James Blish Reading Order

4 books (1958–1971)

James Blish's After Such Knowledge is a four-book science fiction series published between 1958 and 1971. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with A Case of Conscience and concluding with The Day After Judgment. These standalone novels are connected thematically rather than through continuous narrative, exploring philosophical and theological questions within speculative fiction frameworks.

Start with A Case of Conscience, the first of 4 books in the After Such Knowledge series.

#	Title
1	A Case of Conscience 1958Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Doctor Mirabilis 1964Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Black Easter 1968Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Day After Judgment 1971Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

18 books (1954–2018)

James Blish curated this collection of 18 science fiction anthologies published between 1954 and 2018, showcasing diverse short fiction from the genre's most creative voices. The series spans from early works like 6 Great Short Novels of Science Fiction through later compilations such as Tales of Science Fiction, offering readers a comprehensive survey of science fiction storytelling across decades. These volumes should be read in publication order to experience the evolving landscape of the genre as Blish selected it. The complete series represents a finished project that provides both entertainment and insight into the development of science fiction literature.

Start with 6 Great Short Novels of Science Fiction, the first of 18 books in the Anthologies series.

#	Title
1	6 Great Short Novels of Science Fiction 1954Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Novelets of Science Fiction 1963Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Worlds to Come: New Science Fiction Adventures 1967Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Backdrop of Stars 1968Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Science Against Man 1970Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Ten Tomorrows 1973Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Bug-Eyed Monsters 1974Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Antigrav 1975Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Human Machines: An Anthology of Stories about Cyborgs 1975Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Beyond Tomorrow 1976Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	The Late Great Future 1976Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Get Out of My Sky 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	The Arbor House Treasury of Modern Science Fiction / Great Science Fiction of the 20th Century 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Supermen 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Tales of Science Fiction 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	The Mammoth Book of Mindblowing SF 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	Science Fiction Gems, Volume Two 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	The Golden Age of Science Fiction - Volume X 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

4 books (1956–1962)

James Blish's complete Cities in Flight series consists of four science fiction novels published between 1956 and 1962. The books should be read in publication order, beginning with Earthman, Come Home, followed by They Shall Have Stars (also titled Year 2018!), The Triumph of Time (also titled A Clash of Cymbals), and concluding with A Life for the Stars. This action-adventure space opera explores humanity's expansion across the cosmos through interconnected stories spanning centuries.

Start with Earthman, Come Home, the first of 4 books in the Cities in Flight series.

#	Title
1	Earthman, Come Home 1956Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	They Shall Have Stars / Year 2018! 1956Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Triumph of Time / A Clash of Cymbals 1958Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	A Life for the Stars 1962Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

5 books (1961–1973)

The Haertel Scholium is a complete science fiction series by James Blish consisting of five books published between 1961 and 1973. The novels should be read in publication order, beginning with So Close to Home and continuing through Welcome to Mars, Anywhen, Midsummer Century, and concluding with The Quincunx of Time. This series blends science fiction with action and adventure elements across its interconnected narratives.

Start with So Close to Home, the first of 5 books in the Haertel Scholium series.

#	Title
1	So Close to Home 1961Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Welcome to Mars 1967Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Anywhen 1970Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Midsummer Century 1972Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Quincunx of Time 1973Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (1961–1965)

James Blish's Heart Stars series consists of two science fiction novels published between 1961 and 1965. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with The Star Dwellers followed by Mission to the Heart Stars. This adventure-driven science fiction series offers a self-contained story across its two installments.

Start with The Star Dwellers and read in order.

#	Title
1	The Star Dwellers 1961Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Mission to the Heart Stars 1965Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (1964–1987)

James Blish's three-book essay collection spans from 1964 to 1987 and should be read in publication order. The series begins with The Issue at Hand, originally published under the pseudonym William Atheling Jr., followed by More Issues at Hand under the same name, and concludes with The Tale That Wags the God. This complete series offers Blish's critical perspectives on science fiction and related topics across more than two decades.

Start with The Issue at Hand(As: William Atheling Jr.) and read in order.

#	Title
1	The Issue at Hand(As: William Atheling Jr.) 1964Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	More Issues At Hand(As: William Atheling Jr.) 1970Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Tale That Wags the God 1987Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (1954–1955)

James Blish's two-book collection of science fiction short stories and novellas spans from 1954 to 1955. The series is complete and should be read in publication order, beginning with The Thing in the Attic followed by One-Shot. These early works showcase Blish's venture into action-driven speculative fiction alongside his broader career in the genre.

Start with The Thing in the Attic and read in order.

#	Title
1	The Thing in the Attic 1954Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	One-Shot 1955Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

12 books (1957–2009)

James Blish's short story collections span five decades, with twelve volumes published between 1957 and 2009. These science fiction collections should be read in publication order, beginning with The Seedling Stars and concluding with Flights of Eagles. The series is complete and represents a comprehensive survey of Blish's shorter fiction across his prolific career.

Start with The Seedling Stars, the first of 12 books in the Short Story Collections series.

