Maas’ team frames this as a pure victory of storytelling, emphasizing her gratitude for readers showing up for the characters and the emotional weight of the series.
While the Hulu adaptation is dead in the water, the source notes the sales success comes 'on the heels' of that cancellation, suggesting the fandom's loyalty remained firmly with the books rather than the failed Hollywood machine.
1.7 million copies sold on Tuesday, Oct. 27; a 600% increase over Book 5’s 2021 launch; total franchise sales now exceed 100 million copies worldwide across three series.
Hollywood dropped the ball, but Sarah J. Maas just picked it up and launched it into orbit with record-breaking sales that prove BookTok is the new power broker.
From my desk at the intersection of Hollywood and high fantasy, the message from Sarah J. Maas is loud and clear: you cannot ignore her at your own peril. The author of the "A Court of Thorns and Roses" franchise just dropped a statistical nuke on the publishing industry.
Her sixth book, "A Court of Splintered Harmony," sold 1.7 million copies on release day alone, a figure that Variety confirmed represents a staggering 600% increase over the launch of Book 5 back in 2021. This isn't just a sales bump; it is a fundamental shift in who holds the power in entertainment. According to publisher Bloomsbury, this massive number includes preorders and Day 1 sales for English-language print and ebook editions across the U.S., Canada, U.K., and Australia.
Crucially, this total does not even account for audiobooks or translated editions, meaning the true global impact is likely even higher than the already record-breaking headline number. The timing of this dominance is what makes it such a juicy story for us in the trade. This unprecedented success arrives just months after Disney’s 20th Television and Hulu scrapped the "ACOTAR" TV adaptation in February 2025 due to creative differences.
With the rights having since reverted back to Maas, the author has effectively proven that her direct connection with her audience is a force no studio can replicate or replace. Maas herself addressed the phenomenon in a statement to Variety, keeping the focus on the art rather than the industry drama. "When I write, I’m only thinking about the characters and the stories I want to tell," Maas said.
"To see how much these books mean to so many people and the way readers have shown up for this one really blows my mind. It’s a feeling I can’t even comprehend, but I’m just beyond grateful." The infrastructure behind this launch was less of a book release and more of a cultural takeover. Dozens of brands, ranging from Funko to For Love & Lemons, released official "ACOTAR"-inspired merchandise in collaboration with Maas over the past few months.
Furthermore, 2,000 midnight release parties were held globally to celebrate the launch, turning the release into a coordinated global event that dwarfed typical Hollywood premieres. With these initial debut-day results, "A Court of Splintered Harmony" is currently tracking to be the largest book release of the year. Maas’ team has also confirmed that she has now sold more than 100 million books worldwide across her three hit fantasy franchises, including "Throne of Glass" and "Crescent City." The fandom has remained loyal, ignoring the Hollywood vacuum to support the source material directly.
Fans of the faerie realm of Prythian won’t have to wait long for the next chapter in this saga. Book 7, "A Court of Forgotten Melody," is set for release on January 12, 2027, as part of "The Valkyrie Cycle." This will be followed by a currently untitled third novel that will conclude the four-part narrative, ensuring Maas remains the undisputed queen of the genre for years to come.
