Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rising Thunder | 2026 | Neal Shusterman | N/A |
| 2 | Scythe | 2016 | Neal Shusterman | Buy |
| 3 | Жнец | 2016 | Neal Shusterman | N/A |
| 4 | Nimbo | 2018 | Neal Shusterman | N/A |
| 5 | Thunderhead | 2018 | Neal Shusterman | Buy |
| 6 | The Toll | 2019 | Neal Shusterman | Buy |
| 7 | Zvon | 2019 | Neal Shusterman | N/A |
| 8 | Kosení | 2022 | Neal Shusterman | N/A |
| 9 | Gleanings: Stories from the Arc of a Scythe | 2022 | Neal Shusterman | Buy |
Arc of a Scythe imagines a future where the Thunderhead — an all-knowing AI — has solved every human problem except one: population control. With death, disease, and aging eliminated, society needs Scythes — individuals licensed to kill — to keep the numbers in check. The series follows apprentice Scythes learning the weight of this responsibility.
Scythe (2016) introduced the concept and earned a Printz Honor, Thunderhead (2018) expanded the world’s politics, and The Toll (2019) brought the main story to a close. Gleanings (2022) collects additional stories set in the same universe. The series also includes international editions and the upcoming Rising Thunder (2026).