Martha Wells Reading Order

15 books (2006–2026)

Martha Wells has contributed stories to 10 different anthologies published between 2006 and 2025, with the series currently ongoing. These collections span multiple genres including fantasy, mystery, and science fiction, with titles ranging from Doctor Who tributes to Lovecraft-inspired works and original fantasy settings. Readers should follow the anthologies in publication order, beginning with Elemental: The Tsunami Relief Anthology and continuing through the most recent releases. Each anthology can be read independently, but following the publication sequence offers a chronological view of Wells's short fiction contributions.

Start with Elemental: The Tsunami Relief Anthology, the first of 10 books in the Anthologies series.

#	Title
1	Elemental: The Tsunami Relief Anthology 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Chicks Unravel Time: Women Journey Through Every Season of Doctor Who 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Tales of the Emerald Serpent: Ghosts of Taux 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Other Half of the Sky 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	A Knight in the Silk Purse: Ghosts of Taux 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Gods of HP Lovecraft 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Mech 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Nebula Awards Showcase 2019 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Tor.com Publishing Editorial Spotlight #2: A Selection of Novellas 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Take Us to a Better Place 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Machina 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Nebula Awards Showcase 56 2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Storyteller: A Tanith Lee Tribute Anthology 2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	The Best Science Fiction of the Year: 2025 2026Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

6 books (2011–2017)

Martha Wells' Books of the Raksura is a six-book fantasy series published between 2011 and 2017, now complete. The sequence should be read in publication order, beginning with The Cloud Roads and continuing through The Serpent Sea, The Siren Depths, The Tale of Indigo and Cloud, The Edge of Worlds, and concluding with The Harbors of the Sun. This series follows the adventures of the Raksura, a shapeshifting species, as they navigate complex political dynamics and face various threats across their world.

Start with The Cloud Roads, the first of 6 books in the Books Of The Raksura series.

#	Title
1	The Cloud Roads 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Serpent Sea 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Siren Depths 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Tale of Indigo and Cloud 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Edge of Worlds 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Harbors of the Sun 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (2013–2014)

Martha Wells' Emilie series consists of two fantasy mysteries published in 2013 and 2014. The complete duology follows its characters through interconnected adventures and should be read in publication order, beginning with Emilie and the Hollow World. This brief series combines elements of fantasy worldbuilding with mystery-driven narratives.

Start with Emilie and the Hollow World and read in order.

#	Title
1	Emilie and the Hollow World 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Emilie and the Sky World 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (2003–2005)

Martha Wells' Fall of Ile-Rien is a complete fantasy series comprising three books published between 2003 and 2005. The trilogy should be read in publication order, beginning with The Wizard Hunters, followed by The Ships of Air, and concluding with The Gate of Gods. This series blends fantasy with mystery and thriller elements throughout its narrative arc.

Start with The Wizard Hunters and read in order.

#	Title
1	The Wizard Hunters 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Ships of Air 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Gate of Gods 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (2013–2020)

The Feral Astrogators is a three-book science fiction series by Martha Wells, published between 2013 and 2020. The series is complete and should be read in publication order, beginning with The Other Half of the Sky. Each installment features contributions from multiple authors working within the shared universe Wells created.

Start with The Other Half of the Sky and read in order.

#	Title
1	The Other Half of the Sky 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	To Shape the Dark(By: Aliette de Bodard,Gwyneth Jones,Jack McDevitt,Terry Boren,Vandana Singh,Melissa Scott,Shariann Lewitt,Anil Menon,Athena Andreadis,Kiini Ibura Salaam,Jacqueline Koyanagi,Eleni Tsami,Kristin Landon,Susan Lanigan,M. Fenn,Constance Cooper,C.W. Johnson) 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Retellings of the Inland Seas(By: Judith Tarr,Alexander Jablokov,James L. Cambias,Melissa Scott,Shariann Lewitt,Athena Andreadis,Elana Gomel,Christine Lucas,Eleni Tsami,Kelly Jennings,Dimitra Nikolaidou,Genevieve Williams,A.M. Tuomala,F.J. Doucet) 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (1993–1998)

Martha Wells's Ile-Rien series consists of two fantasy novels published between 1993 and 1998. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with The Element of Fire followed by The Death of the Necromancer. Both books blend fantasy with mystery and thriller elements.

Start with The Element of Fire and read in order.

#	Title
1	The Element of Fire 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Death of the Necromancer 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

12 books (2017–2026)

The Murderbot Diaries is an ongoing science fiction series by Martha Wells comprising 12 books published between 2017 and 2026. Readers should begin with All Systems Red and proceed in publication order through the series. The books follow a self-aware security android navigating complex relationships and dangerous situations across a futuristic universe, blending mystery and speculative fiction elements throughout the narrative arc.

Start with All Systems Red, the first of 12 books in the Murderbot Diaries series.

