Reading Order List — Book Series Reading Order Guide
William Boyd

William Boyd Reading Order

8 series · 74 books · Born 1952-03-07

Literary FictionNon-Fiction

William Boyd is a prolific British author who has crafted novels, screenplays, and plays across multiple genres since the late 1960s. He is best known for his literary fiction works, including contributions to the James Bond canon and his Gabriel Dax series, alongside various non-fiction titles and dramatic works. With over seventy books published across seven distinct series, Boyd demonstrates remarkable range as both a novelist and playwright.

Anthologies Series

Complete

6 books (1991–2011)

Start with The Minerva Book of Short Stories 3, the first of 6 books in the Anthologies series.

Start this series with The Minerva Book of Short Stories 3

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#Title
1
Cover of The Minerva Book of Short Stories 3
The Minerva Book of Short Stories 3
1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
Cover of Fanfare: Fourteen Stories on a Musical Theme
Fanfare: Fourteen Stories on a Musical Theme
1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3
Cover of Great Modern Stories
Great Modern Stories
2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4
Cover of Ox-Tales: Water
Ox-Tales: Water
2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5
Cover of Just When Stories
Just When Stories
2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6
Cover of One for the Trouble: Book Slam Volume 1
One for the Trouble: Book Slam Volume 1
2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Book Slam Annual Series

Complete

2 books (2011–2012)

Start with One for the Trouble: Book Slam Volume 1(With: Irvine Welsh,Simon Armitage,Patrick Ness,Jon Ronson,Hari Kunzru,Joe Dunthorne,Bernardine Evaristo,Helen Oyeyemi,Richard Milward,Roger Robinson,Paul Murray,Don Paterson,Patrick Neate,Jon McGregor,Sophie Woolley,Luke Wright,Tim Key,Kae Tempest) and read in order.

Start this series with One for the Trouble: Book Slam Volume 1(With: Irvine Welsh,Simon Armitage,Patrick Ness,Jon Ronson,Hari Kunzru,Joe Dunthorne,Bernardine Evaristo,Helen Oyeyemi,Richard Milward,Roger Robinson,Paul Murray,Don Paterson,Patrick Neate,Jon McGregor,Sophie Woolley,Luke Wright,Tim Key,Kae Tempest)

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
One for the Trouble: Book Slam Volume 1(With: Irvine Welsh,Simon Armitage,Patrick Ness,Jon Ronson,Hari Kunzru,Joe Dunthorne,Bernardine Evaristo,Helen Oyeyemi,Richard Milward,Roger Robinson,Paul Murray,Don Paterson,Patrick Neate,Jon McGregor,Sophie Woolley,Luke Wright,Tim Key,Kae Tempest)
2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
Too Much Too Young(By: David Nicholls,Jeremy Dyson,Jackie Kay,Nikesh Shukla,Patrick Neate,Emylia Hall,Craig Taylor,Diana Evans,Jesse Armstrong,Marina Lewycka)
2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Gabriel Dax Series

Ongoing

3 books (2024–2026)

Start with Gabriel's Moon and read in order.

Start this series with Gabriel's Moon

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
Gabriel's Moon
2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
The Predicament
2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3
Cover of Cold Sunset

James Bond Series

Likely Complete

34 books (1968–2022)

Start with Colonel Sun(By: Kingsley Amis), the first of 33 books in the James Bond series.

Start this series with Colonel Sun(By: Kingsley Amis)

