Order of Darkover Books
Darkover is a series of science fiction/fantasy novels by American author Marion Zimmer Bradley. Darkover is a planet that is habitable by humans – the only of the seven planets that orbit a red giant star known as Cottman that humans can inhabit. The humans that colonized the planet were mostly Celtic and Spanish. The colonists had as many children with as many partners as possible, and through mutations, the inhabitants developed psychic and psionic abilities.
The Darkover series began in 1962 with the novel The Planet Savers. Although Zimmer Bradley passed away several years ago, the series continues through other authors. She did state that she recommends that new readers first read the series in publication order, rather than in chronological order. Below is a list of both the publication order and chronological order of Marion Zimmer Bradley’s Darkover books:
Publication Order of Darkover Books
The Planet Savers | (1962) | |
The Sword of Aldones | (1962) | |
The Bloody Sun | (1964) | |
Star of Danger | (1965) | |
The Winds of Darkover | (1970) | |
The World Wreckers | (1971) | |
Darkover Landfall | (1972) | |
The Spell Sword | (1974) | |
The Heritage of Hastur | (1975) | |
The Shattered Chain | (1976) | |
The Forbidden Tower | (1977) | |
Stormqueen! | (1978) | |
Two to Conquer | (1980) | |
Sharra’s Exile | (1981) | |
Hawkmistress! | (1982) | |
Thendara House | (1983) | |
City of Sorcery | (1984) | |
The Heirs of Hammerfell | (1989) | |
Rediscovery | (1993) | |
Exile’s Song | (1996) | |
The Shadow Matrix | (1997) | |
Traitor’s Sun | (1999) | |
Zandru’s Forge | (2003) | |
A Flame in Hali | (2004) | |
Hastur Lord | (2010) | |
Death of Brendan Ensolare | (2011) | |
The Children of Kings | (2013) | |
Thunderlord | (2016) | |
Ski the Hellers | (2020) | |
The Laran Gambit | (2022) |
Chronological Order of Darkover Books
Darkover Landfall | (1972) | Stormqueen! | (1978) | Thunderlord | (2016) | Traitor’s Sun | (1999) | Hawkmistress! | (1982) | The Heirs of Hammerfell | (1989) | Rediscovery | (1993) | The Shattered Chain | (1976) | The Spell Sword | (1974) | The Forbidden Tower | (1977) | Thendara House | (1983) | City of Sorcery | (1984) | Star of Danger | (1965) | The Winds of Darkover | (1970) | The Bloody Sun | (1964) | The Heritage of Hastur | (1975) | The Planet Savers | (1962) | Sharra’s Exile | (1981) | The Sword of Aldones | (1962) | The World Wreckers | (1971) | Exile’s Song | (1996) | The Shadow Matrix | (1997) | Two to Conquer | (1980) | Zandru’s Forge | (2003) | A Flame in Hali | (2004) | Hastur Lord | (2010) | The Children of Kings | (2013) | Death of Brendan Ensolare | (2011) | Ski the Hellers | (2020) | The Laran Gambit | (2022) |
Publication Order of Darkover Anthology Books
Publication Order of Clingfire Books
(By: Deborah J. Ross, Marion Zimmer Bradley)
The Fall of Neskaya | (1998) | Zandru’s Forge | (2003) | A Flame in Hali | (2004) |
Publication Order of Children of Kings Books
(By: Deborah J. Ross, Marion Zimmer Bradley)
The Alton Gift | (2007) | Hastur Lord | (2010) | The Children of Kings | (2013) |
Notes: Stormqueen! was written with Paul Edwin Zimmer. Rediscovery was written with Mercedes Lackey. Hastur Lord and Thunderlord along with the Clingfire and Children of Kings series were co-authored by Deborah J. Ross. Exile’s Song, The Shadow Matrix and Traitor’s Sun were written alongside Adrienne Martine-Barnes. Firetrap was written with Elisabeth Waters.