Fantasy fans, mark your calendars: the dragons of Basgiath are returning sooner than you think. Rebecca Yarros has officially unveiled the next installment in her blockbuster Empyrean series—and it's not the fourth mainline book fans have been eagerly awaiting. Instead, Threshing Day promises a deep dive into the most pivotal moment in a dragon rider's life, and it's arriving on September 29, 2026.
This new collection will feature 13 stories, each centered on a different character's Threshing—the terrifying ritual where cadets attempt to bond with a dragon or die trying. Yarros shared the exciting news with her fanbase, writing: "Welcome to Conscription Day, Cadets! I'm thrilled to share the title and cover of my next book (not book four!) in the Empyrean series: Threshing Day! This collection contains thirteen threshing stories about some of your favorite characters and their dragons. I hope this gives you a fun trip back to Basgiath while I'm writing book four! So grab your leathers… The dragons are waiting!"
For those unfamiliar with the series, Fourth Wing introduced us to Violet Sorrengail, a young woman who expected a quiet life among the archives as a scribe. But her mother, General Lilith Sorrengail, had other plans, forcing Violet into the brutal Riders Quadrant at Basgiath War College. There, she must survive grueling training and the deadly Threshing to bond with a dragon and become a rider defending the kingdom of Navarre. Along the way, she crosses paths with Xaden Riorson, a powerful and enigmatic wingleader whose complicated history with her family adds layers of tension to their growing connection.
While Threshing Day is a must-read for fans, Yarros has been careful to clarify that this is not Fourth Wing Book 4. Instead, it's a companion piece that enriches the world while she continues crafting Violet's next adventure, following the events of Iron Flame and Onyx Storm. The collection will offer fresh perspectives on beloved characters and their dragons, giving readers a chance to revisit Basgiath from new angles.
The Empyrean universe is also expanding beyond the page. Prime Video is developing a live-action Fourth Wing television series, with Michael B. Jordan's Outlier Society producing. Meredith Averill (The Haunting of Hill House) is attached as showrunner and executive producer, while Lisa Joy (Westworld) will direct the first episode. Yarros, Jordan, and Elizabeth Raposo are also executive producers. Jordan has assured fans that the creative team is taking the adaptation seriously: "We are making sure that this is going to be a exciting show that delivers on all of the things the fans want and some of the things that they won't be expecting either. But trust me, I know how beloved this franchise IP is and we're diligently… We're in the lab, we're cooking up. We got it. It's coming. It's early stages, but I feel how much people care about this one. It's not lost on us."
As the release date approaches, fans can also revisit the series' earlier installments or explore other fantasy adaptations like Lisbeth Salander's return in a long-form TV treatment. And for those who can't get enough of dragon-filled worlds, Threshing Day is shaping up to be the perfect stopgap until Book 4 arrives.
Mark your calendars for September 29, 2026, and prepare to return to Basgiath. The dragons are waiting, and this time, they're bringing the stories of the riders who survived—and those who didn't.
