Alastair Reynolds Reading Order

50 books (1999–2024)

Alastair Reynolds has contributed to 44 science fiction anthologies between 1999 and 2024, with the series remaining ongoing. These collections should be read in publication order, beginning with The Ant-Men of Tibet and Other Stories and continuing through works like Constellations, One Million A.D., and The Space Opera Renaissance. The anthologies span various themed collections and year's best compilations, showcasing Reynolds' contributions alongside other science fiction authors across multiple decades.

Start with The Ant-Men of Tibet and Other Stories, the first of 44 books in the Anthologies series.

#	Title
1	The Ant-Men of Tibet and Other Stories 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Space Soldiers 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Infinities 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Mammoth Book of Best New SF 15 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Hard SF Renaissance 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Mammoth Book of Best New SF 16 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Constellations 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	One Million A.D. 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Science Fiction: The Best of the Year, 2006 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	The Mammoth Book of Extreme Science Fiction 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	The Space Opera Renaissance 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Third Annual Collection 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Year's Best SF 11 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	The Best of the Best, Vol 2 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Fourth Annual Collection 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	The Mammoth Book of Best New SF 21 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	The Mammoth Book of Best New SF 22 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	Federations 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	The Mammoth Book of Mindblowing SF 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	Shine: An Anthology of Near-Future Optimistic Science Fiction 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	Lightspeed: Year One 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Eighth Annual Collection 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	Rock On: The Greatest Hits of Science Fiction & Fantasy 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24	The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Ninth Annual Collection 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25	Aliens: Recent Encounters 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
26	Best New SF 26 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
27	Memoryville Blues: A Postscripts Anthology 30/31 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
28	Dead Man's Hand 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
29	Robot Uprisings 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
30	The Year's Best Science Fiction: Thirty-First Annual Collection 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
31	The Year's Top Ten Tales of Science Fiction 6 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
32	The Year's Top Ten Tales of Science Fiction 7 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
33	Bridging Infinity 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
34	The Best Science Fiction of the Year: Volume One 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
35	The Year's Top Ten Tales of Science Fiction 8 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
36	Infinite Stars 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
37	The Best Science Fiction of the Year Volume Three 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
38	The Best Science Fiction of the Year: Volume Two 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
39	The Year's Best Science Fiction: Thirty-Fourth Annual Collection 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
40	2001: An Odyssey in Words 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
41	Infinity's End 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
42	The Year's Top Ten Tales of Science Fiction 10 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
43	Twelve Tomorrows 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
44	Best of British Science Fiction 2018 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
45	The Year's Top Hard Science Fiction Stories 3 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
46	The Year's Top Robot and AI Stories 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
47	The Best Science Fiction of the Year: Volume Five 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
48	Love, Death and Robots: The Official Anthology: Volume One 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
49	Best of British Science Fiction 2023 2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
50	To the Stars and Back 2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

9 books (1975–2016)

The Doctor Who: Third Doctor series comprises nine science fiction novels published between 1975 and 2016, following the adventures of the Third Doctor across various storylines. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with The Curse of Peladon and concluding with Damascus. Written by multiple authors including Brian Hayles, Barry Letts, Gary Russell, and others, these novels expand on the Third Doctor's era with both original stories and adaptations of classic television material.

Start with The Curse of Peladon(By: Brian Hayles), the first of 9 books in the Doctor Who: Third Doctor series.

#	Title
1	The Curse of Peladon(By: Brian Hayles) 1975Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Paradise of Death(By: Barry Letts) 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Dancing the Code(By: Paul Leonard) 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Ghosts of N-Space(By: Barry Letts) 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Scales of Injustice(By: Gary Russell) 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Doctor Who: The Magician's Oath(By: Scott Handcock) 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Council of War(By: Simon Barnard) 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Harvest of Time 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Damascus(By: Jonathan Barnes) 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

4 books (2007–2024)

Alastair Reynolds' Inspector Dreyfus series comprises four science fiction novels published between 2007 and 2024, with the series still ongoing. The books should be read in publication order, beginning with Aurora Rising (also titled The Prefect), followed by Elysium Fire, Open and Shut, and Machine Vendetta. This series follows the investigations of Prefect Dreyfus as he navigates complex cases within a vast futuristic setting.

Start with Aurora Rising / The Prefect, the first of 4 books in the Inspector Dreyfus / Prefect Dreyfus Emergency series.

#	Title
1	Aurora Rising / The Prefect 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Elysium Fire 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Open and Shut 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Machine Vendetta 2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (2000–2027)

Alastair Reynolds's Merlin series comprises two science fiction novels published across a sixteen-year span, beginning with Merlin's Gun in 2000 and concluding with The Iron Tactician in 2016. This completed duology should be read in publication order to experience the story as intended. The series combines Reynolds's signature hard science fiction elements with themes suited to young adult audiences.

Start with Merlin's Gun and read in order.

#	Title
1	Merlin's Gun 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Iron Tactician 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Merlin's Way 2027

3 books (2012–2015)

Alastair Reynolds's Poseidon's Children trilogy spans from 2012 to 2015 and comprises three complete novels that should be read in publication order: Blue Remembered Earth, On the Steel Breeze, and Poseidon's Wake. This science fiction series follows humanity's expansion across the solar system and beyond, exploring themes of family, legacy, and the consequences of technological advancement. The trilogy is best experienced sequentially, as each installment builds on the events and character development of its predecessor.

Start with Blue Remembered Earth and read in order.

