This is one of those series with a publishing order and a reading order and a timeline order. My first year as a children's librarian Book 1 Beyond the deep woods (pub order) came out. It had a cutesy cover but kids couldn't keep their hands off them. The new covers are awesome and a great way to introduce the books to a new generation. As long as you read each trilogy in order, I do believe you can read the sub series in any order. #backtoreading
Quint, the fourteen-year-old only remaining son of famous sky pirate Wind Jackal, arrives with his father in the floating city of Sanctaphrax. Wind Jackal, a good friend of Sanctaphrax's ruler, Most High Academe Linius Pallitax, agrees to allow Quint to stay in Sanctaphrax as the High Academe's personal assistant. Quint is not pleased with this turn of events, and neither is Linius' daughter Maris, who believes that Linius is favouring Quint.