Douglas Adams Reading Order
8 series · 298 books · Born 1952
Douglas Adams was a Cambridge-born writer best known for creating The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, a comedic science fiction phenomenon that spanned multiple media formats. Beyond his iconic space opera, Adams wrote detective fiction featuring the eccentric investigator Dirk Gently and contributed numerous Doctor Who novelizations that expanded the beloved series' universe. His prolific career blended absurdist humor with genuine scientific curiosity, establishing him as a master of witty, conceptually inventive science fiction before his death in 2001.
Anthologies Series
Complete4 books (1986–2013)
Start with The Utterly Utterly Merry Comic Relief Christmas Book, the first of 4 books in the Anthologies series.
Start this series with The Utterly Utterly Merry Comic Relief Christmas Book
Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
Dirk Gently Series
Complete3 books (1987–2002)
Start with Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency and read in order.
Start this series with Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency
Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
Doctor Who Novelizations Series
Ongoing174 books (1964–2026)
Start with Doctor Who and the Daleks / Doctor Who in an Exciting Adventure with the Daleks(By: David Whitaker), the first of 174 books in the Doctor Who Novelizations series.
Start this series with Doctor Who and the Daleks / Doctor Who in an Exciting Adventure with the Daleks(By: David Whitaker)
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Doctor Who: Eighth Doctor Adventures Series
Complete79 books (1996–2016)
Start with Who Killed Kennedy(By: David Bishop,James Stevens), the first of 79 books in the Doctor Who: Eighth Doctor Adventures series.
Start this series with Who Killed Kennedy(By: David Bishop,James Stevens)
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Doctor Who: Target Collection Series
Ongoing22 books (2012–2024)
Start with Paradise Towers(By: Stephen Wyatt), the first of 22 books in the Doctor Who: Target Collection series.
Start this series with Paradise Towers(By: Stephen Wyatt)
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Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Series
Complete10 books (1979–2018)
Start with The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, the first of 10 books in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy series.
Start this series with The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
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Non-Fiction Series
Likely Complete5 books (1981–2023)
Start with Not 1982, the first of 5 books in the Non-Fiction series.
Start this series with Not 1982
Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
Standalone Novels Series
Complete1 book (1997–1997)
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has Douglas Adams written?
- Douglas Adams has written 298 books across 8 series. Their published works span from 1964 to 2026.
- What is the first book in each Douglas Adams series?
- Here are the first books in Douglas Adams's series: Anthologies: The Utterly Utterly Merry Comic Relief Christmas Book; Dirk Gently: Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency; Doctor Who Novelizations: Doctor Who and the Daleks / Doctor Who in an Exciting Adventure with the Daleks(By: David Whitaker); Doctor Who: Eighth Doctor Adventures: Who Killed Kennedy(By: David Bishop,James Stevens); Doctor Who: Target Collection: Paradise Towers(By: Stephen Wyatt).
- What order should I read Douglas Adams's books?
- We recommend reading Douglas Adams's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Is Douglas Adams still writing new books?
- Yes, Douglas Adams has 2 ongoing series: Doctor Who Novelizations, Doctor Who: Target Collection.