#	Title
1	Blue Remembered Earth 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	On the Steel Breeze 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Poseidon's Wake 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

8 books (2000–2021)

Alastair Reynolds's Revelation Space series spans eight science fiction novels published between 2000 and 2021, with the final entry appearing to conclude the sequence. The books should be read in publication order, beginning with Revelation Space and continuing through Chasm City, Diamond Dogs, Redemption Ark, Absolution Gap, Turquoise Days, Galactic North, and Inhibitor Phase. This sprawling space opera series explores distant futures and cosmic mysteries across multiple interconnected narratives.

Start with Revelation Space, the first of 8 books in the Revelation Space series.

#	Title
1	Revelation Space 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Chasm City 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Diamond Dogs 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Redemption Ark 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Absolution Gap 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Turquoise Days 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Galactic North 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Inhibitor Phase 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (2016–2020)

Alastair Reynolds' Revenger trilogy is a complete science fiction series spanning from 2016 to 2020 that should be read in publication order, beginning with Revenger and continuing through Shadow Captain and Bone Silence. The three-book saga follows interconnected storylines across its volumes and requires sequential reading to fully appreciate the narrative arc. This series combines Reynolds' signature hard science fiction worldbuilding with younger protagonists, making it accessible to both adult and young adult audiences.

Start with Revenger and read in order.

#	Title
1	Revenger 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Shadow Captain 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Bone Silence 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

11 books (1997–2025)

Alastair Reynolds' Short Stories/Novellas series comprises 11 science fiction works published between 1997 and 2025, with the series remaining active and ongoing. These should be read in publication order, beginning with A Spy in Europa and continuing through The Dagger in Vichy. The collection spans Reynolds' career and represents his experimentation with shorter forms across various science fiction scenarios and themes.

Start with A Spy in Europa, the first of 11 books in the Short Stories/Novellas series.

#	Title
1	A Spy in Europa 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Great Wall of Mars 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Weather 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Six Directions of Space 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Zima Blue 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Troika 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Sleepover 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Thousandth Night 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Slow Bullets 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Detonation Boulevard 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	The Dagger in Vichy 2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

6 books (2006–2025)

Alastair Reynolds' Short Story Collections series comprises five volumes of science fiction short stories published between 2006 and 2025, with the series still ongoing. These collections should be read in publication order, beginning with Zima Blue and Other Stories and continuing through Deep Navigation, Beyond the Aquila Rift, Belladonna Nights and Other Stories, and The Revelation Space Collection Volume 1. The series spans nearly two decades of Reynolds' shorter fiction work across his science fiction universe.

Start with Zima Blue and Other Stories, the first of 5 books in the Short Story Collections series.

#	Title
1	Zima Blue and Other Stories 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Deep Navigation 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Beyond the Aquila Rift 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Belladonna Nights and Other Stories 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Revelation Space Collection Volume 1 2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Revelation Space Collection Volume 2 2025

3 books (2011–2013)

Solaris Rising is a three-book science fiction anthology series edited by Alastair Reynolds, published between 2011 and 2013. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with Solaris Rising, followed by Solaris Rising 1.5, and concluding with Solaris Rising 2. Each volume features short fiction from various acclaimed science fiction authors.

Start with Solaris Rising and read in order.

#	Title
1	Solaris Rising 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Solaris Rising 1.5(By: Paul Cornell,Tanith Lee,Mike Resnick,Aliette de Bodard,Adam Roberts,Paul Di Filippo,Ian Whates,Gareth L. Powell,Sarah Lotz,Philip Vine) 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Solaris Rising 2(By: Kristine Kathryn Rusch,Paul Cornell,Liz Williams,James Lovegrove,Robert Reed,Eugie Foster,Nancy Kress,Nick Harkaway,Norman Spinrad,Vandana Singh,Kim Lakin-Smith,Ian Whates,Paul Cornell, Jr.,Kay Kenyon,Adrian Tchaikovsky,Martin Sketchley,Allan Steele) 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

7 books (2004–2026)

Alastair Reynolds has written seven science fiction novels as standalone entries, beginning with Century Rain in 2004 and continuing through Halcyon Years in 2026. Though each novel stands alone with its own narrative and world, they should be read in publication order to best appreciate Reynolds's evolving approach to the science fiction genre. The series remains ongoing, with the most recent installment released in 2026.

Start with Century Rain, the first of 7 books in the Standalone Novels series.

#	Title
1	Century Rain 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Pushing Ice 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	House of Suns 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Terminal World 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Permafrost 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Eversion 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Halcyon Years 2026Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

1 book (2016–2016)

#	Title
1	The Medusa Chronicles(With: Stephen Baxter) 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

18 books (1996–2013)

This science fiction anthology series, edited by Alastair Reynolds, spans 18 volumes published between 1996 and 2013. Each annual installment collects outstanding short science fiction stories from the previous year, offering readers a curated selection of the genre's finest work across the period. The series is now complete and should be read in publication order, beginning with the first volume and progressing chronologically through each year's collection.

Start with Year's Best SF, the first of 18 books in the Year's Best SF Anthology series.

#	Title
1	Year's Best SF 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Year's Best SF 2 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Year's Best SF 3 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Year's Best SF 4 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Year's Best SF 5 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Year's Best SF 6 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Year's Best SF 7 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Year's Best SF 8 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Year's Best SF 9 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Year's Best SF 10 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Year's Best SF 11 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Year's Best SF 12 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Year's Best SF 13 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Year's Best SF 14 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Year's Best SF 15 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	Year's Best SF 16 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	Year's Best SF 17 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	Year's Best SF 18 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible