User blog comment:TUSF/Light Novel Chronology/@comment-70.53.116.171-20170326163119/@comment-28251580-20170328192149

Hi,

no problem, glad I could help.We have a more detailed list on the Timeline. It's a little confusing in the novels since not only the chapters in Volume 1 do not happen chronologically, but the entire novel series very often gives flashbacks. As such, First Day was in Volume 8, not in Volume 1, 2 or in Progressive. Even Volume 2 consists only of side stories that happened during Aincrad, Aincrad itself was finished in Volume 1.

The anime staff pressed that a bit more into a chronological order. Don't be confused, it's just as it is. You often have a time marker at the beginning of a story. You don't need to read in chronological order (I'd suggest to avoid that as it's confusing as hell), just read in publication order.