The Cinder Spires
#1044.20 of 664 ranked universes · full ranking
Books 2 books Status Ongoing 2015–present Reading commitment Medium Jim Butcher Last reviewed 2026-08-12
Overview
Jim Butcher's steampunk series: humanity survives in colossal Spires above a poisonous surface, armed with airships and crystal-powered weapons -- distinct from Butcher's Codex Alera and The Dresden Files.
Epic fantasy · For Adult
Core Canon: Reading Order (2 works) counts toward ranking
The Cinder Spires Jim Butcher
| Work | Year | Internal chron. | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | The Aeronaut's Windlass | 2015 | 1 | core | 4.15 (34,013 ratings) |
 | The Olympian Affair | 2023 | 2 | core | 4.36 (11,020 ratings) |
Steampunk series, distinct from Butcher's Codex Alera and The Dresden Files. No further volume announced with a firm date.
Quick answers
- How many books are in The Cinder Spires? The Cinder Spires's Core Canon is 2 books.
- What is the reading order for The Cinder Spires? Publication order, starting with The Aeronaut's Windlass. Full list and years in the Core Canon table above.
- Is The Cinder Spires finished? Ongoing (2015–present).
- How much reading does The Cinder Spires take? Medium reading commitment (estimated from 2 Core Canon books · ~1,254 pages).
- How is The Cinder Spires ranked? #104 of 664 ranked universes on this site, based on 45,033 reader ratings across 2 Core Canon books. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #104?
Ranked #104 of 664 ranked universes.
- Average reader rating of 4.20 across 2 core books.
- A smaller readership (45,033 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- Less than 0.01 behind #103, The Lord of the Ice Garden (a finer tie-break level decides the order).
- Below the top-10 average of 4.45.
Why explore this universe?
Highly rated · 2 books · Ongoing · 45k ratings · Ranks #104 overall
Good choice if you want a moderate-length epic fantasy universe that's still ongoing, with new books still coming.
Reading order
Publication order (2 Core Canon books)
- The Aeronaut's Windlass (2015)
- The Olympian Affair (2023)
Documented internal/story chronology is recorded for every Core Canon book here, and matches publication order exactly, with no divergence to show separately.
Awards (verified)
- Hugo Award (Best Novel), 2016: nominated: The Aeronaut's Windlass
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Suggestions computed from what The Cinder Spires and each of these worlds have in common on record (subgenre, audience, shape, reading commitment and score), not a documented narrative connection.
- The Bound and the Broken Epic fantasy · Ongoing · Medium commitment · 4.33
- Lightbringer Epic fantasy · Complete · Medium commitment · 4.33
- The Bloodsworn Saga Epic fantasy · Complete · Medium commitment · 4.33
- Ash and Sand Grimdark / Epic fantasy · Complete · Medium commitment · 4.30
Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 4.20 across 45,033 ratings on 2 Core Canon books. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.
How do we know this?
Admission: The Cinder Spires admitted; Core Canon = 2 novels published to date, in progress accepted 2026-08-12
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
Last reviewed: 2026-08-12
Rule: Core = the 2 novels published to date (2015, 2023); admitted in progress per Article 2.