushiel’s Scion
- Kushiel’s Justice
- Kushiel’s Mercy
Then continue into the Naamah trilogy.
What order should I read all Terre d’Ange books?
Use:
- Kushiel’s Dart
- Kushiel’s Chosen
- Kushiel’s Avatar
- Kushiel’s Scion
- Kushiel’s Justice
- Kushiel’s Mercy
- Naamah’s Kiss
- Naamah’s Curse
- Naamah’s Blessing
- Cassiel’s Servant
Earth Begotten is optional companion material.
Should I read Cassiel’s Servant immediately after Kushiel’s Dart?
You can, but it is not the strongest first-time route.
Cassiel’s Servant was written much later and assumes familiarity with the original story.
Finish at least the Phèdre trilogy first.
Does Cassiel’s Servant replace Kushiel’s Dart?
No.
It retells overlapping events from Joscelin’s perspective.
Kushiel’s Dart remains the original introduction to Terre d’Ange and Phèdre’s story.
Is Cassiel’s Servant a prequel?
Partially.
It begins with Joscelin’s childhood and training before he meets Phèdre, then overlaps the plot of Kushiel’s Dart.
Calling it simply a prequel misses most of its structure.
It is better described as a companion retelling.
Do I need Naamah’s trilogy before Cassiel’s Servant?
No.
Cassiel’s Servant concerns much earlier events.
However, readers completing the whole world in publication-based sequence can leave it until after Naamah’s Blessing.
What is Earth Begotten?
Earth Begotten is a limited-edition companion text connected to Terre d’Ange’s mythology.
It is optional and not one of the principal novels.
What order is The Sundering?
Read:
- Banewreaker
- Godslayer
The two books were originally conceived as one work.
What is Elegy for Darkness?
Elegy for Darkness is the reunited one-volume edition of Banewreaker and Godslayer under Carey’s original title.
It is not a third Sundering novel.
Is The Sundering connected to Kushiel?
No.
It is a separate fantasy universe.
What order are the Santa Olivia books?
Read:
- Santa Olivia
- Saints Astray
What order is Agent of Hel?
Read:
- Dark Currents
- Autumn Bones
- Poison Fruit
The trilogy is complete.
Is Miranda and Caliban part of a series?
No.
It is a standalone reimagining of characters from The Tempest.
Is Starless part of Kushiel’s universe?
No.
Starless has its own world and mythology.
Is Starless a standalone?
Yes.
No sequel has been published.
What is Jacqueline Carey’s newest novel?
As of August 9, 2026, her newest novel is Cassiel’s Servant, published in 2023.
Are there any confirmed Jacqueline Carey books coming in 2026?
No new original 2026 novel with a firm publication date was found during the current check.
Special editions and reissues should not be mistaken for new stories.
The Reading Order That Preserves the Most
Jacqueline Carey’s bibliography is best approached world by world rather than strictly by publication year.
For Terre d’Ange, begin with Phèdre:
- Kushiel’s Dart
- Kushiel’s Chosen
- Kushiel’s Avatar
Then move to Imriel:
- Kushiel’s Scion
- Kushiel’s Justice
- Kushiel’s Mercy
Then move forward several generations:
- Naamah’s Kiss
- Naamah’s Curse
- Naamah’s Blessing
Afterward, return to Joscelin’s side of the beginning with:
- Cassiel’s Servant
That route preserves the reveals, relationships, and historical development of Terre d’Ange better than trying to rearrange the novels around internal chronology.
The rest of Carey’s work can be kept separate. Read Banewreaker before Godslayer, Santa Olivia before Saints Astray, and Dark Currents before Autumn Bones and Poison Fruit. Miranda and Caliban and Starless require no preparation.
For most new readers, the answer remains uncomplicated: start Jacqueline Carey with Kushiel’s Dart, and follow Terre d’Ange in publication order before returning to its beginning through Cassiel’s Servant.
Frank is the editor of BookSeries.blog, focusing on publication order, chronological timelines, and spoiler-free reading guides for book series and fictional universes.