Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors | 2017 | Curtis Craddock | Buy |
| 2 | A Labyrinth of Scions and Sorcery | 2019 | Curtis Craddock | Buy |
| 3 | The Last Uncharted Sky | 2020 | Curtis Craddock | Buy |
The Risen Kingdoms is Curtis Craddock’s signature work, a trilogy that builds a full secondary world from a striking premise: the continents have shattered and now float in an endless sky, connected only by airship routes. Different royal bloodlines carry different sorcerous abilities, and the political order is built around these powers. Isabelle des Zephyrs, the protagonist, lacks the expected sorcery of her line but makes up for it with a sharp mathematical mind and stubborn refusal to be sidelined.
An Alchemy of Masques and Mirrors kicks off the story with a political marriage that turns into a conspiracy, and the next two books widen the scope while keeping Isabelle at the center. Craddock drew on flintlock and steampunk traditions for the setting, but the focus on court politics and intellectual problem-solving gives the series its own identity. The trilogy was well received for its treatment of Isabelle as a disabled character who is defined by her capabilities rather than her limitations, and for a world that rewards careful readers with layers of history and magical logic.