Reading Order List — Book Series Reading Order Guide

Zen Cho Reading Order

6 series · 29 books

Fantasy

Zen Cho is a Malaysian-British fantasy writer celebrated for blending magical worldbuilding with sharp wit and cultural specificity. Her Sorcerer to the Crown series established her reputation for reimagining historical fantasy through diverse perspectives and intricate magic systems. Beyond her novels, Cho has built a distinguished career in short fiction, earning the Crawford Award alongside her collections that showcase her range across contemporary fantasy, historical adventure, and speculative stories.

Anthologies Series

Likely Complete

13 books (2010–2022)

Start with Bloody Fabulous, the first of 13 books in the Anthologies series.

Start this series with Bloody Fabulous

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
Bloody Fabulous
2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
Heiresses of Russ 2011: The Year's Best Lesbian Speculative Fiction
2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3
Cover of Steam-Powered 2
Steam-Powered 2
2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4
Aliens: Recent Encounters
2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5
Cover of The Alchemy Press Book of Urban Mythic
The Alchemy Press Book of Urban Mythic
2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6
Cover of The End of the Road
The End of the Road
2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7
Cover of Cyberpunk: Malaysia
Cyberpunk: Malaysia
2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8
Cover of The Apex Book of World SF 4
The Apex Book of World SF 4
2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9
The Future of Horror
2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10
An Alphabet of Embers
2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11
Cover of It Gets Even Better: Stories of Queer Possibility
It Gets Even Better: Stories of Queer Possibility
2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12
The Best of World SF, Volume 1
2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13
Someone in Time
2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Collections Series

Complete

1 book (2014–2014)

#Title
1
Cover of Spirits Abroad
Spirits Abroad
2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Heiresses of Russ Series

Complete

6 books (2011–2016)

Start with Heiresses of Russ 2011, the first of 6 books in the Heiresses of Russ series.

Start this series with Heiresses of Russ 2011

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
Heiresses of Russ 2011
2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
Heiresses of Russ 2012
2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3
Heiresses of Russ 2013
2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4
Heiresses of Russ 2014
2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5
Heiresses of Russ 2015
2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6
Heiresses of Russ 2016
2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Short Stories/Novellas Series

Complete

2 books (2011–2018)

Start with The Terracotta Bride and read in order.

Start this series with The Terracotta Bride

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
The Terracotta Bride
2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
If at First You Don’t Succeed, Try, Try Again
2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Sorcerer Royal Series

Complete

3 books (2012–2019)

Start with The Perilous Life of Jade Yeo and read in order.

Start this series with The Perilous Life of Jade Yeo

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
The Perilous Life of Jade Yeo
2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
Cover of Sorcerer to the Crown
Sorcerer to the Crown
2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3
Cover of The True Queen
The True Queen
2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Standalone Novels Series

Ongoing

4 books (2020–2025)

Start with The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water, the first of 4 books in the Standalone Novels series.

Start this series with The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible
#Title
1
Cover of The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water
The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected in Water
2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2
Cover of Black Water Sister
Black Water Sister
2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3
Cover of The Friend Zone Experiment
The Friend Zone Experiment
2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4
Behind Frenemy Lines
2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Zen Cho written?
Zen Cho has written 29 books across 6 series. Their published works span from 2010 to 2025.
What is the first book in each Zen Cho series?
Here are the first books in Zen Cho's series: Anthologies: Bloody Fabulous; Heiresses of Russ: Heiresses of Russ 2011; Short Stories/Novellas: The Terracotta Bride; Sorcerer Royal: The Perilous Life of Jade Yeo.
What order should I read Zen Cho's books?
We recommend reading Zen Cho's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
Is Zen Cho still writing new books?
Yes, Zen Cho has 1 ongoing series: Standalone Novels.

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