Dark Series reading order

A plan for the whole series

16 volumes, 6,201 pages, about 115 hours. At 45 min a day that is about 5 months.

Stages

8 stages, with 7 short books from outside the series between them. You finish around April 27, 2027, about 4 weeks later than in one go.

1. 1
   Stage 113 h18 daysby November 16, 2026

   • 1. Dark Prince1999 · 352 pages · 6 h
   • 2. Dark Desire1999 · 384 pages · 7 h
2. Short breakThe Fire Next Time · James Baldwin · 120 pp. · score 8.82 h, by November 20, 2026. A short book from another shelf, so you come back to the series hungry.
3. 2
   Stage 214 h18 daysby December 8, 2026

   • 3. Dark Gold2000 · 382 pages · 7 h
   • 4. Dark Magic2000 · 358 pages · 7 h
4. Short breakThe Emperor's Soul · Brandon Sanderson · 96 pp. · score 8.82 h, by December 11, 2026. A short book from another shelf, so you come back to the series hungry.
5. 3
   Stage 318 habout 3 weeksby January 4, 2027

   • 5. Dark Challenge2000 · 384 pages · 7 h
   • 6. Dark Fire2001 · 390 pages · 7 h
   • 7. Dark Dream2001 · 212 pages · 4 h
6. Short breakOn Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century · Timothy Snyder · 128 pp. · score 8.42 h, by January 9, 2027. A short book from another shelf, so you come back to the series hungry.
7. 4
   Stage 414 h19 daysby January 27, 2027

   • 9. Dark Guardian2002 · 384 pages · 7 h
   • 12. Dark Melody · 384 pages · 7 h
8. Short breakAnimal Farm · George Orwell · 128 pp. · score 8.32 h, by January 31, 2027. A short book from another shelf, so you come back to the series hungry.
9. 5
   Stage 514 h19 daysby February 19, 2027

   • 13. Dark Destiny2004 · 392 pages · 7 h
   • 15. Dark Secret2005 · 383 pages · 7 h
10. Short breakTo Be Taught, If Fortunate · Becky Chambers · 153 pp. · score 8.33 h, by February 24, 2027. A short book from another shelf, so you come back to the series hungry.
11. 6
    Stage 617 habout 3 weeksby March 19, 2027

    • 16. Dark Demon2006 · 531 pages · 10 h
    • 17. Dark Celebration2006 · 389 pages · 7 h
12. Short breakThe Importance of Being Earnest · Oscar Wilde · 102 pp. · score 8.22 h, by March 22, 2027. A short book from another shelf, so you come back to the series hungry.
13. 7
    Stage 715 h20 daysby April 11, 2027

    • 18. Dark Possession2007 · 368 pages · 7 h
    • 19. Dark Curse2008 · 446 pages · 8 h
14. Short breakA Room of One's Own · Virginia Woolf · 144 pp. · score 8.23 h, by April 16, 2027. A short book from another shelf, so you come back to the series hungry.
15. 8
    Stage 88 h11 daysby April 27, 2027

    • 20. Dark Slayer2009 · 462 pages · 8 h
16. The end of the series

    April 27, 2027

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