Most tandem reading guides for these two books are built around a single rule: switch every two or three chapters, stay roughly in sync. The problem is that switching that frequently means you spend the first half of both books constantly losing your footing in whichever one you just picked up.
This guide works from a principle instead. Switch at the end of a complete arc, where the story gives you room to pause. Thirteen switches across fourteen blocks.
What is the tandem read?
Empire of Storms and Tower of Dawn cover the same period of time from two different perspectives. Aelin’s storyline and Chaol’s storyline are happening simultaneously and they unfold in separate books because they’re geographically and narratively separate. A tandem read interleaves chapters from both books in a set order, so you experience both storylines in real time rather than finishing one and backtracking through the other.
Is it right for you?
Read tandem if you want the story to line up as it happens. The two books run in parallel, and this approach keeps that intact.
Read sequentially if you prefer each book to stand completely on its own. Switching back and forth does interrupt flow, and some readers find that both storylines feel less focused as a result.
Some readers find Tower of Dawn difficult on a first read, but it clicks on a reread once Empire of Storms is already finished. If that sounds familiar, a tandem reread might change that.
Before you start
This guide assumes you’ve finished Queen of Shadows. Don’t tandem read before you reach this point in the series.
You’ll need both books open at once. Physical copies are easier to manage. Switching between ebooks or audiobook tracks mid-chapter is cumbersome, and it’s easy to forget to switch when you can’t physically mark your place.
Use sticky notes. Before you begin, mark your switching points in each book. They’ll catch you when momentum makes you want to keep going.
Give yourself longer reading sessions. You’re managing two narratives. Short sessions don’t give you enough time to settle before the switch point arrives.
THE GUIDE
| Block | Book | Chapters | Approx. pages |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Empire of Storms | Ch. 1–8 | ~130 pages |
| 2 | Tower of Dawn | Ch. 1–5 | ~75 pages |
| 3 | Empire of Storms | Ch. 9–18 | ~145 pages |
| 4 | Tower of Dawn | Ch. 6–13 | ~115 pages |
| 5 | Empire of Storms | Ch. 19–26 | ~130 pages |
| 6 | Tower of Dawn | Ch. 14–22 | ~120 pages |
| 7 | Empire of Storms | Ch. 27–39 | ~215 pages |
| 8 | Tower of Dawn | Ch. 23–32 | ~130 pages |
| 9 | Empire of Storms | Ch. 40–51 | ~150 pages |
| 10 | Tower of Dawn | Ch. 33–51 | ~185 pages |
| 11 | Empire of Storms | Ch. 52–60 | ~115 pages |
| 12 | Tower of Dawn | Ch. 52–57 | ~95 pages |
| 13 | Empire of Storms | Ch. 61–75 | ~175 pages |
| 14 | Tower of Dawn | Ch. 58–68 | ~135 pages |
