Yes, you read that headline correctly. There is indeed a new book in the Fourth Wing series arriving this September, and it’s called Threshing Day.
Rebecca Yarros made the official announcement on her Instagram, after weeks of teasing. On 15 July she finally announced that the Empyrean novella is going to be a 13-story collection that explores different characters and their experiences of threshing, the day cadets meet the dragons for the first time.
After some swirling rumours, months of alluding to a “secret project” and a mystery book appearing on Amazon, news of an extra book was finally confirmed earlier in the year. And by none other than the source herself – Rebecca Yarros. A new book that is part of The Empyrean Series and Fourth Wing universe is coming. The best-selling author made the announcement quietly on her Instagram at the end of April.
She then began teasing a “conscription day” date, which many fans thought might be announcement day of the cast of the Fourth Wing TV show. As it turns out, the hints were actually about the coming novella.
“Okay, so I had this little idea about a year ago to drop a surprise for you guys. But then you not only found it as soon as my publisher put it on preorder, but shot it straight to number one on Amazon without a cover, title, or even a vague idea of what might be coming your way!?!?” Yarros wrote.
“You’ve rendered me speechless. Surprise has been the goal, but I can’t sit here silently and not tell you how thankful I am for you. How utterly overwhelmed I am by the continuous love this community gives. Please know that I never take your enthusiasm and dedication for granted. I know how rare this air is. You are a constant source of joy not just in my life but each other’s, and gratitude doesn’t begin to describe how I feel about this community. So, thank you. This one is for you guys. I hope you love it as much as I’ve loved writing it.”
If you haven’t yet placed a pre-order, you can do so on Amazon. While we wait patiently, here is everything we know about the The Empyrean Series novella, Threshing Day.
It’s arriving in September – and it’s not Book 4
According to the pre-order listing, the book is expected to release on 29 September 2026. Yarros also confirmed the date on her Instagram.
The listing also explicitly specifies that this release is not Book 4 in The Empyrean Series. Eagle-eyed fans then assumed this was the rumoured Fourth Wing graphic novel. But that has also since been debunked. Yarros clarified in her Instagram post that this is not the graphic novel.
No, it will not alter the timeline for Book 4
Yarros has said that this new book/novella will not change the timeline for the release of the actual book four, which is still being written. It’s production timeline is still moving as planned.
What is the novella going to be about?
Yarros has revealed this book will follow 13 different characters’ perspectives, all taking place on threshing day. She noted that some of our “favourite characters” are featured in the collection. So, it’s likely we’ll see the stories of Rhiannon, Ridoc and Sawyer. It’s likely we’ll get a time jump back to the experiences of Xaden of course but also Imogen and Garrick. We might even go back further in time and hear from Mira.
Before the theme of the novella was confirmed, speculations was rife. The Amazon book listing confirmed it is 176 pages long and that isn’t enough to do a retelling of a current book from another character’s perspective. Although Yarros has teased in interviews and posts that she would maybe write something from Ridoc’s perspective, particularly looking at his experience at threshing, it’s unlikely that 176 pages would be enough to capture this.
Some of the more popular theories were that this will be a look at Violet’s parents, General Lilith Sorrengail and her husband Asher. This holds merit given how much we learned about Asher’s pre-mortem activities in Onyx Storm. Probably the most commons theory was that this book would be Fables of the Barren, which is the children’s book of folklore that Violet’s father left her before she died. Of course readers of the series will know that this ends up being so much more significant than just a family heirloom.
Some said this book would be also be a short retelling of one specific event that has already happened. Perhaps we get a view of a battle through the eyes of Aaric which might add important context. Maybe this is a view through the eyes of Theophanie.
Or that it could have been a collection of bonus chapters? Bonus chapters are a popular practice within the Sarah J. Maas universe, and while they don’t alter stories or change timelines, they give us richer context on characters, relationships and identities.
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