Trouble the Saints
#6603.35 of 664 ranked universes · full ranking
Books 1 book Status Complete 2020 Reading commitment Low Alaya Dawn Johnson Last reviewed 2026-08-18
Overview
Phyllis Green, an assassin for a Harlem crime boss with an uncanny gift in her hands, tries to walk away from violence in 1930s New York just as the city's simmering political and racial tensions come to a head. A standalone noir fantasy. Alaya Dawn Johnson's first universe in this canon.
Dark fantasy, Historical fantasy · For Adult
Core Canon: Reading Order (1 work) counts toward ranking
Trouble the Saints Alaya Dawn Johnson
| Work | Year | Internal chron. | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Trouble the Saints | 2020 | 1 | core | 3.35 (2,051 ratings) |
Standalone novel; a 1930s New York noir blending gangster politics with a mystical, uncanny gift for violence passed down through hands. Alaya Dawn Johnson's first universe in this canon.
Quick answers
- How many books are in Trouble the Saints? Trouble the Saints's Core Canon is 1 book.
- Is Trouble the Saints finished? Complete (2020).
- How much reading does Trouble the Saints take? Low reading commitment (estimated from 1 Core Canon book · ~352 pages).
- How is Trouble the Saints ranked? #660 of 664 ranked universes on this site, based on 2,051 reader ratings across 1 Core Canon book. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #660?
Ranked #660 of 664 ranked universes.
- Average reader rating of 3.35 across 1 core book.
- A smaller readership (2,051 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- 0.02 behind #659, The Chimes.
- Below the top-10 average of 4.45.
- A single standalone novel: ranked on that one book alone.
Why explore this universe?
Modestly rated · 1 book · Complete · 2k ratings · Ranks #660 overall
Good choice if you want a quick, low-commitment dark fantasy universe that's already finished, so there's no wait for the next book.
Reading order
A single Core Canon work: no sequencing question to resolve.
Awards (verified)
- World Fantasy Award (Best Novel), 2021: won: Trouble the Saints
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Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 3.35 across 2,051 ratings on 1 Core Canon book. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.
How do we know this?
Admission: Trouble the Saints admitted accepted 2026-08-18
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
Last reviewed: 2026-08-18
Rule: Core = the single standalone novel; no sequel or prequel exists in this continuity.