Chrysalis Series by RinoZ in Order: 9 Books and Book 10
9 min readBy LevelUpShelf EditorialLast reviewed
TL;DR: Read the books by number, from The Antventure Begins to Antdustrial Revolution (book 9, July 15, 2026). Book 10 is dated November 11, 2026. On Audible, books 1 to 7 are out (133 hours 3 minutes), and books 1 to 3 also come as one bundle. Books 8 and 9 had no audiobook listing when we checked.
The Chrysalis series by RinoZ has nine books out and a tenth on the way: Cruelty's Antidote is a Kindle pre-order dated November 11, 2026. It is the LitRPG where the hero dies and is reborn as an ant monster, and its audiobooks are read by Jeff Hays and Annie Ellicott, the same Jeff Hays who narrates Dungeon Crawler Carl. Below are all ten books in order with Kindle dates and lengths, the seven audiobooks, the Books 1-3 bundle, and the audio gap for books 8 and 9, all checked on October 11, 2026. No spoilers past book 1's premise.
Key Takeaways
- 10 books on Amazon: each Kindle page reads "Book N of 10"; nine are out and book 10 is a pre-order for November 11, 2026.
- 6,192 Kindle pages for books 1 to 9, from 606 (book 4) to 802 (book 9).
- Audio stops at book 7: Audible lists books 1 to 7 plus a Books 1-3 bundle, read by Jeff Hays and Annie Ellicott.
- The audio wait varies a lot: book 1's audiobook came out the same day as the ebook; book 6's came 356 days later.
- A DCC favorite: 44 recommending comments in our five-thread tally of books like Dungeon Crawler Carl, fifth of all series.
Overview
Chrysalis is a LitRPG series by RinoZ, published by Aethon Books and first posted as a web serial on Royal Road. Royal Road tags it LitRPG, Reincarnation, Comedy, Adventure, Fantasy and Magic. The premise is in one reader's short summary: "Kid dies and is reborn as an Ant monster."
It shows up again and again in what-to-read-next threads. In our books like Dungeon Crawler Carl tally it was named in 44 top-level comments, tied with The Primal Hunter for fourth and fifth. In our best LitRPG audiobooks count of 13 listener threads it placed ninth with 46 comments. The shared narrator is a big part of that.
Cover: Audible product page (Aethon Audio, Soundbooth Theater)
Every Chrysalis Book in Order
"Kindle" is the publication date and print length on each book's Amazon Kindle page; "Audible" is the audiobook release date and length from Audible's product data. Ratings are Audible's, as of October 11, 2026, and will drift.
| # | Title | Kindle | Pages | Audible | Length | Audible rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Antventure Begins | Jun 7, 2022 | 664 | Jun 7, 2022 | 17 h 18 m | 4.72 (1,958) |
| 2 | Upping the Ante | Sep 6, 2022 | 706 | Nov 30, 2022 | 18 h 9 m | 4.86 (1,109) |
| 3 | Antelligent Design | Dec 27, 2022 | 736 | Apr 12, 2023 | 19 h 9 m | 4.84 (480) |
| 4 | Between a Rock and a Carapace | Jun 20, 2023 | 606 | Feb 27, 2024 | 17 h 42 m | 4.89 (1,998) |
| 5 | Enemy A(n)t the Gates | Jan 31, 2024 | 662 | Jun 11, 2024 | 20 h 49 m | 4.88 (2,028) |
| 6 | Antvance into the Unknown | Sep 11, 2024 | 626 | Sep 2, 2025 | 19 h 35 m | 4.88 (1,213) |
| 7 | Fated Antagonist | Jun 18, 2025 | 652 | Oct 14, 2025 | 20 h 21 m | 4.92 (1,686) |
| 8 | Anticipate the Fall | Mar 18, 2026 | 738 | not listed | ||
| 9 | Antdustrial Revolution | Jul 15, 2026 | 802 | not listed | ||
| 10 | Cruelty's Antidote | Nov 11, 2026 (pre-order) | not listed | |||
| 1-3 | Chrysalis, Books 1-3 (audio bundle) | Feb 14, 2024 | 54 h 41 m | 4.7 (2,532) |
The Audible title for book 4 is just "Chrysalis 4"; Amazon and Aethon give the full name, Between a Rock and a Carapace. On Goodreads, book 1 has 4.15 from 4,885 ratings, as of October 11, 2026.
