Catherynne M. Valente Reading Order
16 series · 189 books · Born 5 May 1979
Catherynne M. Valente is a prolific author known for her imaginative storytelling and richly layered narratives, primarily in the fantasy genre. With a remarkable body of work that spans 189 books across 16 series, including acclaimed titles such as A Dirge for Prester John, Fairyland, and The Orphan's Tales, she has captivated readers since her debut in 2001. Valente's works often blend lyrical prose with innovative themes, making her a standout voice in contemporary literature through 2026 and beyond.
A Dirge for Prester John Series
Complete2 books (2010–2011)
Start with The Habitation of the Blessed and read in order.
Anthologies Series
Likely Complete70 books (2001–2022)
Start with Tails of Wonder and Imagination, the first of 70 books in the Anthologies series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Tails of Wonder and Imagination 2001Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  Jabberwocky 2 2006Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  Salon Fantastique: Fifteen Original Tales of Fantasy 2006Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  Sleeping Beauty, Indeed 2006Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 | Interfictions 2007Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 | Japanese Dreams 2007Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 | Paper Cities 2008Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  The WisCon Chronicles, Vol. 2 2008Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 | The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy, 2009 2008Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 |  Twenty-First Annual Collection 2008Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 |  Best New Fantasy 2 2009Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 | Federations 2009Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 |  Ravens in the Library 2009Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 |  Unplugged 2009Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 | Apex Magazine #16, September 2010 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 16 |  Realms 2 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 17 | She Nailed a Stake Through His Head 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 18 | The Stories in Between 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 19 | The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, 2010 Edition 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 20 | Apex Magazine - April 2011 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 21 | Apex Magazine - August 2011 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 22 | Apex Magazine - February 2011 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 23 | Apex Magazine - June 2011 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 24 | Apex Magazine - March 2011 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 25 | Apex Magazine - October 2012 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 26 | Fantasy Magazine, July 2011 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 27 |  Lightspeed: Year One 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 28 | Teeth: Vampire Tales 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 29 | The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Three 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 30 | Whedonistas 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 31 | Z: Zombie Stories 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 32 | Robots: The Recent A.I. 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 33 |  The 2012 Rhysling Anthology 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 34 | The Best of Electric Velocipede 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 35 | The Mammoth Book of Steampunk 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 36 | The Moment of Change 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 37 | The Year's Best Dark Fantasy and Horror, 2012 Edition 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 38 | The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy, 2012 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 39 | The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Ninth Annual Collection 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 40 | Aliens: Recent Encounters 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 41 | Clarkesworld: Year Three 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 42 | Queen Victoria's Book of Spell 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 43 |  The 2013 Rhysling Anthology 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 44 |  The Book of Apex: Volume 4 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 45 | The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy, 2013 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 46 | Clarkesworld: Year Six 2014Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 47 | The Mammoth Book of SF Stories by Women 2014Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 48 | Wolf Warriors 2014Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 49 | Blood Sisters 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 50 | Mermaids and Other Mysteries of the Deep 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 51 | Press Start to Play 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 52 | Sisters of the Revolution 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 53 | The Bestiary 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 54 | The Starlit Wood 2016Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 55 | Mad Hatters and March Hares 2017Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 56 | The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2017 2017Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 57 | Clarkesworld Year Nine: Volume One 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 58 | Robots vs. Fairies 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 59 | A People's Future of the United States: Speculative Fiction from 25 Extraordinary Writers 2019Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 60 | Current Futures 2019Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 61 | Sharp & Sugar Tooth 2019Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 62 | The Best of Uncanny 2019Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 63 | Edited By 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 64 | From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 65 | Nevertheless She Persisted 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 66 | Far Out: Recent Queer Science Fiction and Fantasy 2021Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 67 |  Diablo 2022Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 68 |  Joan Jett & The Blackhearts 40x40 2022Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 69 | Some of the Best of Tor.com 2021 2022Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 70 | Someone in Time 2022Buy 🇺🇸 |
Best Horror of the Year Series
Ongoing18 books (2009–2025)
Start with The Best Horror of the Year: Volume One, the first of 18 books in the Best Horror of the Year series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  The Best Horror of the Year: Volume One 2009Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Two 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 | The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Three 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Four 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 | The Best Horror of the Year Volume Five 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Six 2014Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Seven 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Eight 2016Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Nine 2017Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 | The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Ten 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 | The Best of the Best Horror of the Year: 10 Years of Essential Short Horror Fiction 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 | The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Eleven 2019Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 | The Best Horror of the Year: Volume Twelve 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 | The Best Horror of the Year Volume Thirteen 2021Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 | The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Fourteen 2022Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 16 |  The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Fifteen 2024Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 17 |  The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Sixteen 2024Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 18 |  The Best Horror of the Year, Volume Seventeen 2025Buy 🇺🇸 |
Children's Series
Likely Complete3 books (2010–2022)
Start with Smoky and the Feast of Mabon and read in order.
