Chronological order for Anne Bishop's Black Jewels stories

Question

I was looking at the list of stories and saw that there are quite a few, but I couldn't find a definitive list with all of the stories in proper in-universe chronological order.

So, what is the correct order for all of the stories?

Answer 1

There are some stories for which the actual timing is not clearly spelled out, but the author was kind enough to provide placement for those stories.

There are a couple of minor spoilers in the story Weaver of Dreams but otherwise I think that it, Zuulaman and The Invisible Ring make a good introduction to the main trilogy in that some of the key ideas upon which Blood society is based are introduced and explained. These stories also set up key characters and parts of the overall story of the main trilogy.

1. "Weaver of Dreams" (from Dreams Made Flesh)
2. "Zuulaman" (from Dreams Made Flesh)
3. The Invisible Ring
4. Daughter of the Blood

5. "The Time the Witchblood Blooms' (short story) according to an email from Anne Bishop:

   (...) probably fits between Daughter of the Blood and Heir to the Shadows. It definitely comes before Queen of the Darkness when Surreal moves to Kaeleer.

   In a Facebook discussion, fellow fan Allison King made this comment:

   Time the Witchblood Blooms can't take place between Daughter and Heir. The timing doesn't make sense. But it does fit between Part I and Part II of Heir. Certainly before chapter 4, part 9.

6. Heir to the Shadows
7. "The Prince of Ebon Rih" (from Dreams Made Flesh)
8. Queen of the Darkness
9. "Kaeleer's Heart" (from Dreams Made Flesh)
10. "The Price" (short story) according to an email from Anne Bishop

    It does go between "Kaeleer's Heart" and Tangled Webs. (Surreal mentions dancing with Rainier at a family wedding, meaning at Daemon and Jaenelle's wedding.)

11. Tangled Webs
12. "Winsol Gifts" (from Twilight's Dawn)
13. "Shades of Honor" (from Twilight's Dawn)
14. The Shadow Queen
15. Shalador's Lady
16. "Family" (from Twilight's Dawn)
17. "The High Lord's Daughter" (from Twilight's Dawn)
18. The Queen's Bargain (publication date: March 2020)

Answer 2

So the true chronological order would be:

• Weaver of Dreams
• Zuulaman
• The Invisible Ring
• Daughter of Blood
• The Time the Witchblood Bblooms
• Heir to the Shadows
• The Prince of Ebon Rih
• Queen of Darkness
• Kaeleers heart
• The Price
• Tangled Webs
• Winsol Gift
• Shades of Honor
• Shadows Queen
• Shaladors Lady
• Family
• The Highlords Daughter

Answer 3

Generally (and this series is no exception), you should read them in publication order. Acording to the dates in the wikipedia entry that order follows:

• Daughter of the Blood 1998
• Heir to the Shadows 1999
• Queen of the Darkness 2000 (Jan)
• The Time the Witchblood Blooms 2000 (Mar)
  • Short Story originally published in Treachery and Treason MM Paperback ISBN 978-0451457783
  • In 2008 included with Tangled Webs, so you don't need to track down above anthology
• The Invisible Ring 2000 (Oct)
• The Price
  • Published in Powers of Detection: Tales of Mystery and Fantasy MM Paperback ISBN 978-0441014644
• Dreams Made Flesh 2005 - Contains:
  • Weaver of Dreams
  • The Prince of Ebon Rih
  • Zuulaman
  • Kaeleer's Heart
• Tangled Webs 2008
• The Shadow Queen 2009
• Shalador's Lady 2010
• Twilight's Dawn 2011 - Contains
  • Winsol Gifts
  • Shades of Honor
  • Family
  • The High Lord's Daughter