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#Title
1
Cover of Colonel Sun(By: Kingsley Amis)
Colonel Sun(By: Kingsley Amis)
1968Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
The Authorized Biography of 007(By: John George Pearson)
1973Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3
Cover of License Renewed(By: John Gardner)
License Renewed(By: John Gardner)
1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4
Cover of For Special Services(By: John Gardner)
For Special Services(By: John Gardner)
1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5
Cover of Icebreaker(By: John Gardner)
Icebreaker(By: John Gardner)
1983Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6
Cover of Role of Honor(By: John Gardner)
Role of Honor(By: John Gardner)
1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7
Cover of Nobody Lives Forever(By: John Gardner)
Nobody Lives Forever(By: John Gardner)
1986Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8
Cover of No Deals, Mr. Bond(By: John Gardner)
No Deals, Mr. Bond(By: John Gardner)
1987Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9
Scorpius(By: John Gardner)
1988Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10
Cover of Licence to Kill(By: John Gardner)
Licence to Kill(By: John Gardner)
1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11
Cover of Win, Lose or Die(By: John Gardner)
Win, Lose or Die(By: John Gardner)
1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12
Cover of Brokenclaw(By: John Gardner)
Brokenclaw(By: John Gardner)
1990Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13
Cover of The Man from Barbarossa(By: John Gardner)
The Man from Barbarossa(By: John Gardner)
1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14
Cover of Death Is Forever(By: John Gardner)
Death Is Forever(By: John Gardner)
1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15
Cover of Never Send Flowers(By: John Gardner)
Never Send Flowers(By: John Gardner)
1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16
Cover of SeaFire(By: John Gardner)
SeaFire(By: John Gardner)
1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17
Cover of GoldenEye(By: John Gardner)
GoldenEye(By: John Gardner)
1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18
Cover of Cold Fall(By: John Gardner)
Cold Fall(By: John Gardner)
1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19
Cover of Tomorrow Never Dies(By: Raymond Benson)
Tomorrow Never Dies(By: Raymond Benson)
1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20
Cover of Zero Minus Ten(By: Raymond Benson)
Zero Minus Ten(By: Raymond Benson)
1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21
Cover of The Facts of Death(By: Raymond Benson)
The Facts of Death(By: Raymond Benson)
1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22
Cover of High Time to Kill(By: Raymond Benson)
High Time to Kill(By: Raymond Benson)
1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23
Midsummer Nights Doom(By: John Gardner)
1999
24
The World is Not Enough(By: Raymond Benson)
1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25
Cover of Doubleshot(By: Raymond Benson)
Doubleshot(By: Raymond Benson)
2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
26
Cover of Never Dream of Dying(By: Raymond Benson)
Never Dream of Dying(By: Raymond Benson)
2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
27
Cover of Die Another Day(By: Raymond Benson)
Die Another Day(By: Raymond Benson)
2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
28
Cover of The Man With the Red Tattoo(By: Raymond Benson)
The Man With the Red Tattoo(By: Raymond Benson)
2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
29
Cover of Devil May Care(By: Sebastian Faulks)
Devil May Care(By: Sebastian Faulks)
2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
30
Cover of Carte Blanche(By: Jeffery Deaver)
Carte Blanche(By: Jeffery Deaver)
2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
31
Cover of Solo
32
Cover of Trigger Mortis(By: Anthony Horowitz)
Trigger Mortis(By: Anthony Horowitz)
2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
33
Forever and a Day(By: Anthony Horowitz)
2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
34
Cover of With a Mind to Kill(By: Anthony Horowitz)
With a Mind to Kill(By: Anthony Horowitz)
2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Non-Fiction Series

Complete

2 books (1998–2005)

Start with Protobiography and read in order.

Start this series with Protobiography

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
Protobiography
1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
Cover of Bamboo

Plays Series

Complete

1 book (2013–2013)

#Title
1
Cover of Longing

Short Story Collections Series

Complete

7 books (1981–2017)

Start with On the Yankee Station, the first of 7 books in the Short Story Collections series.

Start this series with On the Yankee Station

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#Title
1
Cover of On the Yankee Station
On the Yankee Station
1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
Cover of School Ties
3
Cover of Killing Lizards
Killing Lizards
1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4
Cover of The Destiny of Nathalie X
The Destiny of Nathalie X
1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5
Cover of The Dream Lover
The Dream Lover
1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6
Cover of Fascination
7
Cover of The Dreams of Bethany Mellmoth
The Dreams of Bethany Mellmoth
2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Standalone Novels Series

Likely Complete

19 books (1981–2022)

Start with A Good Man in Africa, the first of 19 books in the Standalone Novels series.

Start this series with A Good Man in Africa

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
Cover of A Good Man in Africa
A Good Man in Africa
1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
Cover of An Ice-Cream War
An Ice-Cream War
1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3
Cover of Stars and Bars
Stars and Bars
1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4
Cover of The New Confessions
The New Confessions
1987Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5
Cover of Brazzaville Beach
Brazzaville Beach
1990Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6
Cover of The Blue Afternoon
The Blue Afternoon
1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7
Cover of Transfigured Night
Transfigured Night
1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8
Cover of Armadillo
9
Cover of Nat Tate
10
Cover of Any Human Heart
Any Human Heart
2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11
Cover of Restless
12
Cover of Ordinary Thunderstorms
Ordinary Thunderstorms
2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13
Cover of Waiting for Sunrise
Waiting for Sunrise
2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14
The Vanishing Game
2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15
Cover of Sweet Caress
Sweet Caress
2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16
Cover of The Argument
The Argument
2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17
Cover of Love is Blind
Love is Blind
2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18
Cover of Trio
19
Cover of The Romantic
The Romantic
2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has William Boyd written?
William Boyd has written 74 books across 8 series. Their published works span from 1968 to 2026.
What is the first book in each William Boyd series?
Here are the first books in William Boyd's series: Anthologies: The Minerva Book of Short Stories 3; Book Slam Annual: One for the Trouble: Book Slam Volume 1(With: Irvine Welsh,Simon Armitage,Patrick Ness,Jon Ronson,Hari Kunzru,Joe Dunthorne,Bernardine Evaristo,Helen Oyeyemi,Richard Milward,Roger Robinson,Paul Murray,Don Paterson,Patrick Neate,Jon McGregor,Sophie Woolley,Luke Wright,Tim Key,Kae Tempest); Gabriel Dax: Gabriel's Moon; James Bond: Colonel Sun(By: Kingsley Amis); Non-Fiction: Protobiography.
What order should I read William Boyd's books?
We recommend reading William Boyd's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
Is William Boyd still writing new books?
Yes, William Boyd has 1 ongoing series: Gabriel Dax.

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