Clockwork Phoenix Series
Complete5 books (2008–2016)
Start with Clockwork Phoenix, the first of 5 books in the Clockwork Phoenix series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Clockwork Phoenix 2008Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 | Clockwork Phoenix 2 2009Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  Clockwork Phoenix 3: New Tales of Beauty and Strangeness(By: Tanith Lee,John C. Wright,Gregory Frost,Michael M. Jones,Mike Allen,Cat Rambo,John Grant,Kenneth Schneyer,Shweta Narayan,C.S.E. Cooney,Gemma Files,Georgina Bruce,Marie Brennan,Nicole Kornher-Stace,Tori Truslow,S.J. Hirons) 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  Clockwork Phoenix 4(By: Tanith Lee,Richard Parks,A.C. Wise,Mike Allen,Yves Meynard,Cat Rambo,Kenneth Schneyer,Gemma Files,Alisa Alering,Ian McHugh,Benjanun Sriduangkaew,Shira Lipkin,Barbara Krasnoff,Patricia Russo,Camille Alexa,Marie Brennan,Nicole Kornher-Stace,Yukimi Ogawa,Corinne Duyvis) 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  Clockwork Phoenix 5(By: Alex Dally MacFarlane,A.C. Wise,Mike Allen,Keffy R.M. Kehrli,Rich Larson,Cassandra Khaw,C.S.E. Cooney,Carlos Hernandez,Benjanun Sriduangkaew,Sonya Taaffe,Beth Cato,Barbara Krasnoff,Patricia Russo,Gray Rinehart,Marie Brennan,Sam Fleming,Shveta Thakrar,Holly Heisey,Jason Kimble,Rachael L. Jones,Rob Cameron,Sunil Patel) 2016Buy 🇺🇸 |
Fairyland Series
Complete7 books (2011–2016)
Start with The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, the first of 7 books in the Fairyland series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 | The Girl Who Ruled Fairyland - For a Little While 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 | The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 | The Girl Who Soared Over Fairyland and Cut the Moon in Two 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 | The Boy Who Lost Fairyland 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 | The Beasts Who Fought for Fairyland Until the Very End and Further Still 2016Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 | The Girl Who Raced Fairyland All the Way Home 2016Buy 🇺🇸 |
Leningrad Diptych Series
Complete1 book (2011–2011)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Deathless 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
Mass Effect: Andromeda Series
Complete3 books (2017–2018)
Start with Initiation(By: N.K. Jemisin,Mac Walters) and read in order.
Minecraft Series
Ongoing26 books (2017–2026)
Start with The Island(By: Max Brooks), the first of 26 books in the Minecraft series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Island(By: Max Brooks) 2017Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  The Crash(By: Tracey Baptiste) 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 | The End 2019Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 | The Lost Journals(By: Mur Lafferty) 2019Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 | The Rise of the Arch-Illager(By: Matt Forbeck) 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  The Shipwreck(By: C.B. Lee) 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 | The Voyage(By: Jason Fry) 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  Mob Squad(By: Delilah S. Dawson) 2021Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 | The Dragon(By: Nicky Drayden) 2021Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 | The Haven Trials(By: Suyi Davies) 2021Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 | The Mountain(By: Max Brooks) 2021Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 | Castle Redstone(By: Sarwat Chadda) 2022Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 | Don't Fear the Creeper(By: Delilah S. Dawson) 2022Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 |  Never Say Nether(By: Delilah S. Dawson) 2022Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 | Zombies!(By: Nick Eliopulos) 2022Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 16 | Minecraft: The Outsider(By: Danica Davidson) 2023Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 17 | Return of the Piglins(By: Matt Forbeck) 2023Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 18 | The Village(By: Max Brooks) 2023Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 19 | Zombies Return!(By: Nick Eliopulos) 2023Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 20 | Minecraft: Journey to the Ancient City(By: Danny Lore) 2024Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 21 | Minecraft: The Tournament(By: DaVaun Sanders) 2024Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 22 | Minecraft: Zombies Unleashed!(By: Nick Eliopulos) 2024Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 23 | Minecraft: House of Horrors(By: Angel Luis Colón) 2025Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 24 | Minecraft: One Last Quest(By: Brandon Hoàng) 2025Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 25 | Minecraft: Adventure School(By: Monica Sanz) 2026Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 26 | Minecraft: Battle of the Block(By: Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow) 2026Buy 🇺🇸 |
Short Stories/Novellas Series
Likely Complete9 books (2008–2022)
Start with A Buyer's Guide to Maps of Antarctica, the first of 9 books in the Short Stories/Novellas series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  A Buyer's Guide to Maps of Antarctica 2008Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  Under in the Mere 2009Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  Silently and Very Fast 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  Fade to White 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  Speak Easy 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  Comfort Me With Apples 2021Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 | L'Espirit de L'Escalier 2021Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 | The Sin of America 2021Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  The Difference Between Love and Time 2022Buy 🇺🇸 |
