Where Do I Start?
The best place to start is Empire’s Son. You can chose to read the prequel Escape From the Empire first if you choose, but it is not necessary to understand Empire’s Son or the books that come after. However, it will offer more context to what’s going on.
You can absolutely start with Earth’s Daughter as well, but the true enormity of what Emmaline is going through may be better experienced if you read Empire’s Son first. I wrote Earth’s Daughter as a parallel story to what I considered to be the main storyline, which follows Michael/Adar in Empire’s Son.
Do I Have To Read The Books In Order?
I have written most of the books to stand alone, except for the ones in the trilogies. So I would not read Blood Bond before reading Empire’s Son and Dark Guardian first. But Earth’s Daughter can be read as a stand alone, as well as Operation Firestone, so you can jump around if you want. But the story may be more fully understood if the suggested reading order is followed.
How Are the Books Connected?
The EthiaVerse is made up of multiple series that take place within the same universe. Some stories follow the same characters across several books, while others explore different people, planets, and time periods.
Although many books can be enjoyed on their own, characters, events, and locations often overlap in meaningful ways. Reading multiple series reveals a much larger picture of the universe.
Can I Read Earth’s Daughter Without Reading Empire’s Son?
Absolutely. You can read Earth’s Daugher without reading Empire’s Son, but you will get a better context of what is going on in Earth’s Daughter if you read Empire’s Son first.
How Many Books Are Planned?
What a great question. I don’t know exactly, because in my mind I could be writing on the EthiaVerse for a long time to come. I have stories within stories to tell.
I will be writing Adar’s story in sections of trilogies or quartets. Each collection of books will be an important time period for Adar. Empire’s Son shows the transition from Michael to Adar as he comes back to his birth galaxy. Hidden Empires will show Adar definitively stepping into his role as the Emperor’s Heir.
There will be a collection of books for when Adar becomes the Ascendant, and finally the Emperor. And if I still feel the desire to keep writing, I have ideas for a whole line of books while he is Emperor.
As for Earth’s Daughter, Emmaline’s story will only be three books. I never intended for her series to run on and on, but I do have ideas for picking up the Earth storyline through her brother Eric for a collection of books that shows Earth getting to the stars and finding other civilizations (not just Ethia).
What Is the EthiaVerse Codex?
The EthiaVerse Codex is an expanding reference archive containing spoiler-conscious information about the people, worlds, kingdoms, technology, organizations, and history of the EthiaVerse. New Archive Records are added regularly alongside new story releases.
Will the Codex Spoil the Books?
Public Archive Records are written to avoid major story spoilers whenever possible. Complete Archive Records available through Patreon may contain significant spoilers and are clearly marked before you begin reading.
Do I Need to Read the Codex?
No. The Codex is entirely optional.
Every story is written to stand on its own. The Codex simply allows readers who enjoy exploring fictional worlds to dive deeper into the people, places, technology, and history of the EthiaVerse.
Is the Science Hard Science Fiction?
The EthiaVerse is best described as character-driven space opera with elements of soft science fiction. While the universe contains advanced technology and detailed worldbuilding, the stories focus primarily on characters, politics, exploration, and relationships rather than scientific accuracy.
Where Can I Read the Books?
How Often Are New Chapters Released?
I typically release one chapter a week, but sometimes two. Occasionally, I have released two stories at once and had a chapter for each story released each week.
Cynthia D. Griffin 