Reading Order List โ€” Book Series Reading Order Guide
Dan Simmons

Dan Simmons Reading Order

10 series ยท 57 books ยท Born 1948-04-04

Dan Simmons is an American writer known for blending science fiction, horror, and fantasy into ambitious, genre-defying narratives. His most celebrated works include the epic Hyperion Cantos series and the interconnected Ilium/Olympos cycle, which showcase his ability to weave complex plots across multiple worlds and timescales. Beyond speculative fiction, Simmons has also crafted mystery thrillers featuring the recurring character Joe Kurtz, demonstrating versatility across more than fifty books published since the mid-1980s.

Anthologies Series

Complete

17 books (1985โ€“2018)

Start with The Third Omni Book of Science Fiction, the first of 17 books in the Anthologies series.

Start this series with The Third Omni Book of Science Fiction

Buy Book 1 ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐ŸŽง Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
Cover of The Third Omni Book of Science Fiction
The Third Omni Book of Science Fiction
2
Cover of The Orbit Science Fiction Yearbook 1
The Orbit Science Fiction Yearbook 1
3
The Year's Best Fantasy: Second Annual Collection
4
5
Cover of Omni Best Science Fiction Two
Omni Best Science Fiction Two
6
7
8
Cover of Seventh Annual Collection
Seventh Annual Collection
9
10
Cover of The Mammoth Book of Best New SF 15
The Mammoth Book of Best New SF 15
11
Cover of The Space Opera Renaissance
The Space Opera Renaissance
12
13
Songs of the Dying Earth: Stories in Honour of Jack Vance
14
Darkness: Two Decades of Modern Horror
15
16
Parallร xis: A twist in the mind
17

Fifth Heart Series

Complete

1 book (2015โ€“2015)

Hyperion Cantos Series

Complete

5 books (1989โ€“1999)

Start with Hyperion, the first of 5 books in the Hyperion Cantos series.

Ilium Series

Complete

2 books (2003โ€“2005)

Start with Ilium and read in order.

Joe Kurtz Series

Complete

3 books (2001โ€“2003)

Start with Hardcase and read in order.

Non-Fiction Series

Complete

1 book (1991โ€“1991)

#Title
1
Going After the Rubber Chicken

Short Stories/Novellas Series

Complete

7 books (1988โ€“2012)

Start with Metastasis, the first of 7 books in the Short Stories/Novellas series.

#Title
1
2
Two Minutes Forty-Five Seconds
3
4
Cover of Entropy's Bed at Midnight
Entropy's Bed at Midnight
5
Cover of This Year's Class Picture
This Year's Class Picture
6
7
Cover of The Guiding Nose of Ulfant Banderoz
The Guiding Nose of Ulfant Banderoz

Short Story Collections Series

Complete

4 books (1990โ€“2002)

Start with Prayers to Broken Stones, the first of 4 books in the Short Story Collections series.

Start this series with Prayers to Broken Stones

Buy Book 1 ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐ŸŽง Listen free on Audible

Standalone Novels Series

Complete

14 books (1985โ€“2020)

Start with Song of Kali, the first of 14 books in the Standalone Novels series.

Summer Of Night/Seasons Of Horror Series

Complete

3 books (1991โ€“2002)

Start with Summer of Night and read in order.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Dan Simmons written?
Dan Simmons has written 57 books across 10 series. Their published works span from 1985 to 2020.
What is the first book in each Dan Simmons series?
Here are the first books in Dan Simmons's series: Anthologies: The Third Omni Book of Science Fiction; Hyperion Cantos: Hyperion; Ilium: Ilium; Joe Kurtz: Hardcase; Short Stories/Novellas: Metastasis.
What order should I read Dan Simmons's books?
We recommend reading Dan Simmons's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
Are Dan Simmons's series complete?
Dan Simmons has 10 completed series.

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