The Audible ratings rise after book 1: every later book sits between 4.84 and 4.92, against 4.72 for book 1. Later books are rated by people who chose to keep going, so treat that as a sign that the readers who stay are happy, not as proof the series gets better.
Cover: Aethon Books
Step-by-Step: How to Read Chrysalis
1. Start with The Antventure Begins: on Kindle it is 664 pages; on Audible, the Books 1-3 bundle (54 hours 41 minutes) covers the first three books in one title.
2. Read books 2 to 9 by number: Upping the Ante, Antelligent Design, Between a Rock and a Carapace, Enemy A(n)t the Gates, Antvance into the Unknown, Fated Antagonist, Anticipate the Fall, Antdustrial Revolution. There are no side novels or numbered extras to slot in.
3. Switch to the ebook after book 7 if you listen: Audible has nothing past Fated Antagonist yet, so books 8 and 9 are Kindle or paperback only for now.
4. Watch for book 10 on November 11, 2026: Cruelty's Antidote is listed on Amazon and Aethon for that date. Our release calendar tracks it.
5. Keep track on the series page: the Chrysalis series page lists every book with a checklist for the ones you have finished.
Is There a Chrysalis Book 8 Audiobook?
Not yet, as of October 11, 2026. Audible's series page shows "8 books in series", and those eight are books 1 to 7 plus the Books 1-3 bundle. Aethon's page for Fated Antagonist (book 7) gives an "Audiobook Publication Date" of October 14, 2025 and names Jeff Hays as narrator; its pages for books 8 and 9 show only the ebook date.
How long you may wait is hard to call, because the gap has swung widely:
- Book 1: same day as the ebook.
- Books 2, 3 and 5: 85, 106 and 132 days after the ebook.
- Book 4: 252 days.
- Book 6: 356 days, its audiobook arriving after book 7's ebook.
- Book 7: 118 days.
Book 8's ebook came out March 18, 2026, which was 207 days before our check. That is already longer than every gap except books 4 and 6. We found no announced date, so treat any date you see elsewhere with care until Audible or Aethon lists it.
Cover: Audible product page (Aethon Audio)
The Audiobooks: Jeff Hays and Annie Ellicott
Every Chrysalis audiobook lists the same two narrators, Jeff Hays and Annie Ellicott. Books 1 to 7 add up to 133 hours 3 minutes by our sum, about 19 hours per book. Audible files the publisher as Aethon Audio, with Soundbooth Theater added on the bundle and on books 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7.
Listeners coming from Dungeon Crawler Carl notice the voice first. u/Circle_Breaker wrote in an r/litrpg thread about what could beat DCC on audio: "And chrysalis has the same voice actor as DDC, but I enjoy his work on Chrysalis more. In terms of story Chrysalis takes longer to get going." (comment, December 30, 2025). Our Dungeon Crawler Carl audiobook guide covers his DCC work and its guest voices.
The bundle is the usual advice for a first listen. u/TreeKeeper15, who was starting book 7: "Audible has the first three books for one credit and my advice is to finish that and then decide whether you want to continue." (comment, February 25, 2026).
Audible has the first three books for one credit and my advice is to finish that and then decide whether you want to continue.
GODEEPER: Chrysalis is one of the longer runs on the LitRPG shelf. LitRPG reading orders: 10 series, every book in order →
How Many Chrysalis Books Are There?
Ten, counting the pre-order. The sources disagree only because they count different things:
- Amazon and Aethon: ten books. Each Kindle page reads "Book N of 10", and Aethon lists books 1 to 10 with book 10 dated November 11, 2026.
- Goodreads: "9 primary works • 10 total works", which matches the nine books already out.
- Audible: "8 books in series", which is seven audiobooks plus the bundle.
- Royal Road: the web serial carries the STUB status and shows 534 chapters in its table of contents, with 19,939 followers. Royal Road's help pages define stubs as fictions that "do not have all content available on Royal Road", for example because of a Kindle Unlimited exclusivity contract, so the chapter list is not the full story.
We did not find a statement from RinoZ or Aethon on the pages we checked about how many books are planned, so we treat the series as ongoing.
Cover: Aethon Books
What Readers Say
The most common advice is to give it a book or two. u/AudioAdrenalynn, in a September 2026 r/DungeonCrawlerCarl thread: "Chrysalis has hooked me just as much as DCC. Same narrator (mostly) the first book is great but it really takes off in book two" (comment, September 21, 2026). u/GoblinGreenThumb, replying in a thread titled "Listened to ~700 LitRPG / Progression Fantasy Audiobooks": "CHRYSALIS- gets way better around book 2/3.. when did u put it down?" (comment, March 19, 2026).
For DCC readers, the humor is the selling point. u/Roguespiffy: "It’s the closest thing I’ve found to DCC in terms of humor and being engaging. Kid dies and is reborn as an Ant monster. It’s fantastic." (comment, September 21, 2026).
Tips Before You Start
- Buy the bundle, not book 1, on Audible. It covers the stretch readers say it takes for the series to settle.
- Do not wait for the book 8 audiobook to start. Seven audiobooks are already 133 hours.
- Check the book 4 title. Audible calls it "Chrysalis 4"; it is Between a Rock and a Carapace.
- Spoilers: later blurbs give away earlier plot turns. Read only the blurb of the book you are about to start.
Our take
Based on the facts above, Chrysalis is an easy pick for anyone who liked Jeff Hays in Dungeon Crawler Carl: seven audiobooks with the same two narrators, Audible ratings near 4.9 after book 1, and a bundle that covers the slow start readers mention. The catch is the audio gap. Listeners will reach the end of book 7 and find two more books on Kindle only, with no audio date as of October 11, 2026. Readers have no such wait: nine books are out and the tenth is dated November 11. If you want to compare where it sits next to other LitRPG labels, our progression fantasy vs LitRPG explainer uses its Royal Road tags.
How we checked this
On October 11, 2026 we opened the Amazon Kindle pages for all ten books (date, print length, "Book N of 10"), Aethon's pages for each book and its series search, the Audible series page and the Audible product data for books 1 to 7 and the Books 1-3 bundle (narrators, length, date, publisher, rating), the Goodreads series page and book 1 page, and the Royal Road fiction page (tags, STUB, chapters, followers). We re-checked the book 1, 8 and 10 Kindle pages ourselves the same day. Reader comments were copied from Reddit thread data saved on October 10, 2026. Totals and day counts are our own arithmetic. A site-agent then compared every number in this article with our source table before publication.
Related Reading
- Defiance of the Fall reading order: another long Aethon LitRPG series.
- He Who Fights with Monsters reading order: 13 books, read by Heath Miller.
- Books like He Who Fights with Monsters: where Chrysalis tied for sixth in reader comments.
- All reading-order guides
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Chrysalis reading order? The Antventure Begins through Antdustrial Revolution, then Cruelty's Antidote.
How many Chrysalis books are there? Nine out, a tenth dated November 11, 2026.
When is the Chrysalis book 8 audiobook coming out? No date was listed on October 11, 2026.
Who narrates the Chrysalis audiobooks? Jeff Hays and Annie Ellicott.
Should I buy the Chrysalis Books 1-3 bundle? Yes if you listen on Audible: 54 hours 41 minutes in one title.
Is Chrysalis on Royal Road? Yes, as a STUB with 534 chapters listed.
References
- Aethon Books: The Antventure Begins
- Aethon Books: Fated Antagonist
- Aethon Books: Cruelty's Antidote
- Amazon: Chrysalis: The Antventure Begins (Kindle)
- Amazon: Chrysalis 8: Anticipate the Fall (Kindle)
- Amazon: Chrysalis 10: Cruelty's Antidote (Kindle pre-order)
- Audible: Chrysalis series
- Audible: Chrysalis, Books 1-3
- Audible: Fated Antagonist
- Goodreads: Chrysalis series
- Royal Road: Chrysalis
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The LevelUpShelf desk reads the store pages and the reader threads so you can pick book 1 with the numbers in front of you. Every count is dated and linked.
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About this article
LevelUpShelf is independent: no ads, no sponsored posts, and nobody pays to be on a list. Some store links are affiliate links: we may earn a commission if you buy through one, and it never decides what we list (affiliate links). Book counts, release dates, audiobook lengths and ratings are snapshots from the date we checked them; publishers and stores change listings, so check the store page before you buy. Recommendations come from cited reader discussions, not from reading we claim to have done. Articles are researched and written with AI tools, and every fact is checked against its source before publishing. See how the desk works and how we use AI.