Chronicles of Ixia
#2434.07 of 664 ranked universes · full ranking
Books 6 books Status Complete 2005–2017 Reading commitment Medium Maria V. Snyder Last reviewed 2026-08-21
Overview
Chronicles of Ixia is Maria V. Snyder’s fantasy world spanning two sequences. The Study Series follows Yelena Zaltana, a condemned poisoner-taster turned magician, through court intrigue and magical politics in the militarized nation of Ixia and its magic-governed neighbour Sitia. The Glass Series follows a different point-of-view character, glassmaker Opal Cowan, in the same world.
Epic fantasy · For YA
Core Canon: Reading Order (6 works) counts toward ranking
The Study Series Maria V. Snyder
| Work | Year | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Poison Study | 2005 | core | 4.15 (116,066 ratings) |
 | Magic Study | 2006 | core | 4.03 (85,035 ratings) |
 | Fire Study | 2008 | core | 3.91 (66,512 ratings) |
 | Shadow Study | 2015 | core | 4.08 (17,984 ratings) |
 | Night Study | 2016 | core | 4.22 (12,808 ratings) |
 | Dawn Study | 2017 | core | 4.19 (10,521 ratings) |
The original, flagship six-book sequence following Yelena Zaltana; Core Canon.
Library / Expanded (3 works)
The Glass Series Maria V. Snyder
| Work | Year | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Storm Glass | 2009 | 3.96 (26,956 ratings) | |
 | Sea Glass | 2009 | 4.01 (20,667 ratings) | |
 | Spy Glass | 2010 | 4.00 (18,247 ratings) |
A parallel trilogy following a different POV character (Opal Cowan) in the same Ixia/Sitia world; treated as Expanded Canon (companion sequence, not the flagship line).
Quick answers
- How many books are in Chronicles of Ixia? Chronicles of Ixia's Core Canon is 6 books, plus 3 more in the wider Library/Expanded material.
- What is the reading order for Chronicles of Ixia? Publication order, starting with Poison Study. Full list and years in the Core Canon table above.
- Is Chronicles of Ixia finished? Complete (2005–2017).
- How much reading does Chronicles of Ixia take? Medium reading commitment (estimated from 6 Core Canon books · ~1,234 pages).
- How is Chronicles of Ixia ranked? #243 of 664 ranked universes on this site, based on 308,926 reader ratings across 6 Core Canon books. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #243?
Ranked #243 of 664 ranked universes.
- Average reader rating of 4.07 across 6 core books.
- Backed by 309k reader ratings.
- Less than 0.01 behind #242, Six Crimson Cranes (a finer tie-break level decides the order).
- Below the top-10 average of 4.45.
Why explore this universe?
Well rated · 6 books · Complete · 309k ratings · Ranks #243 overall
Good choice if you want a moderate-length epic fantasy universe that's already finished, so there's no wait for the next book.
Reading order
Publication order (6 Core Canon books)
- Poison Study (2005)
- Magic Study (2006)
- Fire Study (2008)
- Shadow Study (2015)
- Night Study (2016)
- Dawn Study (2017)
Awards (verified)
- Compton Crook Award (Best First Novel), 2006: won: Poison Study
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Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 4.07 across 308,926 ratings on 6 Core Canon books. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.
How do we know this?
Admission: Chronicles of Ixia admitted as a new universe accepted 2026-08-21
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
Last reviewed: 2026-08-21
Rule: Core Canon = the six-book Study Series (Yelena Zaltana’s flagship story arc). Expanded Canon = the three-book Glass Series (Opal Cowan), a companion sequence in the same world.