Sword Art Online Books in Order
Sword Art Online by Reki Kawahara contains 32 books, published between 2009 and 2025. The first book is Aincrad, Vol. 1 (2009) and the newest is Sword Art Online 28 (2025). Publication order is the reading order below.
- Books
- 32
- Published
- 2009–2025
- Pages on record
- 5,336 in 24 of 32 books
- Reading time
- 89–133 hours
Reading time is an estimate, not a recorded figure: 5,336 pages at 300 words a page, read at 200–300 words a minute, covering the 24 of 32 titles with a page count on record.
Sword Art Online is a light novel series by Reki Kawahara set inside virtual reality games. Aincrad, Vol. 1 (2009) opens the run, followed by Fairy Dance and a six-volume Phantom Bullet arc through 2010. The series holds 32 books, reaching Sword Art Online 28 in 2025 at a median 208 pages. Virtual reality, internet games, survival and contests are its recurring subjects, and new volumes are still appearing.
How many Sword Art Online books are there?
Sword Art Online has 32 books, released between 2009 and 2025.
Sword Art Online Books in Publication Order
The table lists all 32 Sword Art Online books in the order they were published, with the release year, the page count where one is on record, and how many independent book listings confirm each title. Catalogue data as of September 2026.
- 1Aincrad, Vol. 12009 · 248 pages · confirmed 1/420092481/4
- 2Aincrad, Vol. 22009 · 248 pages · confirmed 1/420092481/4
- 3Fairy Dance, Vol. 12009 · 216 pages · confirmed 1/420092161/4
- 4Phantom Bullet, Vol. 12010 · confirmed 1/42010–1/4
- 5Fairy Dance, Vol. 22010 · 208 pages · confirmed 1/420102081/4
- 6Phantom Bullet, Vol. 22010 · confirmed 1/42010–1/4
- 7Phantom Bullet, Vol. 32010 · confirmed 1/42010–1/4
- 8Phantom Bullet, Vol. 42010 · confirmed 1/42010–1/4
- 9Phantom Bullet, Vol. 52010 · 202 pages · confirmed 1/420102021/4
- 10Phantom Bullet, Vol. 62010 · 294 pages · confirmed 1/420102941/4
- 11Mother's Rosary, Vol. 72011 · 204 pages · confirmed 1/420112041/4
- 12Early and Late, Vol. 82011 · 283 pages · confirmed 1/420112831/4
- 13Alicization Beginning2012 · 264 pages · confirmed 1/420122641/4
- 14Alicization Running2012 · 231 pages · confirmed 1/420122311/4
- 15Alicization Turning2012 · 200 pages · confirmed 1/420122001/4
- 16Alicization Rising2013 · 204 pages · confirmed 1/420132041/4
- 17Alicization Dividing2013 · 172 pages · confirmed 1/420131721/4
- 18Alicization Uniting2014 · 218 pages · confirmed 1/420142181/4
- 19Alicization Invading2014 · 208 pages · confirmed 1/420142081/4
- 20Alicization Exploding2015 · 240 pages · confirmed 1/420152401/4
- 21Alicization Awakening2016 · 240 pages · confirmed 1/420162401/4
- 22Alicization Lasting2016 · 208 pages · confirmed 1/420162081/4
- 23Moon Cradle I2017 · 208 pages · confirmed 1/420172081/4
- 24Moon Cradle II2017 · 208 pages · confirmed 1/420172081/4
- 25Unital Ring I2021 · 208 pages · confirmed 1/420212081/4
- 26Kiss and Fly2021 · 208 pages · confirmed 1/420212081/4
- 27Unital Ring II2021 · 208 pages · confirmed 1/420212081/4
- 28Unital Ring III2022 · confirmed 1/42022–1/4
- 29Unital Ring IV2022 · confirmed 1/42022–1/4
- 30Unital Ring V2023 · 208 pages · confirmed 1/420232081/4
- 31Unital Ring VI2023 · confirmed 1/42023–1/4
- 32Sword Art Online 282025 · confirmed 1/42025–1/4
Is there a chronological order for Sword Art Online?
No separate chronological order is on record for Sword Art Online, because none of the book listings this catalogue draws on publishes one; the publication order above is the only order given.
Do you have to read Sword Art Online books in order?
You should read the Sword Art Online books in publication order, the order of the numbered table above. The catalogue does not record whether each Sword Art Online book also stands alone.
Where to start with Sword Art Online
Start with Aincrad, Vol. 1 (2009), the earliest published title.
What is the newest Sword Art Online book?
Sword Art Online 28 (2025) is the newest Sword Art Online book released so far.
Is there a new Sword Art Online book coming?
No next Sword Art Online book is announced in the catalogue, which is a gap in the listings it merges rather than a sign that the run has ended.
Sword Art Online at a glance
- Still running
- Sword Art Online is still running, with a title published as recently as 2025.
- Release pace
- Sword Art Online books have appeared more than one a year on average.
- Length
- 5,336 pages across the 24 of 32 books with a recorded length, a median of 208 pages each.
- Busiest decade
- Most Sword Art Online books, 21 of 32, were published in the 2010s.
What the Sword Art Online books are about
18 of the 32 Sword Art Online books carry subject tags in Open Library's catalogue. The subjects below are the ones that recur across them, most frequent first: virtual reality is tagged on 13 of 18. The subjects are cataloguers’ headings, not a plot summary.
- Virtual reality 13 of 18 books
- Contests 11 of 18 books
- Internet games 11 of 18 books
- Science fiction 11 of 18 books
- Video games 11 of 18 books
- Fantasy games 10 of 18 books
- Children's fiction 8 of 18 books
- Survival 4 of 18 books
More books by Reki Kawahara
The author page linked below lists every book in publication order.
- Reki Kawahara books in order 96 books
Other series by Reki Kawahara
Each series linked below has its own reading-order page.
- Accel World books in order 26 books
- 4th Squad Jam: Start books in order 10 books
- Sword Art Online Progressive books in order 9 books