Captive Prince reading order
C. S. Pacat’s Captive Prince trilogy in publication order, then The Summer Palace and Other Stories — shorts labeled so they do not become book one.
Start here
Captive Prince
It is book one (2013–2014 in trade). The two sequels assume that first court. Do not start with Kings Rising. Do not start with a short. Dark Rise is a different Pacat trilogy.
A finished trilogy. Publication order is the only path. The shorts are aftercare and side rooms. They are not a prequel cycle.
Early self-published parts were later issued as the three trade novels. Use the three titles below. Do not collect serial fragments as if they were extra volumes.
The trilogy
| # | Title | Year | Notes | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Captive Prince | 2014 | Start here. Trade year; earlier serial parts exist. | Amazon |
| 2 |  Prince's Gambit | 2014 | Amazon | |
| 3 |  Kings Rising | 2016 | Closes the trilogy. | Amazon |
Read them in this order. There is no contested start inside these three.
Shorts — after the novels, or not at all
| Title | Year | Notes | Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|
 The Summer Palace and Other Stories | 2018 | Collection. After the trilogy. Not Captive Prince 0. | Amazon |
The collection is the stable object. It gathers Green but for a Season, The Summer Palace, The Adventures of Charls, the Veretian Cloth Merchant, and Pet. Some of those sit beside earlier novels in story time. That is why they are a later book.
House rule: read the three novels. If you want the shorts, read the collection after Kings Rising. Do not start on Pet because it is earlier in the court.
Dark Rise and Dark Heir are a separate trilogy. They are not Captive Prince 4–5.
Common mistakes
- Starting with Kings Rising because it is the payoff.
- Starting with a short because it is free or short.
- Treating the old serial parts as extra novels.
- Mixing in Dark Rise as a sequel.
What to read next
- Folk of the Air (Holly Black) — If you want another finished court trilogy where the later generation should stay later.
- Once Upon a Broken Heart (Stephanie Garber) — If you want another finished YA romance ladder with a correct first book.
- The Locked Tomb (Tamsyn Muir) — If the loyalty-and-identity argument was the hook, in a much stranger register.
- Gentleman Bastards (Scott Lynch) — If you want another unfinished con and court, colder.
- Stop after Kings Rising. The three are a complete visit.
FAQ
Do I need the shorts?
No.
Is Dark Rise the same series?
No.
Self-pub parts or the trade trilogy?
The three trade novels. The serial is the same story in pieces.
Sources
- C. S. Pacat, Captive Prince — author page for the trilogy and the collection. Opened 2026-09-13.
- C. S. Pacat, books — author bibliography separating Captive Prince from Dark Rise. Opened 2026-09-13.
Same shelf
