The Seven Kennings
#1314.20 adjusted 4.18 for sample size in the official ranking · full ranking
Books 3 books Status Complete 2017–2023 Reading commitment Medium Kevin Hearne Last reviewed 2026-09-24
Overview
The Seven Kennings is a complete three-book epic fantasy trilogy by Kevin Hearne, set on an entirely separate secondary world from his Iron Druid Chronicles. Its magic system grants elemental gifts ("kennings") tied to six known elements, with a mysterious seventh yet to be discovered, as a war between an invading force of giants and the peoples of the eastern continent unfolds. The first book follows Tallynd, a soldier defending her kingdom; Dervan, a historian drawn into espionage; and Abhi, a hunter who discovers a rare magical gift. Years later, the second book follows a new generation working to bring change and hope to a still-fractured world, and the third resolves the trilogy as its cast pursues a magical tree, undertakes a mission involving giant sea creatures, and uncovers the secret of the long-unclaimed seventh gift.
Epic fantasy · For Adult
Core Canon: Reading Order (3 works) counts toward ranking
The Seven Kennings Kevin Hearne
| Work | Year | Internal chron. | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | A Plague of Giants | 2017 | 1 | core | 4.06 (6,569 ratings) |
 | A Blight of Blackwings | 2020 | 2 | core | 4.43 (2,683 ratings) |
 | A Curse of Krakens | 2023 | 3 | core | 4.38 (1,521 ratings) |
Complete epic fantasy trilogy, 2017-2023, entirely separate secondary world from the author's Iron Druid Chronicles.
Quick answers
- How many books are in The Seven Kennings? The Seven Kennings's Core Canon is 3 books.
- What is the reading order for The Seven Kennings? Publication order, starting with A Plague of Giants. Full list and years in the Core Canon table above.
- Is The Seven Kennings finished? Complete (2017–2023).
- How much reading does The Seven Kennings take? Medium reading commitment (estimated from 3 Core Canon books).
- How is The Seven Kennings ranked? #131 in this site's official ranking, based on 10,773 reader ratings across 3 Core Canon books. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #131?
Ranked #131 in the official ranking.
- Average reader rating of 4.20 across 3 core books.
- A smaller readership (10,773 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- Less than 0.01 behind #130, Between Two Fires (a finer tie-break level decides the order).
- Below the top-10 average of 4.45.
Why explore this universe?
Highly rated · 3 books · Complete · 11k ratings · Ranks #131 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 (3 Core Canon books)
- A Plague of Giants (2017)
- A Blight of Blackwings (2020)
- A Curse of Krakens (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)
- No award nomination could be confirmed for any of the three books despite a targeted search.
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Suggestions computed from what The Seven Kennings 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
- The Rigante Epic fantasy / Historical fantasy · Complete · Medium commitment · 4.31
Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 4.20 across 10,773 ratings on 3 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 Seven Kennings trilogy admitted accepted 2026-09-24
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
Last reviewed: 2026-09-24
Rule: Core Canon is the complete three-book trilogy: A Plague of Giants (2017), A Blight of Blackwings (2020), and A Curse of Krakens (2023), all published in hardcover by Del Rey.