Short Story Collections Series
Complete12 books (2005–2018)
Start with Apocrypha, the first of 12 books in the Short Story Collections series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  Apocrypha 2005Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  Oracles 2005Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  A Guide to Folktales in Fragile Dialects 2008Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 | This Is My Letter To The World 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 | Ventriloquism 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 | Myths of Origin 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 | Six-Gun Snow White 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 | The Bread We Eat in Dreams 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 | The Melancholy of Mechagirl 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 | Indistinguishable from Magic 2014Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 | The Refrigerator Monologues 2017Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 | The Future is Blue 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
Space Opera Series
Ongoing2 books (2018–2024)
Start with Space Opera and read in order.
Standalone Novels Series
Likely Complete6 books (2006–2021)
Start with The Grass Cutting Sword, the first of 6 books in the Standalone Novels series.
The Orphan's Tales Series
Complete2 books (2006–2007)
Start with In the Night Garden and read in order.
The WisCon Chronicles Series
Complete8 books (2008–2017)
Start with The WisCon Chronicles, Vol. 2, the first of 8 books in the The WisCon Chronicles series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The WisCon Chronicles, Vol. 2 2008Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  The Wiscon Chronicles, Vol.3: Carnival of Feminist SF(By: Yoon Ha Lee) 2009Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  The WisCon Chronicles, Volume 4(By: Sylvia Kelso) 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  The Wiscon Chronicles Volume 5(By: Nisi Shawl) 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  The WisCon Chronicles Vol. 6: Futures of Feminism and Fandom(By: Alexis Lothian) 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  The Wiscon Chronicles Vol 7: Shattering Ableist Narratives(By: JoSelle Vanderhooft) 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 | The WisCon Chronicles, Vol.9(By: Mary Anne Mohanraj) 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 | The WisCon Chronicles 11(By: Nisi Shawl,Jaymee Goh) 2017Buy 🇺🇸 |
The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror Series
Ongoing15 books (2010–2024)
Start with The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, 2010 Edition, the first of 15 books in the The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, 2010 Edition 2010Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 | The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, 2011 Edition 2011Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 | The Year's Best Dark Fantasy and Horror, 2012 Edition 2012Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 | The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, 2013 Edition 2013Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, 2014 Edition 2014Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, 2015 Edition 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 | The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, 2016 Edition 2016Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 | The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, 2017 Edition 2017Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 | The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, 2018 Edition 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 | The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, 2019 Edition 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 | The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, Volume 1 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 | The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, Volume 2 2021Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 | The Year's Best Dark Fantasy and Horror, Volume 3 2022Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 | The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, Volume 4 2023Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 | The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror, Volume 5 2024Buy 🇺🇸 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has Catherynne M. Valente written?
- Catherynne M. Valente has written 189 books across 16 series. Their published works span from 2001 to 2026.
- What is the first book in each Catherynne M. Valente series?
- Here are the first books in Catherynne M. Valente's series: A Dirge for Prester John: The Habitation of the Blessed; Anthologies: Tails of Wonder and Imagination; Best Horror of the Year: The Best Horror of the Year: Volume One; Children's: Smoky and the Feast of Mabon; Clockwork Phoenix: Clockwork Phoenix.
- What order should I read Catherynne M. Valente's books?
- We recommend reading Catherynne M. Valente's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Is Catherynne M. Valente still writing new books?
- Yes, Catherynne M. Valente has 4 ongoing series: Best Horror of the Year, Minecraft, Space Opera, The Year's Best Dark Fantasy & Horror.