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Trudi Canavan

2 series 7 books in order 1 standalone book

Trudi Canavan is an Australian writer of fantasy novels, best known for her best-selling fantasy trilogies The Black Magician and Age of the Five. She worked as a graphic designer while establishing her writing career. She completed her third trilogy, The Traitor Spy trilogy, in August 2012 with The Traitor Queen. Subsequently, Canavan wrote a series called Millennium's Rule, which features a new setting with multiple worlds that characters can cross between. A fourth and final book in the Millennium's Rule series was published.

Born
1969
Known for
The Black Magician Trilogy, The Traitor Spy Trilogy

Where to start with Trudi Canavan

Begin with The Magicians' Guild, the first book in The Black Magician Trilogy. This novel introduces the world of the Black Magicians and the political and magical conflicts that shape the series. Proceed with the trilogy in publication order: The Magicians' Guild, The Magicians' Quest, and The Magicians' Prince. After completing the trilogy, move to The Traitor Spy Trilogy, starting with The Ambassador's Mission, which continues the exploration of magic, power, and loyalty in a new narrative context. The standalone novel The Magician's Apprentice, published in 2009, serves as a companion to the Black Magician Trilogy and can be read either before or after the main series, though it is not part of the main sequence. The final series, Millennium's Rule, begins with the first book in that sequence, which follows a new world structure and multiverse travel. Read the Millennium's Rule series in publication order to maintain narrative continuity.

Series by Trudi Canavan

The Black Magician Trilogy

3 books in order · 2001–2003

  1. Cover of The Magicians' Guild

    The Magicians' Guild

    2001 · Trudi Canavan

    This year, like every other, the magicians of Imardin gather to purge the city of undesirables, until one enraged girl hurls a stone that penetrates…

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  2. Cover of The Novice

    The Novice

    2002 · Trudi Canavan

    This 2002 novel by Trudi Canavan follows Sonea, the only novice among the Magicians' Guild who comes from lowly beginnings, as she navigates lies and…

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  3. Cover of The High Lord

    The High Lord

    2003 · Trudi Canavan

    The High Lord is set in the city of Imardin, where those who wield magic wield power. Sonea, a young street-girl adopted by the Magician's Guild, has…

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The Traitor Spy Trilogy

3 books in order · 2010–2012

  1. Cover of The Ambassador's Mission

    The Ambassador's Mission

    2010 · Trudi Canavan

    This 2010 novel by Trudi Canavan finds Sonea, a Black Magician of Kyralia, horrified when her son Lorkin volunteers to assist the new Guild…

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  2. Cover of The rogue

    The rogue

    2011 · Trudi Canavan

    Lorkin lives among the Sachakan rebels and tries to understand their magic, but the Traitors are unwilling to share their knowledge for the Healing…

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  3. Cover of The Traitor Queen

    The Traitor Queen

    2012 · Trudi Canavan

    A 2012 novel by Trudi Canavan, the final installment of a trilogy following The Ambassador's Mission and The Rogue. Returning from exile, the feared…

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Standalone books

  1. Cover of The magician's apprentice
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Frequently asked questions

How many books has Trudi Canavan written?

We list 7 books by Trudi Canavan across 2 series, published between 2001–2012 — each shown in full reading order.

What order should I read Trudi Canavan's books?

Read each series in publication order. A good place to start is “The Magicians' Guild.” Open any series above for its complete numbered reading order.

Where can I buy Trudi Canavan's books?

Every title links to Amazon from its series page — see our affiliate disclosure in the footer for how that supports the site.

Reading order compiled from author/publisher guidance and verified bibliographic data. Spotted a wrong order, a missing book, or any other mistake? and we'll correct it.

Some summaries adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.