The reading order will ultimately depend on your preferences. I've written them in the order I best think they should be read, but reading the books chronologically can also work if you don't mind slight spoilers from the prequel novellas and short stories.

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Recommended order is as follows:

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•  Of Thieves and Shadows (#1)

• From the Ashes: A novelette (#0.5)

• In the Shadow of Duty: A short story (#0.55)

• From the Heart of the Sea: a Novella (#0)

• From the Depths: a novella (#0.6)

• Of Love and Loss (#2)

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Now, if you start with From the Ashes, you won't deal with any OTAS spoilers; however, your experience may be enhanced by reading OTAS first. If you start with From the depths, you will get minor spoilers for the series, primarily OTAS. From the Heart of the Sea has zero spoilers but can better appreciated after reading some of the other installments.

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To conclude, all the prequel stories act as standalones in the sense that they aren't required reading for the main series AND are complete stories on their own. That being said, I only recommend beginning with From the Ashes if you want to start with a novella to explore the world before committing to Quinaria. Of Thieves and Shadows, in my opinion, is the best starting point.

 

Below is a visual representation of the timeline: 

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