What Is The Reading Order For The Imager Series?

Read the Scythe trilogy in the following order: Scythe, Thunderhead, The Toll. After finishing the trilogy, read Gleanings. The anthology contains many backstory and “sidestories” that are far more enjoyable after you have finished reading the main characters and the ultimate fate of our world. Reading it in the middle of the trilogy would stifle much of the momentum that Mr. Shusterman has created for the three novels.

Read the books in publication order. I started with “In Dublin’s Fair City” by accident, but all of the personal arcs are kept intact by reading them in the order listed on the author’s website, so start with “Murphy’s Law”. The series follows Adair’s relationship with Daniel and her growth as a detective in that order.

Hmm.

The ‘Onyx Storm’ series has been of great interest to many readers and to provide insight on this epic work, the books in the ‘Onyx Storm’ series are as follows: ‘Onyx Storm: The Rising’ (2018) where our heroine is introduced and her struggle to cope with her turbulent life is portrayed. ‘Onyx Storm: The Awakening’ (2019) further delves into the story introducing further twists and unexpected turns of the plot. ‘Onyx Storm: The Reckoning’ (2020) explores action-packed confrontations as expected. The final installment to the series is ‘Onyx Storm: Legacy’ (2021) and we can assure you that this will be one fantastic read for you as well, once you have picked up the first installment.

If you want to feel the same emotional connection that readers do, read the first three books first. That way you’ll have a good sense of the characters’ core motivations before you watch the show. And then you’ll be able to see how the emotional through-line of the books translates to the show’s slightly warmer and more dramatic take on the sense of community and resilience that is at the books’ core. The individual cases will differ, but Olivia cares about her cases for the same reasons and Grace is just as resilient.

It is much like watching Star Wars. Although many now watch the movie in chronological order, the original release order (Empire, Return of the Jedi, A New Hope, The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and Revenge of the Sith) is much better for the viewer’s experience. The big reveal in Empire means very little if one has watched the prequels first. Likewise, Lonesome Dove has a number of big revelations, as well as the weighty history of Gus and Call, the fate of Maggie, and the origin of the Hat Creek brand. All of these are much better experienced in the order that McMurtry published them, as opposed to the more informative chronological order.

So, from a writing craft point of view, Nemesis is a high-concept pitch: ‘Batman as the Joker’. The original 4 issue miniseries fully explores this concept. Subsequent sequels and crossovers will essentially rehash this premise in some form or another. So the most efficient way to read Nemesis would be to start with the original concept in its purest form. The very best introduction to “Nemesis” would be the first four issues of the first miniseries written by the original creators. This story has a clear beginning, a compelling middle, and a satisfying end that perfectly encapsulates the very high concept of “What if Batman was the Joker?” ‘Reloaded’ is a fun second serving of the same song and while the crossovers are all very cool and deliver their own unique twist on the ‘Nemesis’ concept – kinda like hearing a few lines from the song ‘Nemesis’ used in a different artist’s track – they don’t deliver the full concept in as pure a form as the original miniseries.

If you want a single, straight-forward tragedy then reading ‘Dead Man’s Walk’ first, followed by ‘Comanche Moon’ then ‘Lonesome Dove’ and finally ‘Streets of Laredo’ is the way to go. It’s a straight-line story that follows the main character from his worst days as a young man to his more mature years as a mythic-like figure and, in old age, to his wizened, somewhat bitter days. By reading the books in chronological order, Lonesome Dove becomes just another chapter in a long downhill slide. But by reading them in publication order, the epic masterpiece comes first, then the heart-wrenching sequel, and then the brutal prequels that turn everything you thought you knew about the characters before Lonesome Dove inside out. The emotional impact is very different.

I've got a neat way to lay this out that kept my weekend binging from turning into a confused mess. If you want the definitive reading order for 'Dross', start with the main run in publication order — that usually means issue #1, #2, and so on — because the creative team builds character beats and reveals across issues. If 'Dross' is collected into trade paperbacks or volumes, those are often arranged by story arc and are the easiest entry points: read volume 1, then volume 2, etc. When a crossover or mini-series pops up, treat it like a detour: read the issues that directly tie into the plot immediately after the main-issue breakpoint that references them, but don’t worry about variant covers or reprints — they rarely change narrative order. If you run into single-issue one-shots, origin stories, or specials labeled as 'annuals' or 'extras', check whether they’re listed as prequels or side-stories. These are best enjoyed after you know the characters — unless the special is explicitly called 'prelude' or 'origin', then feel free to read it first for context. I also use fan-made reading guides and the publisher’s official order (if available) to double-check. Digital storefronts sometimes mis-sort issues; always verify issue numbers and publication dates. Personally, I like alternating between trades and single issues depending on my patience level: trades for lazy Sundays, single issues to savor cliffhangers. Above all, follow the numbering and publisher notes — they’re there to save you from narrative whiplash — and enjoy the art, because in 'Dross' the visual pacing is half the story. I still get a kick out of spotting tiny details on my second read.

(This is a lengthy post – after reading through it three times, I’ve put together an optimal story-flow order for reading Knights of the Old Republic stories, balancing narrative coherence with switching between different media). 1. Read 'Tales of the Jedi: Golden Age of the Sith' & 'Fall of the Sith Empire' (comics). 2. Read 'Knights of the Old Republic' comics Vol. 1-4. It continues to follow some of the most fantastic new characters to have been introduced in the Mandalorian War era. 3. Play through the video game 'Knights of the Old Republic I' or watch a full story recap of it. 4. Play/Watch 'Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords'. 5. Read 'The Old Republic: Revan' novel. This is the direct sequel to the video games for the story. 6. Read 'The Old Republic: Deceived'. Reads as a great post-war story to the rest of the comics and books. 7. Watch 'The Old Republic: Return' & 'Hope' CGI Trailers. 8. Read The Old Republic: Fatal Alliance & The Old Republic: Annihilation ( novels set during the Cold War). By watching the videos in this order, you will get to experience each story with minimal whiplash, while having plenty of time to soak up each tale between videos.