#	Title
1	All Systems Red 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Artificial Condition 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Compulsory 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Exit Strategy 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Obsolescence 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Rogue Protocol 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Network Effect 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Fugitive Telemetry 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	System Collapse 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Rapport 2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Platform Decay 2026Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

4 books (1995–2026)

Martha Wells has completed a trilogy of fantasy and mystery-thriller short stories and novellas published across an eleven-year span from 1995 to 2006. The three entries—Thorns, Bad Medicine, and Wolf Night—should be read in publication order to fully appreciate the series. This finished collection offers standalone stories within the fantasy and thriller genres.

Start with Thorns and read in order.

1 book (2015–2015)

3 books (1995–2014)

Martha Wells has written three standalone fantasy novels across two decades, beginning with City of Bones in 1995 and concluding with Blade Singer in 2014, co-authored with Aaron de Orive. Each book stands alone and can be read independently, though reading them in publication order allows you to follow the evolution of Wells' storytelling across her fantasy and mystery-influenced work. The series is complete and finished.

Start with City of Bones and read in order.

#	Title
1	City of Bones 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Wheel of the Infinite 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Blade Singer(With: Aaron de Orive) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (2013–2014)

This complete two-book Star Wars series by Martha Wells spans 2013 to 2014 and should be read in publication order beginning with Razor's Edge. The second installment, Honor Among Thieves, was co-written by James S.A. Corey. These tied-in novels explore themes of espionage and loyalty within the Star Wars expanded universe.

Start with Razor's Edge and read in order.

#	Title
1	Razor's Edge 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Honor Among Thieves(By: James S.A. Corey) 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

26 books (2005–2020)

The Stargate Atlantis novel series consists of 25 books published between 2005 and 2020, written by various authors including Martha Wells, Sally Malcolm, James Swallow, Sonny Whitelaw, and others. The series is complete and should be read in publication order, beginning with Flipside. These novels expand the Stargate Atlantis universe with interconnected stories that build across the full arc of the collection.

Start with Flipside(By: Sally Malcolm), the first of 25 books in the Stargate Atlantis series.

#	Title
1	Flipside(By: Sally Malcolm) 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Rising(By: Sally Malcolm) 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Choices(By: James Swallow) 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Exogenesis(By: Sonny Whitelaw,ElizabethChristensen) 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Halcyon(By: James Swallow) 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Reliquary 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Chosen(By: Sonny Whitelaw,Elizabeth Christensen) 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Blood Ties(By: Sonny Whitelaw,Elizabeth Christensen) 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Casualties of War(By: Elizabeth Christensen) 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Entanglement 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Angelus(By: Peter J. Evans) 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Mirror, Mirror(By: Sabine C. Bauer) 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Nightfall(By: James Swallow) 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Brimstone(By: David Niall Wilson,Patricia Lee Macomber) 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Brimstone(By: Patricia Lee Macomber) 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	Dead End(By: Chris Wraight) 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	Hunt and Run(By: Aaron Rosenberg) 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	Allegiance(By: Melissa Scott,Amy Griswold) 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	Death Game(By: Jo Graham) 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	Homecoming(By: Melissa Scott,Jo Graham) 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	The Lost(By: Amy Griswold,Jo Graham) 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	Secrets(By: Melissa Scott,Jo Graham) 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	The Furies(By: Jo Graham) 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24	Inheritors(By: Melissa Scott,Amy Griswold,Jo Graham) 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25	Pride of the Genii(By: Melissa Scott) 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
26	Unascended(By: Jo Graham) 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (2014–2017)

The Stories of the Raksura by Martha Wells consists of two fantasy novels published between 2014 and 2017, presenting the series as complete. These books should be read in publication order, beginning with The Falling World & The Tale of Indigo and Cloud, followed by The Dead City & The Dark Earth Below. The series blends fantasy with mystery and thriller elements throughout its narrative.

Start with The Falling World & The Tale of Indigo and Cloud and read in order.

#	Title
1	The Falling World & The Tale of Indigo and Cloud 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Dead City & The Dark Earth Below 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

7 books (2023–2024)

The Murderbot Diaries Dramatized Adaptation is an ongoing series of seven science fiction audiobooks published between 2023 and 2024, each featuring a full cast performance of Martha Wells' original stories. The series should be read in publication order, beginning with All Systems Red and continuing through System Collapse. These dramatized versions bring the complete Murderbot narrative to life through professional voice acting and sound design, making them ideal for listeners who prefer immersive audio storytelling.

Start with All Systems Red [Dramatized Adaptation], the first of 7 books in the The Murderbot Diaries [Dramatized Adaptation] series.

2 books (2023–2025)

The Rising World is an ongoing fantasy series by Martha Wells consisting of two books published between 2023 and 2025. The series should be read in publication order, beginning with Witch King followed by Queen Demon. Wells blends fantasy with mystery and thriller elements throughout the series.

Start with Witch King and read in order.

#	Title
1	Witch King 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Queen Demon 2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible