The Thrice-Bound Fool: Buehlman’s Sequel Arrives October 13

By Ahaqir Ishaq

Christopher Buehlman is returning to the world of The Blacktongue Thief, and this time the most dangerous thing in a thief’s possession might be a book.

The Thrice-Bound Fool is scheduled for release on October 13, 2026. The novel continues Kinch Na Shannack’s story, with Galva returning alongside him. For readers waiting for the next adventure after The Blacktongue Thief, this is the sequel to watch.

Tor’s official listing identifies the novel as Blacktongue, Volume 2 and confirms its October release date.

When Does The Thrice-Bound Fool Come Out?

The Thrice-Bound Fool arrives on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. Tor Books publishes the U.S. hardcover, with ebook and audiobook editions also listed by Macmillan.

The release comes more than five years after The Blacktongue Thief, which debuted in May 2021. Buehlman expanded the setting in the meantime with The Daughters’ War, but that novel explored an earlier period rather than continuing Kinch’s adventure.

For anyone who has been searching for “The Blacktongue Thief sequel,” The Thrice-Bound Fool is the title to remember.

What Is Christopher Buehlman’s New Book About?

The premise puts Kinch in possession of a stolen, sentient book that is actively trying to kill him. Unfortunately, its secrets may be essential to the future of Manreach.

Galva protects him while he attempts to uncover the book’s magic. Her larger purpose is to save the queen she serves and loves from a threat to her life. Meanwhile, the Taker’s Guild pursues the pair, forcing them beyond familiar territory and into new dangers, according to the publisher’s synopsis.

A murderous book is an especially appealing hook for a fantasy adventure. Reading usually offers the hero answers; here, even trying to find those answers creates another threat. The setup raises an immediate question: how much danger would you accept from the very object you need to survive?

Why Kinch and Galva’s Return Matters

Macmillan’s Blacktongue series overview describes the original partnership as an unlikely alliance between a debt-burdened thief and a veteran knight. Kinch initially chooses Galva as a robbery target, only to discover he has badly misjudged her.

That makes their return together a substantial part of the sequel’s appeal. An unlikely partnership gives a fantasy quest more than destinations and monsters: it creates room for conflicting priorities, friction, and loyalty.

The new synopsis also gives their journey a useful tension. Kinch must contend with the book’s immediate danger, while Galva has a political and personal reason to keep him alive. Those overlapping needs offer plenty of possibilities for the story without revealing how Buehlman resolves them.

Where Does The Daughters’ War Fit?

The Daughters’ War was published on June 25, 2024. It is a prequel, set before The Blacktongue Thief, and follows Galva during the goblin wars. The official book description centers on her service with the Raven Knights and their magically created war birds.

There are two straightforward ways to approach the books:

For new readers, my recommendation is publication order. Start with the novel that introduces Kinch and Galva’s partnership, then explore Galva’s earlier experiences before moving into the sequel.

Readers chiefly interested in continuing Kinch’s story should distinguish the prequel from the numbered sequel: The Daughters’ War explores the past; The Thrice-Bound Fool is Volume 2.

A Fantasy Release to Watch This October

The strongest reason to pay attention to The Thrice-Bound Fool is its specific promise: a returning thief-and-knight partnership, a book that fights its reader, and a mission that sends its protagonists into unfamiliar lands.

That is enough to make October 13 a date worth marking for readers following Buehlman’s fantasy world. Whether the sequel fulfills that promise is a question for a review after reading it; for now, the release date and premise give fans a clear idea of what comes next.

For more releases to watch, explore our most anticipated fantasy books of 2026.

Planning to read it? Preorder The Thrice-Bound Fool on Amazon, or begin with The Blacktongue Thief.

Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Books of Brilliance earns from qualifying purchases.

Will you read the sequel immediately, or revisit the earlier books first?

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook