Hugh Howey Reading Order

22 books (2012–2020)

Hugh Howey's Anthologies series comprises 22 collections published between 2012 and 2020, with each entry available as a standalone anthology. The series spans science fiction, young adult, and non-fiction works and should be read in publication order to follow the progression of themed collections. This complete series features stories from multiple authors and covers diverse topics ranging from apocalyptic visions to science fiction and speculative themes.

Start with The End: Visions of Apocalypse, the first of 22 books in the Anthologies series.

#	Title
1	The End: Visions of Apocalypse 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Lightspeed Magazine, Issue 35, April 2013 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Love and Other Distractions 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Geek's Guide to the Galaxy #82-84 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Dead Man's Hand 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	From the Indie Side 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Futuredaze 2: Reprise 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Robot Uprisings 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Stories on the Go: 101 Very Short Stories by 101 Authors 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	The End is Nigh 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	The End is Now 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Lightspeed Magazine, December 2015 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Love Hurts 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	The Alien Chronicles 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	The Alien Chronicles 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	The End Has Come 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	Visions of the Future 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	Lightspeed Magazine, May 2016 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	A People's Future of the United States: Speculative Fiction from 25 Extraordinary Writers 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	Burn the Ashes 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	Ignorance Is Strength 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	Or Else the Light 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

5 books (2015–2015)

The Beacon 23 series by Hugh Howey consists of five science fiction novellas published as Kindle Singles in 2015. This complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with Bounty and continuing through Company, Little Noises, Pet Rocks, and Visitor. Each installment expands the world and narrative established in the opening novella.

Start with Bounty, the first of 5 books in the Beacon 23 (Kindle Singles) series.

4 books (2009–2010)

Hugh Howey's Bern Saga is a completed science fiction series consisting of four books published between 2009 and 2010. The series follows Molly Fyde across Molly Fyde and the Parsona Rescue, Molly Fyde and the Blood of Billions, Molly Fyde and the Fight for Peace, and Molly Fyde and the Land of Light, and should be read in publication order. This young adult science fiction series is finished, so readers can experience the complete story arc without waiting for future releases.

Start with Molly Fyde and the Parsona Rescue, the first of 4 books in the Bern Saga series.

#	Title
1	Molly Fyde and the Parsona Rescue 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Molly Fyde and the Blood of Billions 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Molly Fyde and the Fight for Peace 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Molly Fyde and the Land of Light 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

4 books (2014–2023)

Hugh Howey's Children's series comprises four science fiction and young adult books published between 2014 and 2023, with the series likely complete. The books should be read in publication order, beginning with Misty: The Proud Cloud and continuing through Misty the Proud Cloud, Ten 'Lil Cannibals, and Wanda Jane Rainer Monster Tamer. This collection blends speculative fiction with coming-of-age themes across its installments.

Start with Misty: The Proud Cloud, the first of 4 books in the Children's series.

#	Title
1	Misty: The Proud Cloud 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Misty the Proud Cloud 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Ten 'Lil Cannibals 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Wanda Jane Rainer Monster Tamer 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (2023–2023)

Hugh Howey's Dear Apocalypse duology consists of two science fiction novels published in 2023. The series should be read in publication order, beginning with Death to Anyone Who Reads This followed by The Balloon Hunter. The series appears to be complete.

Start with Death to Anyone Who Reads This and read in order.

1 book (2013–2013)

1 book (2022–2022)

5 books (2013–2014)

The Sand series by Hugh Howey comprises five science fiction novels published between 2013 and 2014. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with Out of No Man's Land and continuing through Return to Danvar, The Belt of the Buried Gods, Thunder Due East, and concluding with A Rap Upon Heaven's Gate.

Start with Out of No Man's Land, the first of 5 books in the Sand series.

#	Title
1	Out of No Man's Land 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Return to Danvar 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Belt of the Buried Gods 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Thunder Due East 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	A Rap Upon Heaven's Gate 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

6 books (2011–2015)

Hugh Howey's Short Stories/Novellas series contains six science fiction works published between 2011 and 2015. The complete collection consists of The Plagiarist, The Walk Up Nameless Ridge, Glitch, Promises of London, Second Suicide, and The Box, which should be read in publication order. This finished series showcases Howey's versatility across speculative fiction and thought-provoking shorter narratives.

