Sarah A. Parker’s The Ballad of Falling Dragons, the second book in the Moonfall series, is hitting shelves this fall, and here’s what we know about it so far. The first book, When the Moon Hatched, was an immediate hit when it was released in May 2024. While exact sales numbers have never been disclosed by distributors, or the publisher, HarperCollins, it’s undoubtedly a bestseller and has reached the top 10 lists of multiple major book reviewers. Of course, that means a second book was soon to follow.
That book is The Ballad of Falling Dragons, which will continue the story of lovers, the badass female fantasy character and assassin Raeve and Kaan, the dragon rider-turned-king. The upcoming 2025 romantasy book is one of the most anticipated of the year thanks to the solid fanbase the first book has built on social media, especially BookTok. While we don’t know much yet about the sequel, we do know a few things, and it’s just enough to tease us with all the possibilities until its release.
The Ballad Of Falling Dragons Release Date
It’s Set To Hit Shelves On October 7, 2025
Currently, The Ballad of Falling Dragons is slated for release on October 7, 2025. The first book, When the Moon Hatched, was released on May 7, 2024, so it’s about a year and a half between books. Of course, it will first be released in a hardcover and digital edition, with the paperback version also being released at the same time. The hardcover print of the highly anticipated 2025 fantasy book is currently being called a “deluxe limited edition,” and temporary artwork for the book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other booksellers indicates that the final cover has yet to be revealed.
Which Characters Will Return In The Ballad Of Falling Dragons?
Anyone Not Dead Is Likely To Return & Play A Bigger Role
Of course, protagonists and romantic interests Raeve and Kaan will return – since the entire series revolves around them, they’re more or less guaranteed to make it through to the last book relatively unscathed, at least if current romantasy series arcs are any indication. Also likely to play a bit role is the young Kyzari, whose identity is tied up in Raeve’s and Kaan’s pasts, and now future. As for the villain of the second book, that will almost certainly be Arkyn, now that he’s kidnapped Kyzari.
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As for supporting characters, one sure to return and who could play a larger role in The Ballad of Falling Dragons is Veya, Kaan’s sister. And, of course, there’s Tyroth, who will likely vie with Arkyn to be the major antagonist of the second book; though his cruelty and influence mostly impacted the story in the past rather than the present, it seems he’s set to become part of the present’s story in the next book.
The Ballad Of Falling Dragons Story: What When The Moon Hatched Set Up
The First Book Revealed A Lot Before The Cliffhanger Ending
Of course, the huge reveal at the ending of What the Moon Hatched was that Raeve isn’t actually Raeve at all, but the reincarnated soul of the dead queen Elluin – and also part of the soul of her dragon, Slátra, could be what brought her back to life. It’s not clear who killed Elluin, but it’s strongly implied that it was Kaan’s own father. Kaan, meanwhile, was Elluin’s love, and now Raeve, which is bound to complicate things. It’s also revealed that Kyzari is actually the daughter of Elluin/Raeve and Kaan, not Kaan’s niece, but she’s now been kidnapped by Arkyn, the same scavenger king who once held Raeve.
The characters of the present continue to be entangled in the past, and now Raeve has to figure out what it means now that she’s the reincarnated spirit of Elluin, without her memories but now with many of her obligations and burdens.
Clearly, those revelations will have big implications for The Ballad of Falling Dragons. The characters of the present continue to be entangled in the past, and now Raeve has to figure out what it means now that she’s the reincarnated spirit of Elluin, without her memories but now with many of her obligations and burdens. There’s also the question of what role Kyzari has to play, and why Arkyn took her, because it’s certain she’ll be incredibly important to the story moving forward.
How Many Books Will There Be In The Moonfall Series?
It’s Similar To Contemporary Romantasy Series
Like so many romantasy series these days, Sarah A. Parker’s Moonfall series is slated to have five books in total. The five-book standard is a relatively new thing in publishing; for years, trilogies were the going norm. When the Moon Hatched was originally meant to be one book, but Parker split it into two, with the second half becoming The Ballad of Falling Dragons. Likely after When the Moon Hatched became a bestseller is when the publisher asked for a five-book series.
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It’s slightly worrying that Parker has stated in previous interviews (via The Geeky Waffle) that she’s jumping back and forth between the Moonfall and Crystal Bloom series, as well as a few other secret projects. If other contemporary popular romantasy series are anything to go by, it likely means there will be quite a wait between The Ballad of Falling Dragons and the third book, which would still be a better option than Parker rushing it and the third book coming out a mess like Rebecca Yarros’ Onyx Storm. Hopefully, the Moonfall series will stay on track through all five books.
