Start with the trilogy
Begin with Scythe and read through The Toll before adding the optional story collection.
Reading order
How to Read Arc of a Scythe
Read Scythe, Thunderhead, and The Toll in numbered order. The story and its moral questions build directly from one novel to the next.
Gleanings is an optional collection of stories from across the series timeline. It is best after The Toll because it assumes familiarity with the world and several characters, and it is not book #4.
Sources: Simon & Schuster's official series inventory, Official Gleanings product page.
For parents
What Parents Should Know
The premise centers on sanctioned killing. The books include repeated deaths and executions, suicide, mass casualty events, weapons, injuries, corruption, grief, and difficult questions about who controls life and death. The violence is often more morally and emotionally disturbing than graphically described, making this best suited to teen readers.
Where to start
Where Should a New Reader Start?
Where the story begins
First Book in the Series
Sale price
$2456
Book #1 · Chapter Book · Ages 13–17 · 2016
Scythe
In a world without death, two teens must learn to kill or risk their own lives.
464 pages· 101,371 words· Est. 9.5 hour read
$25.85Save 5%
Library Binding
Summary: In a utopia where death is conquered, Citra and Rowan are thrust into a grim apprenticeship. As Scythe apprentices, they must master the art of taking life to control the population. But in a world where failure means losing their own lives, can they navigate the moral complexities of their new roles? As they delve deeper, they uncover the dark truths behind their seemingly perfect society. Will they conform to the system or challenge it? Discover the chilling stakes in this gripping tale of life, death, and the cost of perfection.
In reading order
Arc of a Scythe Series
3 books · Published 2016–2019
#1
Sale price
$2456
Scythe
Chapter Book · Ages 13–17 · 2016
In a world without death, two teens must learn to kill or risk their own lives.
#2
Sale price
$1248
Thunderhead
Chapter Book · Ages 14–18 · 2018
Two rivals challenge a corrupt order, risking everything in a world on the brink of chaos.
#3
Sale price
$1348
The Toll
Chapter Book · Ages 14–18 · 2019
Can anyone stop the immortal Scythe Goddard from ruling a deathless world?
Optional story collection
Gleanings
1 book · Published 2022
Stories from different points in the Arc of a Scythe timeline, best read after the completed trilogy.
Sale price
$2089
Gleanings
Chapter Book · Ages 13–17 · 2022
Uncover hidden tales and new Scythes in a world defying death.
Good to know
Common Questions
How many books are in the Arc of a Scythe series?
There are 3 books in the Arc of a Scythe series. It began with Scythe in 2016, and the newest book, The Toll, was published in 2019.
What order should you read the Arc of a Scythe books in?
Start with Scythe and follow the series order — the books above are numbered #1 through #3.
What ages are the Arc of a Scythe books best for?
The series is best for ages 13–18, based on the age ranges of the individual books.
Which Arc of a Scythe book is the longest?
The Toll (Book #3) is the longest book in the series at 143,966 words (625 pages).
Which Arc of a Scythe book is the shortest?
Scythe (Book #1) is the shortest at 101,371 words (464 pages).
The people
The Creative Behind the Books
The people who bring Arc of a Scythe to life.
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