Start with The Plagiarist, the first of 6 books in the Short Stories/Novellas series.

#	Title
1	The Plagiarist 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Walk Up Nameless Ridge 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Glitch 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Promises of London 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Second Suicide 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Box 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (2017–2026)

#	Title
1	Machine Learning 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Inheritors 2026Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

5 books (2010–2015)

Hugh Howey's five standalone novels, published between 2010 and 2015, offer diverse science fiction and young adult stories that can be enjoyed in any order but are best read in publication sequence: Half Way Home, The Hurricane, I, Zombie, The Shell Collector, and Beacon 23. The series is complete and each novel stands independently with its own narrative and characters.

Start with Half Way Home, the first of 5 books in the Standalone Novels series.

#	Title
1	Half Way Home 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Hurricane 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	I, Zombie 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Shell Collector 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Beacon 23 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (2020–2020)

Hugh Howey's complete Dystopia Triptych consists of three science fiction novels published in 2020, featuring interconnected stories set in darkly imagined futures. The trilogy should be read in publication order, beginning with Burn the Ashes, followed by Ignorance Is Strength, and concluding with Or Else the Light. This finished series blends young adult and speculative fiction elements to explore themes relevant to contemporary dystopian narratives.

Start with Burn the Ashes and read in order.

24 books (2015–2023)

The Future Chronicles is a science fiction anthology series comprising 22 books published between 2015 and 2023, likely complete. Each installment focuses on a different thematic chronicle—from alternate history and artificial intelligence to cyborgs, dragons, time travel, and immortality—with each book featuring multiple authors contributing interconnected stories. Reading in publication order beginning with Alt.History 101 provides the intended experience of exploring diverse speculative futures across the full collection.

Start with Alt.History 101(By: Samuel Peralta,Ann Christy,Sam Best), the first of 22 books in the The Future Chronicles series.

2 books (2014–2022)

The Sand Chronicles is a two-book science fiction series by Hugh Howey published over eight years, beginning in 2014 and concluding in 2022. Both books should be read in publication order, starting with Sand followed by Across the Sand. The series appears to be complete based on the gap since the final release.

Start with Sand and read in order.

#	Title
1	Sand 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Across the Sand 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

8 books (2015–2016)

The Wayfinding Non-Fiction series comprises eight complete non-fiction books by Hugh Howey, published between 2015 and 2016. Each installment explores paired concepts ranging from consciousness and fitness to cultural and environmental themes. The series should be read in publication order, beginning with Consciousness and Subconsciousness and concluding with In-Grouping and Out-Grouping.

Start with Consciousness and Subconsciousness, the first of 8 books in the Wayfinding Non-Fiction series.

3 books (2011–2013)

The Wool series is a complete science fiction trilogy by Hugh Howey consisting of three books published between 2011 and 2013. Readers should begin with Wool and proceed through the series in publication order: Wool, Dust, and Shift. Each installment builds on the previous narrative, making sequential reading essential to understanding the full story arc.

Start with Wool and read in order.

#	Title
1	Wool 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Dust 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Shift 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

6 books (2013–2014)

The World of Kurt Vonnegut is a six-book science fiction series published between 2013 and 2014, now complete. Each installment was written by a different author and should be read in publication order beginning with The Bell Curse by Kevin G. Summers. The series concludes with Peace in Amber and includes contributions from Reed Farrel Coleman, Seth Harwood, and Peter Cawdron among its collaborative roster.

Start with The Bell Curse(By: Kevin G. Summers), the first of 6 books in the World Of Kurt Vonnegut series.

#	Title
1	The Bell Curse(By: Kevin G. Summers) 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The World of Kurt Vonnegut(By: Reed Farrel Coleman) 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	As Much Protein as an Egg(By: Seth Harwood) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Children's Crusade(By: Peter Cawdron) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Newt and Zinka's Wild, Wild Week OR How the K.G.B. Got Ice-Nine(By: Seth Harwood) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Peace in Amber 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible