'Not a prequel, not a sequel, not a spinoff': Veronica Roth Announces New Divergent Books with Alternate Story

A new Divergent story is on the way, and Veronica Roth is taking Tris Prior in a completely different direction.

At BookCon 2026, the author revealed that two new Divergent books will be set in an alternate timeline, re-imagining the story in the original trilogy.

'Not a prequel, not a sequel, not a spinoff, not a different POV but an alternate universe of Divergent where Tris chooses a different faction. I think the question of "who is Tris without Dauntless" is an interesting one,' Roth told USA Today.

The first book, titled 'The Sixth Faction', is set for release this October, with the second novel arriving in February 2027.

'The Sixth Faction' Reimagines Divergent's Original Story

In the original trilogy, Beatrice 'Tris' Prior is a teenager living in a post-apocalyptic Chicago, where society is split into five different factions: Erudite, Abnegation, Dauntless, Amity, and Candor. Though she was raised in Abnegation, she ultimately chooses Dauntless.

The Sixth Faction explores a different path: What happens if Tris never made that choice? But despite her decision, she still finds her way to the same people, including Four.

Roth noted that The Sixth Faction can be read as a standalone. She also expressed her excitement for fans to 'see how the old and the new fold together'.

'For existing fans, I'm excited for them to see how the old and the new fold together. You'd think that certain things wouldn't happen because she makes a different faction choice, but she does find her way to the same people. Seeing how that happens is a really fun part of it,' the author told USA Today.

Fans React to Roth's New Divergent Series, With Some Calling It 'Fanfiction'

While prequels and sequels are common in publishing, a rewrite is a rarer move. 'The Hunger Games' has expanded into prequels, both of which were positively received by fans and critics alike.

It's also not uncommon to tell the story from the perspective of another character. Roth herself did the same when she wrote Four: A Divergent Collection, telling the story from the perspective of Tris' love interest, Four (or Tobias Eaton).

A re-imagining, however, offers something different: a chance to reshape the narrative and explore 'what if' scenarios.

While some readers are excited about returning to the Divergent world, others aren't on board with the idea. Following the book announcement, fans have been sharing their thoughts on platforms like TikTok, X, and Reddit.

Many think that the rewrite is just the author writing 'fanfiction' of her own story. Others, on the other hand, don't want another Divergent book after the original trilogy's controversial ending, which saw Tris' death and Four moving on with Christina, her best friend.

Still, some fans are embracing the revival, especially amid a broader wave of nostalgic franchise returns—from a Sunrise on the Reaping movie to a new Harry Potter series.

Could There Be More Divergent Films?

The last Divergent film was released in 2016, with plans for a final instalment ultimately scrapped following Allegiant's underwhelming box office performance. As a result, the film series never received a proper conclusion.

However, with Hollywood increasingly revisiting established IP, the new books could potentially reopen the door for future adaptations—whether as films or a streaming series.

Shailene Woodley, who played Tris in the Divergent films, previously told Elite Daily that she would be open to returning.

'We never got to make our final Divergent film, and I think that would be really fun. We're all much older now, so I don't know how that would work, but I think that there's a world where we could make it happen. I think it would do pretty well,' she said.

For now, fans can look forward to 'The Sixth Faction', which will be released on 6 October, in hardback and with sprayed edges.