The Roots of Chaos — Reading Order

Samantha Shannon's The Priory of the Orange Tree is a standalone epic fantasy that delivers the scope of a multi-book series in a single volume. Set in a world divided between those who worship dragons and those who revere a dragon-slaying saint, the novel follows four women across different continents as an ancient evil stirs. Queen Sabran of Inys must produce an heir to maintain the spell protecting her realm, while across the sea, a dragonrider and a mage navigate their own roles in the coming conflict.

While The Priory of the Orange Tree works as a standalone, Shannon later wrote A Day of Fallen Night, a prequel set centuries earlier. Either book can be read first, but The Priory offers the more accessible entry point.

Shannon's novel is ambitious in scope — it spans multiple continents, cultures, and magic systems — and succeeds largely through the strength of its four female protagonists. The world-building draws on diverse real-world inspirations (Tudor England, feudal Japan, African kingdoms) to create a setting that feels genuinely global rather than Euro-centric. The novel also features LGBTQ relationships as natural parts of its world. At 800+ pages, it demands commitment, but it delivers a complete and satisfying epic fantasy experience without requiring readers to invest in a multi-book series.