How Does John Gwynne’S Published Book Order Match The Internal Timeline?

As a new reader of Gwynne's epic fantasy sagas, I'm piecing together the actual chronological events across The Faithful and the Fallen and Of Blood and Bone. Where do the prequel novellas and character origins fit in?
2026-07-26 17:37:58
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6 Answers

HomePine
HomePine
Sharp Observer Teacher
Published order is chronological order for the Banished Lands saga. The first four books cover one era. The next three books cover a later era where the first is remembered as ancient history. So the internal timeline is a straight line, but the published books are like two massive chapters with a blank page representing a century between them. You need to read the first chapter to fully understand the world state in the second.
2026-07-28 14:15:57
2
VedaJames
VedaJames
Careful Explainer Receptionist
It's straightforward: the order the books hit the shelves is the order events happened in the Banished Lands, minus a 130-year narrative jump between series. So you get the full history in sequence. The newer 'Bloodsworn Saga' is a separate universe, so its timeline is unrelated. Just follow the publication dates for the two main series and you're following the world's history.
2026-07-28 15:14:38
5
NoraBerry
NoraBerry
Twist Chaser Student
Good question! The internal timeline is basically the publishing order for the two main series. You have the 'Faithful and the Fallen' era, then a long gap, then the 'Of Blood and Bone' era. Gwynne wrote them in that sequence so we discover the world's past and then its future. The new 'Bloodsworn' books are a separate timeline, so they don't factor into the Banished Lands chronology.
2026-07-29 05:52:43
12
KaneShaw
KaneShaw
Reviewer Lawyer
The match is exact, just with a time skip. Internal timeline: Era 1 (quartet), 130-year gap, Era 2 (trilogy). Publishing order: Era 1 books, then Era 2 books. So yes, they align. Reading them differently would be like watching a sequel before the original—you'd miss why certain relics, names, and religions matter so much. 'Bloodsworn' is its own thing, timeline-wise.
2026-07-30 01:10:52
12
RioOrtiz
RioOrtiz
Library Roamer Police Officer
It's a direct match, just with a generational skip. The events of books 1-4 ('The Faithful and the Fallen') precede the events of books 5-7 ('Of Blood and Bone') by over a hundred years in-universe. So the publishing order follows the timeline. The coolest part is seeing how names and deeds from the first series become religion and legend in the second. 'Bloodsworn' is its own contained timeline for now.
2026-07-31 18:35:59
3
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I'd actually suggest a slight variation for new readers. Read 'The Faithful and the Fallen' straight through. Then, take a break with the first 'Bloodsworn' book, 'The Shadow of the Gods', as a palate cleanser. It's a different setting and tone, and it's brilliantly paced. After that, go back and tackle the 'Of Blood and Bone' trilogy. This way, you avoid potential series fatigue but still get all the connected lore from the Banished Lands saga in the right order before the sequel trilogy.

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