The reading order will ultimately depend on your preferences. I've written them in the order I best think they should be read, but reading the books chronologically can also work if you don't mind slight spoilers from the prequel novellas and short stories.

​

Recommended order is as follows:

​

•  Of Thieves and Shadows (#1)

• From the Ashes: A novelette (#0.5)

• In the Shadow of Duty: A short story (#0.55)

• From the Depths: a novella (#0.6)

• Of Love and Loss (#2)

​

Now, if you start with From the Ashes, you won't deal with any OTAS spoilers; however, your experience may be enhanced by reading OTAS first. If you start with From the depths, you will get minor spoilers for the series, primarily OTAS. 

​

To conclude, all the prequel stories act as standalones in the sense that they aren't required reading for the main series AND are complete stories on their own. That being said, I only recommend beginning with From the Ashes if you want to start with a novella to explore the world before committing to Quinaria. Of Thieves and Shadows, in my opinion, is the best starting point.

 

Below is a visual representation of the timeline: 

Ch