Reading order
The Divine Cities reading order
1
2
3- 3 volumes
- Volumes
- 2014–2017
- Published
- about 20 h
- Reading time
- Completed
- Status
- Fantasy#43
- Genre
Quick answer
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Publication order
3 volumes2014–2017Completed
- Three novels in a world where the gods were killed, each led by a different character — Shara, then General Mulaghesh, then Sigrud.
- They work almost alone but build on each other, so read in order.
- City of Miracles, the finale, rates highest.
A plan for the whole series
3 volumes, 1,114 pages, about 20 hours. At 45 min a day that is about 4 weeks.
Share of volume 1’s readers who reach the last volume. Chance of reaching the last volume: medium
- From volume 2 on, the number of ratings falls most before volume 3, “City of Miracles” (by 29%). Plan your break after volume 2, before the series plans it for you.
Stages
2 stages, with 1 short book from outside the series between them. You finish around December 4, 2026, 9 days later than in one go.
- Stage 112 h16 daysby November 14, 2026
- BreakMaus · Art Spiegelman · 295 pp. · score 9.0
- Stage 28 h11 daysby December 4, 2026
- The end of the series
We count 1.1 min per page, the pace of an average novel reader. Faster? Move the slider.
Does the series hold up
Shape of the series: the finale is the best part. The last volume (8.5) stands above the rest. Whoever reaches the end gets the reward.
Best volume: City of Miracles (8.5, 177 ratings). Weakest: City of Blades (8.2). From volume 2 on, the biggest drop in the number of ratings is between volume 2 and 3: 29%. The series is complete; you can read it start to finish with no waiting. The last volume (8.5) scores close to the series average or above it.
How this plan is calculated
The plan comes from the pages and ratings of each volume: we split the series into stages of about three weeks’ reading, size each break to the stage before it, and read the chance of finishing from how many readers rate the last volume compared with the first. How we work out the plan →
Every volume in order
Order checked by hand · Order and years: Wikidata (CC0). Spotted an error? Tell us. · Data updated October 29, 2026
The Divine Cities books ranked, best to worst
- 1.City of MiraclesBook 3 · 20178.5
- 2.City of StairsBook 1 · 20148.2
- 2.City of BladesBook 2 · 20168.2
Frequently asked questions
Which Divine Cities book is the best?
By reader score, City of Miracles (8.5/10). The lowest-rated is City of Blades (8.2/10).
Which The Divine Cities book is the longest?
“City of Stairs” is the longest at 465 pages; the shortest is “City of Blades” with 201 pages.
What should I read after The Divine Cities?
Other series by Robert Jackson Bennett: Magic & Mystery, The Founders Trilogy, Shadow of the Leviathan.
