Series · post-apocalyptic fantasy romance

Chronicles of the One

by Nora Roberts

The Chronicles of the One series by Nora Roberts has 3 known books (3 published) and is best read in publication order, starting with Year One (2017). The latest book with a fully recorded publication date is The Rise of Magicks.

Books
3 known books (3 novels)
Published
3
First published
2017
Status
completed
Last checked

Start here: Year One (2017) — then read straight through in publication order.

Reading order

The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series.

  1. Book 1:

    Year One

    Novel

    Year One opens Nora Roberts's Chronicles of the One trilogy on December 5, 2017, following survivors including Lana Bingham and Max Fallon as a global pandemic called the Doom sweeps the world and awakens magic among those left behind, across 464 pages.

    Alternative text for cover: Cover of Year One
  2. Book 2:

    Of Blood and Bone

    Novel

    The trilogy's longest volume at 512 pages, Of Blood and Bone jumps forward roughly thirteen years, published November 27, 2018, to follow the prophesied child Fallon Swift training under a fierce mentor to master her power.

    Alternative text for cover: Cover of Of Blood and Bone
  3. Book 3:

    The Rise of Magicks

    Novel

    The Rise of Magicks closed the trilogy on November 26, 2019, matching Year One's 464 pages as an adult Fallon leads the last stand against the force hunting magic-born survivors.

    Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Rise of Magicks

About the Chronicles of the One series

Chronicles of the One is Nora Roberts's darkest and most epic project: a post-apocalyptic fantasy trilogy set after "the Doom," a global pandemic that wipes out most of humanity and awakens magic in the survivors, splitting the world into ordinary humans, newly magical "uncanny" people, and those who remain plain — while prophecy names a single child, born in the pandemic's shadow, as the One who can defeat the rising evil bent on wiping out magic entirely. Year One opens as the Doom sweeps the globe, following several survivors — including Lana Bingham and Max Fallon, whose fates become tied to the prophesied child — as they band together and begin rebuilding in the wreckage. Of Blood and Bone jumps forward roughly thirteen years to focus on that child, Fallon Swift, now an adolescent training under a fierce, isolated mentor to master the power she'll need for the fight ahead. The Rise of Magicks completes the trilogy as an adult Fallon leads the last stand against the dark force hunting magic-born survivors, alongside the found family and allies gathered across the first two books.

Unlike Roberts's contemporary trilogies, this one is a true multi-generational epic with a large ensemble cast, a fully invented post-plague world, and romance as one thread among war, prophecy, and survival rather than the central focus of every book.

Frequently asked questions

How many books are in Chronicles of the One?

Three: Year One, Of Blood and Bone, and The Rise of Magicks.

What order should I read Chronicles of the One in?

Strict publication order: Year One, Of Blood and Bone, The Rise of Magicks. The trilogy is one continuous epic that jumps forward in time between books.

Do I need to read Chronicles of the One in order?

Yes, more than almost any Roberts trilogy — it's a single ongoing story following the same characters and world across roughly two decades of story time.

Who is the 'One' in Chronicles of the One?

Fallon Swift, a child born during a global pandemic that awakens magic in survivors, prophesied to lead the fight against a rising evil that wants to wipe out magic entirely.

Is Chronicles of the One more fantasy than romance?

Yes — it's Roberts's most epic, world-building-heavy series, with a large ensemble cast and romance as one thread among war and survival rather than the sole focus.


Reading order last verified .