#	Title
1	The Seedling Stars 1957Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Galactic Cluster 1959Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Best Science Fiction Stories Of James Blish 1965Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Testament of Andros 1965Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Best of James Blish 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Get Out Of My Sky and There Shall be No Darkness 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	A Work of Art and Other Stories 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Works of Art 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	With All of Love 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	A Dusk of Idols, and Other Stories 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	In This World, or Another 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Flights of Eagles 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

11 books (1952–1971)

James Blish's standalone science fiction novels span from 1952 to 1971, comprising eleven complete works that can be read in publication order beginning with Jack of Eagles. Each novel stands independently without requiring knowledge of the others, making them accessible entry points into Blish's science fiction vision across nearly two decades of his career. The series encompasses action-driven narratives across his diverse explorations of speculative concepts within the science fiction and adventure genres.

Start with Jack of Eagles, the first of 11 books in the Standalone Novels series.

#	Title
1	Jack of Eagles 1952Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Warriors of Day 1953Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Frozen Year / Fallen Star 1957Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Vor 1958Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The duplicated man 1959Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Titan's Daughter 1961Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Night Shapes 1962Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	A Torrent of Faces 1967Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Giants in the Earth 1968Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	The Vanished Jet 1968Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	And All the Stars a Stage 1971Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

17 books (1970–1981)

The Star Trek Adventures series comprises 17 novels published between 1970 and 1981, featuring various authors writing original stories set in the Star Trek universe. The series is complete and should be read in publication order, beginning with Spock Must Die! The collection includes works by James Blish alongside contributions from other science fiction writers such as Joe Haldeman, Sondra Marshak, and Myrna Culbreath, offering a diverse range of adventures spanning the original series era.

Start with Spock Must Die!, the first of 17 books in the Star Trek Adventures series.

#	Title
1	Spock Must Die! 1970Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Spock, Messiah!(By: Theodore R. Cogswell) 1976Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Star Trek: The New Voyages(By: Eleanor Arnason,Sondra Marshak,Myrna Culbreath) 1976Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Planet of Judgment(By: Joe Haldeman) 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Star Trek 12(By: J.A. Lawrence) 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Star Trek: The New Voyages 2(By: Sondra Marshak,Myrna Culbreath) 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Price of the Phoenix(By: Sondra Marshak,Myrna Culbreath) 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Mudd's Angels(By: J.A. Lawrence) 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	The Starless World(By: Gordon Eklund) 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Vulcan!(By: Kathleen Sky) 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Devil World(By: Gordon Eklund) 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	The Fate of the Phoenix(By: Sondra Marshak,Myrna Culbreath) 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Trek to Madworld(By: Stephen Goldin) 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	World Without End(By: Joe Haldeman) 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Perry's Planet(By: Jack C. Haldeman II) 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	The Galactic Whirlpool(By: David Gerrold) 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	Death's Angel(By: Kathleen Sky) 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

1 book (2024–2024)

12 books (1967–1977)

James Blish's Star Trek: TOS Adaptations is a complete 12-book series of science fiction novelizations published between 1967 and 1977. These adaptations should be read in publication order, starting with Star Trek 1 and continuing through Star Trek 12. The series captures the adventures of the original television show in prose form, offering fans an alternative way to experience classic Trek stories.

Start with Star Trek 1, the first of 12 books in the Star Trek: TOS Adaptations series.

#	Title
1	Star Trek 1 1967Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Star Trek 2 1968Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Star Trek 3 1969Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Star Trek 4 1971Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Star Trek 5 1972Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Star Trek 6 1972Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Star Trek 7 1972Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Star Trek 8 1972Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Star Trek 9 1973Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Star Trek 10 1974Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Star Trek 11 1975Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Star Trek 12 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (1991–1991)

James Blish's Star Trek: The Classic Episodes is a three-volume complete series published in 1991, presenting adaptations of the original television series. The books should be read in publication order, beginning with Volume 1 and progressing through Volume 3, as they organize the classic Star Trek episodes in a structured narrative format.

Start with Star Trek: The Classic Episodes, Volume 1 and read in order.

#	Title
1	Star Trek: The Classic Episodes, Volume 1 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Star Trek: The Classic Episodes, Volume 2 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Star Trek: The Classic Episodes, Volume 3 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (2016–2018)

The Golden Age of Science Fiction is a three-volume anthology series published between 2016 and 2018, now complete. These compilations feature classic science fiction stories from the genre's mid-twentieth century period, with contributions from legendary authors including Robert Sheckley, Poul Anderson, Clifford D. Simak, Fritz Leiber, and Harry Harrison. Read the volumes in publication order, beginning with Volume VI.

Start with The Golden Age of Science Fiction - Volume VI(By: Robert Sheckley) and read in order.

4 books (1976–1978)

James Blish's Star Trek Reader series comprises four science fiction collections published between 1976 and 1978, presenting adapted stories from the original Star Trek universe. The series is complete and should be read in publication order, beginning with The Star Trek Reader I and progressing through volumes II, III, and IV. Each volume collects previously published material adapted for the reading audience, making this an essential set for fans of classic Star Trek fiction.

Start with The Star Trek Reader I, the first of 4 books in the The Star Trek Reader series.

#	Title
1	The Star Trek Reader I 1976Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Star Trek Reader II 1976Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Star Trek Reader III 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Star Trek Reader IV 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible