Fourth Wing Book 4 Release Date: Everything We Know About the Next Empyrean Novel

Updated: August 2026

Few upcoming fantasy novels are being watched as closely as the fourth book in Rebecca Yarros’ Empyrean series.

Ever since Onyx Storm arrived in January 2025, fans of Fourth Wing have been waiting for news about what happens next to Violet Sorrengail, Xaden Riorson and the dragons at the center of one of publishing’s biggest fantasy series.

The good news is that the next main novel is officially being worked on.

The less exciting news is that fans are going to have to be patient.

As of August 2026, Rebecca Yarros has not announced an official release date or title for Fourth Wing Book 4. However, Yarros has confirmed that she is writing the fourth Empyrean novel, meaning the next major chapter of Violet and Xaden’s story is officially underway.

There is also another Empyrean book arriving before Book 4. Threshing Day is scheduled for September 29, 2026, but readers should not mistake it for the long-awaited sequel to Onyx Storm.

Here is everything we currently know about Fourth Wing Book 4, when it might be released and what fans should expect from the next Empyrean novel.

When Is Fourth Wing Book 4 Coming Out?

There is currently no confirmed release date for Fourth Wing Book 4.

That is the most important thing fans should know.

While several rumored release dates have circulated online, Rebecca Yarros and her publisher have not officially announced when the fourth main Empyrean novel will arrive.

Yarros confirmed in early 2026 that she was preparing to return to the Empyrean universe, and by March 2026 she had begun actively working on Book 4.

That means the novel is no longer merely something planned for the future. It is currently being written.

However, writing is only one part of the publishing process.

Once Yarros completes the manuscript, the book will still need to move through revisions, editing, copy editing, production, printing and distribution before it can reach bookstores.

For a release as enormous as a new Fourth Wing novel, publishers also need enough time to manufacture huge numbers of physical copies and coordinate a worldwide launch.

Because of that, fans should be cautious about any website or social media post claiming that Book 4 has a confirmed publication date.

Until Rebecca Yarros or Red Tower Books announces one, there is no official release date.

Could Fourth Wing Book 4 Be Released in 2027?

A 2027 release appears possible, but it should currently be treated as speculation rather than confirmed information.

The first three Empyrean novels arrived relatively quickly.

Fourth Wing was published in 2023.

Iron Flame followed later that same year.

Onyx Storm, the third novel, was released on January 21, 2025.

But Yarros has been clear that she needed to slow down after the intense schedule surrounding those books.

Following Onyx Storm, she discussed taking time away from the relentless writing and promotional schedule and focusing on her health and family before returning to the series.

That makes the longer gap between Books 3 and 4 intentional rather than evidence that anything is wrong with the series.

With Yarros now actively writing Book 4, a 2027 publication would certainly be possible depending on when she finishes the manuscript and how long the publishing process takes.

For now, though, readers should think of 2027 as a reasonable possibility, not an official Fourth Wing Book 4 release date.

Is Threshing Day Fourth Wing Book 4?

No.

This has become one of the biggest sources of confusion surrounding the series.

Rebecca Yarros has another Empyrean release scheduled for September 29, 2026, titled Threshing Day.

But Threshing Day is explicitly not Empyrean Book 4.

Instead, it is a collection of stories set within the Empyrean universe.

The book gives Yarros an opportunity to return to the world of dragons and riders without immediately continuing the main storyline after Onyx Storm.

That makes Threshing Day an important release for fans, but readers waiting to discover what happens immediately after the third novel will still need to wait for Book 4.

In other words, the reading order for the main storyline remains:

1. Fourth Wing
2. Iron Flame
3. Onyx Storm
4. Untitled Empyrean Book 4
5. Untitled Empyrean Book 5

Threshing Day is additional Empyrean content rather than the fourth numbered novel.

What Is Threshing Day About?

Threshing Day will give readers more stories from the world of the Empyrean series.

The collection revolves around Threshing, one of the most important moments in the life of a dragon rider.

Readers of Fourth Wing will remember just how important Violet’s own Threshing was. It helped establish not only her relationship with Tairn and Andarna but much of the larger mythology surrounding dragons, riders and their bonds.

The new collection will explore multiple Threshing stories involving characters and dragons from the Empyrean universe.

That could make it particularly interesting for longtime readers.

Instead of simply functioning as filler between novels, Threshing Day has the potential to expand the history and mythology of the world before Book 4 moves the central conflict forward again.

It may also give fans new context for characters they already know.

What Will Fourth Wing Book 4 Be About?

Warning: Major spoilers for Fourth Wing, Iron Flame and Onyx Storm follow.

Rebecca Yarros has understandably revealed very little about the plot of Book 4.

Considering where Onyx Storm ended, that secrecy makes sense.

The fourth book is entering the final stretch of the Empyrean saga, and practically every major storyline now appears connected.

One of the biggest questions surrounds Xaden.

His connection to the venin has gradually become one of the most important conflicts in the series. What originally seemed like an external war has become deeply personal for Violet.

Saving Xaden, or discovering whether he can actually be saved, should therefore be one of the major driving forces of Book 4.

Yarros has repeatedly built the series around Violet attempting to uncover information that powerful people have either hidden, destroyed or deliberately rewritten.

That trend should continue.

Book 4 will likely force Violet deeper into the history of Navarre, the dragons and venin as she searches for answers that previous generations were unable or unwilling to find.

Violet and Xaden’s Relationship Will Be More Important Than Ever

At its heart, the Empyrean series has always balanced fantasy warfare with Violet and Xaden’s relationship.

Book 4 is unlikely to change that.

If anything, their relationship may become even more important.

The ending of Onyx Storm created major questions about their future and their relationship. The mysterious circumstances surrounding their marriage alone should guarantee that readers have plenty to learn when the story resumes.

But there is a larger question hanging over them:

What happens when love and loyalty collide with the survival of everyone else?

Xaden’s condition creates exactly that type of dilemma.

Violet has repeatedly been willing to risk almost anything for the people she loves. Book 4 may test exactly how far she is willing to go—and whether saving Xaden could put everyone else in danger.

Their romance therefore won’t simply exist alongside the fantasy plot.

It may become inseparable from it.

Expect More Answers About the Venin

The venin have slowly moved from mysterious monsters into one of the central pieces of Empyrean mythology.

Even after three books, readers still do not know everything about them.

That feels intentional.

The final two novels will need to explain much more about where the venin come from, how their power works and whether their transformation can be reversed.

Xaden makes those questions even more urgent.

The series can no longer treat the venin as distant villains when one of its most important characters has become directly connected to them.

One of the biggest questions heading into Book 4 is therefore whether there really is a cure.

Violet will almost certainly be searching for one.

Whether she finds what she hopes for is another matter entirely.

The Dragons May Finally Reveal More of Their Secrets

The dragons have always known more than they tell their riders.

Sometimes a lot more.

Tairn, Andarna and the other dragons have provided information when necessary while also keeping enormous secrets about their history, politics and abilities.

That secrecy has become increasingly important as the series has expanded.

Andarna in particular changed what readers thought they knew about dragons.

Her unusual background and abilities suggest that the history Violet was taught may be incomplete in ways even she doesn’t fully understand yet.

With only two main novels remaining, Book 4 seems like the perfect place for Yarros to reveal much more about dragon society.

Readers may finally learn more about the different dragon breeds, their relationship with humans and their knowledge of the venin.

We may also discover that the dragons’ goals do not perfectly match those of their riders.

That possibility could drastically change the final stages of the war.

Missing Dragon Eggs Could Become Important

Another mystery likely to play a role involves the missing dragon eggs.

Nothing involving dragons in the Empyrean series happens accidentally.

Dragon reproduction, hatchlings and the continuation of different dragon lines could have enormous consequences for the balance of power.

If those eggs become important in Book 4, the story could move even deeper into dragon history than the first three novels did.

And with the series approaching its conclusion, seemingly smaller mysteries introduced earlier may suddenly become vital.

Yarros has spent three books planting information that readers did not always recognize as important at the time.

Book 4 is where many of those pieces may finally begin fitting together.

We May Get More Points of View

Violet has always been the primary perspective through which readers experience the Empyrean story, with strategically placed sections from other characters.

That could expand in Book 4.

Yarros has discussed the possibility of additional perspectives, with Sloane among the characters connected to comments about future points of view.

That would make sense narratively.

The world has grown far beyond Violet’s immediate surroundings.

The conflict now spans armies, political factions, riders, dragons and territories outside Navarre.

Additional perspectives could allow Yarros to show events Violet cannot personally witness while also revealing secrets that would otherwise remain hidden.

Characters such as Sloane, Imogen and Bodhi have also become increasingly important.

Book 4 could give some of those supporting characters substantially larger roles before the final novel.

Book 4 Is Setting Up the End of the Empyrean Series

One important thing to remember is that Fourth Wing Book 4 will not be the ending.

Rebecca Yarros has planned the Empyrean saga as five main novels.

That means Book 4 occupies an interesting position.

It needs to answer major questions from Onyx Storm while simultaneously positioning every major character for the final book.

In many five-book fantasy series, the fourth installment becomes the darkest part of the story.

The heroes have learned enough to understand the real threat, but they haven’t yet figured out how to defeat it.

That structure would fit the Empyrean series perfectly.

Violet may uncover some of the answers she has spent three books searching for, only to discover that those answers create even bigger problems.

Expect victories to come with consequences.

And considering Rebecca Yarros’ love of cliffhangers, readers probably shouldn’t expect Book 4 to end peacefully.

What Will Fourth Wing Book 4 Be Called?

The title has not been announced.

That hasn’t stopped fans from trying to guess it.

The first three titles—Fourth Wing, Iron Flame and Onyx Storm—all connect in some way to the imagery, powers and events surrounding their stories.

The fourth title will presumably follow a similar pattern.

Until Yarros officially announces it, however, any title circulating online should be considered a rumor or fan theory.

A title announcement could also become one of the first major signs that publication is getting closer.

For Onyx Storm, the title and release information were revealed well before the finished book reached stores.

Once Book 4 receives its official name, fans may finally get a clearer publication window at the same time.

Will There Be a Fourth Wing Book 5?

Yes.

Fourth Wing Book 4 is the penultimate novel in the main Empyrean storyline.

The fifth book is expected to conclude Violet’s story and the central conflict that began in Fourth Wing.

Yarros has said that the ending of Book 5 has already been plotted, suggesting that she knows where the larger saga is heading even as she works through the details of the fourth novel.

That is particularly encouraging given how many mysteries remain.

The venin, dragons, Violet’s abilities, Xaden’s future, Navarre’s history and the ongoing war all need some form of resolution before the series ends.

Book 4 should therefore begin moving those mysteries toward their answers.

Fourth Wing Book 4 Latest Update

Here is where things currently stand:

Book 4 is being written.

There is no official title.

There is no official release date.

The Empyrean series will contain five main novels.

Onyx Storm remains the latest main-series book.

Threshing Day releases September 29, 2026, but it is not Book 4.

A 2027 release for Book 4 is possible, but fans should wait for an official announcement before treating any particular month or date as confirmed.

That distinction matters because interest in the series is so enormous that placeholder retailer dates and fan predictions can quickly spread online as supposed announcements.

The best confirmation will come directly from Yarros or her publisher.

Is Fourth Wing Book 4 Worth the Wait?

If Onyx Storm is any indication, the wait for Fourth Wing Book 4 should be worth it.

Rebecca Yarros has reached the point in the Empyrean series where the mysteries introduced in the first book are beginning to collide.

Violet isn’t simply trying to survive Basgiath anymore.

The fate of Navarre, the dragons, Xaden and potentially the entire balance of power in their world is involved.

That gives Book 4 the opportunity to be one of the biggest installments of the entire series.

There should be more dragons, more revelations about the venin, more political conflict and plenty of emotional chaos between Violet and Xaden.

Most importantly, Book 4 will begin setting the stage for the final Empyrean novel.

For now, fans have Threshing Day to look forward to in September 2026 while Yarros continues working on the sequel to Onyx Storm.

And whenever Fourth Wing Book 4 finally arrives, expect it to immediately become one of the biggest fantasy releases of the year.

Fourth Wing Book 4 FAQ

When is Fourth Wing Book 4 coming out?

Rebecca Yarros has not announced an official release date for Empyrean Book 4. She is actively working on the novel as of 2026.

Is Fourth Wing Book 4 coming out in 2026?

No 2026 release has been announced for the fourth main novel. The Empyrean release arriving September 29, 2026 is Threshing Day, a companion story collection.

Is Threshing Day Fourth Wing Book 4?

No. Threshing Day takes place in the Empyrean universe but is not the fourth numbered novel.

What is Fourth Wing Book 4 called?

The official title has not yet been announced.

Will Fourth Wing Book 4 be released in 2027?

It is possible, but there is currently no confirmed 2027 release date. Any specific date should be considered speculation until Rebecca Yarros or her publisher announces it.

How many Fourth Wing books will there be?

The main Empyrean series is planned to contain five novels.

What book comes after Onyx Storm?

The next installment in Violet and Xaden’s main story will be the currently untitled Empyrean Book 4.

Will there be a Fifth Wing book?

There will be a fifth Empyrean novel, although its title has not been announced. It is planned as the final main book in the five-book series.

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