#BookTok sensation Sarah J. Maas is one of the most popular fantasy romance authors in 2024. She got her start in 2012 with the novel Throne of Glass, a book about a young, enslaved assassin named Celaena who is entered into a contest of champions to win her freedom. I remember picking up the book from my local library’s new releases shelf and flying through the pages. I read the entire book in just over one day.
As the Throne of Glass series continued, Sarah J. Maas published the first book in the A Court of Thorns and Roses series – the book that would ultimately change the trajectory of her career. Following A Court of Thorns and Roses is the Crescent City series, which cemented theories that her book series are interconnected. Today we’re going to take a deeper look at the “SJMaasverse” and the books that make up this immersive world.
Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
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The Throne of Glass series is the first world that Sarah J. Maas introduced us to. Following enslaved assassin Celaena Sardothien who is recruited by the crown prince of her kingdom to compete in a contest of champions – if she wins, she wins her freedom. Set in the fictional kingdom of Erilea, where magic is forbidden, Throne of Glass is a young adult series that slowly grows to be more of an upper YA series as the series expands.
Erilea is not the only kingdom we get exposure to in this series. Through politics and intrigue, we get to learn more about the other kingdoms in this world. Tower of Dawn, book 6 in the series, even takes us on a journey to a kingdom in which the main characters must immerse themselves in as outsiders, to uncover secrets and reach their goals.
The world of Throne of Glass is home to humans, fae, witches, and more, which makes for an interesting and unique setting. While magic is forbidden in Erilea, it is wild and free in the rest of the world and is deeply tied to the history and the future of the series.
A Court of Thorns and Roses
The A Court of Thorns and Roses series is a blend of fairytale retelling, mythology, and epic fantasy by Sarah J. Maas. It follows 19 year old Feyre Archeron, a mortal human who is brought into the world of the fae after killing one in the woods. As Feyre’s story progresses we are thrust into the court politics of the high fae.
The world of A Court of Thorns and Roses (ACOTAR) is broken into kingdoms and courts. The human world has 2 main kingdoms, where the fae territories are broken up into courts named after seasons and times of day. The most notable courts in this series are the Spring Court and the Night Court. We get a deeper dive into the fae mythology that Maas has created in this series as well.
Crescent City
The Crescent City series is Sarah J. Maas’s first urban fantasy, and the world it takes place in is unlike any other I’ve ever read. Set in a contemporary, magical city called Lunathion (also known as Crescent City), it follows Bryce Quinlan as she investigates the tragic murders of her friends. Crescent City is part murder mystery, part fantasy thriller, part slow-burn romance, and entirely magical.
What makes the world of Crescent City unique is the fact that modern technology exists within it. Powered by “first light”, there is electricity, internet, cell phones, and more. In addition to the modern technology, the world of Crescent City includes magical creatures of all types including shifters, witches, fae, and many others. There are even small, intelligent otters that deliver mail in Lunathion.
Multiverse Theories
Subtle references and easter eggs in the Court of Thorns and Roses and Throne of Glass series hint at the idea that the worlds these series take place in could cross over. In Kingdom of Ash, the final book in the Throne of Glass series, there are minor mentions of places and people who are like those in ACOTAR, making fans wonder if these books exist in the same “multiverse”.
Crescent City taking place in a modern day has had fans speculating if it is the future world of one of the previous series. Mentions of artifacts and portals that lead to “other worlds” seem to confirm these theories.
Sarah J. Maas herself has confirmed that her books overlap in minor ways and that fans will find out more in future works. She has not confirmed nor denied any specific theories about the “multiverse” that she is creating.
Conclusion
Sarah J. Maas is an extremely talented author who takes fantasy and romance, combining the two into epic “romantasy” series that are beloved all over the world. Her books have minor crossovers and if you pay close enough attention, you can find the trail of easter eggs that she has laid for readers. If you’re a fan of fantasy or romance, and want to give her books a try, I recommend starting out with the Throne of Glass series. Enjoy!
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