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Series · fantasy

Mither Mages

by Orson Scott Card

The Mither Mages series by Orson Scott Card has 3 known books (3 published). It is best read in publication order, starting with The Lost Gate (2011). Gatefather is the latest book with a fully recorded publication date.

Books
3 known books (3 novels)
Published
3
First published
2011
Status
completed
Shelved under
Fantasy
Start here: The Lost Gate (2011) — then read straight through in publication order.
Book one
Cover of The Lost Gate
The Lost Gate (2011)

Reading order

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

  1. The Lost Gate

    Novel
    The Lost Gate opened the trilogy on January 4, 2011, at 567 pages -- far longer than either sequel -- following Danny North on the run from his own family after discovering he's a gatemage, a power his relatives have hunted and killed on sight for generations.
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  2. The Gate Thief

    Novel
    The Gate Thief followed on March 19, 2013, matching Gatefather's length at 400 pages as Danny discovers he's inherited a millennium's worth of stolen magical power.
    View book

  3. Gatefather

    Novel
    Gatefather closed the trilogy on February 17, 2015, also running 400 pages, as Danny confronts an ancient enemy from beyond the gates threatening both his family and the wider world.
    View book

Key facts about the Mither Mages series

Our list has 3 books in the Mither Mages series. Since all 3 are out now, you can read the whole list today.

Start with The Lost Gate, since it opens the publication order in 2011. The Gate Thief is book 2, from 2013. Gatefather is book 3, from 2015.

The list keeps the books in date order, while each title links to its own page. Each book page shows its dates and editions.

Gatefather is the latest book with a full release date, out on 17 February 2015. Since the catalogue marks the series as complete, we list no next book.

The books came out between 2011 and 2015, while their length runs from 400 to 567 pages. That is a run of 4 years.

Orson Scott Card has 55 books on our list. Additionally, they write Ender's Game, Tales of Alvin Maker and Homecoming Saga, plus 5 more series. We shelve the books under fantasy.

About the Mither Mages series

Danny North is the only powerless member of a hidden family of minor gods -- descendants of Norse, Greek, and other mythological pantheons, each holding a fragment of real magical power -- who discovers as a teenager that he isn't powerless at all, but something his family has hunted and killed on sight for generations: a gatemage, capable of opening portals between worlds, a power so dangerous it toppled ancient civilizations the last time it existed unchecked. The Lost Gate (2011) follows Danny going on the run from his own relatives to learn what he actually is.

The Gate Thief and Gatefather escalate from family secret into cosmic stakes, as Danny discovers he's inherited (and stolen) the accumulated magical power of a being who spent a millennium eating other gatemages' gifts, and must figure out how to wield -- or survive -- that inheritance while an ancient enemy from beyond the gates threatens both his family and the wider world. The trilogy blends contemporary urban fantasy with genuine mythological worldbuilding, treating Norse and Greek gods as a real, still-living (if diminished and secretive) family.

Frequently asked questions

How many books are in the Mither Mages series?

Three: The Lost Gate (2011), The Gate Thief (2013), and Gatefather (2015).

What order should I read the Mither Mages books in?

Publication order: The Lost Gate, The Gate Thief, Gatefather.

Is Mither Mages connected to any of Card's other series?

No -- it's a standalone contemporary fantasy setting, unrelated to the Enderverse, Alvin Maker, or Pathfinder.

What are the 'Mither Mages' in the title?

The term refers to the hidden family of minor gods -- descendants of Norse, Greek, and other pantheons -- that Danny North belongs to, each carrying a fragment of real mythological power.

Does the trilogy have a complete ending?

Yes -- Gatefather (2015) concludes the story; no further volumes have been announced as of 2026.

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