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Author

Alastair Reynolds best books, ranked

Alastair Reynolds — 18 titles in the rankings, first published between 2000 and 2025. They average 7.9, above the 7.8 the whole catalogue averages. 4 of the series have a reading order worth keeping to.

Editor’s note House of Suns (2008), a standalone about clones crossing the galaxy over millions of years, is his best-rated book and the easiest way in. The Inhibitor books start with Revelation Space, his most-read but densest; Chasm City is a standalone in the same universe. Slow Bullets rates lowest.

Ranked titles
18 books
Average score
7.9
Total ratings
2.8K
First published
2000–2025
Highest ratedHouse of Suns8.3 Buy the book Listen to the audiobook

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Books by Alastair Reynolds

7.58.08.5
7.87.8 / 10
8.08.0 / 10
8.18.1 / 10
7.97.9 / 10
7.87.8 / 10
7.87.8 / 10
8.38.3 / 10
7.67.6 / 10
7.87.8 / 10
7.97.9 / 10
7.77.7 / 10
7.67.6 / 10
7.77.7 / 10
8.08.0 / 10
7.97.9 / 10
7.87.8 / 10
2000200120022003200320042008201020122013201520152016201820212025
7.58.08.5
2000200120022003200320042008201020122013201520152016201820212025
7.87.8 / 10
8.08.0 / 10
8.18.1 / 10
7.97.9 / 10
7.87.8 / 10
7.87.8 / 10
8.38.3 / 10
7.67.6 / 10
7.87.8 / 10
7.97.9 / 10
7.77.7 / 10
7.67.6 / 10
7.77.7 / 10
8.08.0 / 10
7.97.9 / 10
7.87.8 / 10
Book score16 books on a timeline, 2000–2025 · Highest rated: House of Suns
  1. House of Suns
    House of SunsAlastair Reynolds · 2008 Science fiction348 ratings
    8.38.3 / 10
  2. Redemption Ark
    Redemption ArkAlastair Reynolds · 2002 Science fiction267 ratings
    8.18.1 / 10
  3. Chasm City
    Chasm CityAlastair Reynolds · 2001 Science fiction259 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  4. Machine Vendetta
    Machine VendettaAlastair Reynolds Science fiction53 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  5. Elysium Fire
    Elysium FireAlastair Reynolds · 2018 Science fiction116 ratings
    8.08.0 / 10
  6. Inhibitor Phase
    Inhibitor PhaseAlastair Reynolds · 2021 Science fiction88 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  7. On the Steel Breeze
    On the Steel BreezeAlastair Reynolds · 2013 Science fiction81 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  8. Absolution Gap
    Absolution GapAlastair Reynolds · 2003 Science fiction224 ratings
    7.97.9 / 10
  9. Galactic North
    Galactic NorthAlastair Reynolds Science fiction85 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  10. Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days
    Diamond Dogs, Turquoise DaysAlastair Reynolds · 2003 Science fiction112 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  11. Blue Remembered Earth
    Blue Remembered EarthAlastair Reynolds · 2012 Science fiction132 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  12. Halcyon Years
    Halcyon YearsAlastair Reynolds · 2025 Science fiction32 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  13. Century Rain
    Century RainAlastair Reynolds · 2004 Science fiction106 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  14. Revelation Space
    Revelation SpaceAlastair Reynolds · 2000 Science fiction539 ratings
    7.87.8 / 10
  15. Poseidon's Wake
    Poseidon's WakeAlastair Reynolds · 2015 Science fiction54 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  16. Revenger
    RevengerAlastair Reynolds · 2016 Science fiction139 ratings
    7.77.7 / 10
  17. Terminal World
    Terminal WorldAlastair Reynolds · 2010 Science fiction75 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10
  18. Slow Bullets
    Slow BulletsAlastair Reynolds · 2015 Science fiction85 ratings
    7.67.6 / 10

Series by Alastair Reynolds

Revenger
7.77.7 / 10
RevengerAlastair Reynolds139 ratings
Poseidon's Children
7.87.8 / 10
Poseidon's ChildrenAlastair Reynolds267 ratings
Inhibitor Cycle
7.97.9 / 10
Inhibitor CycleAlastair Reynolds1.1K ratings
A Prefect Dreyfus Emergency
8.08.0 / 10
A Prefect Dreyfus EmergencyAlastair Reynolds169 ratings

Reading order of Alastair Reynolds's series

4 series with a set order — each one opens on the volume to read first.

All books by Alastair Reynolds in order →

Other books by Alastair Reynolds

Titles we know of but do not rank — they have not gathered enough reader ratings, or our sources do not agree on where they belong.

  • 2005Pushing Ice
  • 2006Tiger, Burning
  • 2006Zima Blue and Other Stories
  • 2007The Prefect
  • 2010At Budokan
  • 2010Deep Navigation
  • 2013Harvest of Time
  • 2016Beyond the Aquila Rift
  • 2016The Iron Tactician
  • 2016The Medusa Chronicles
  • 2017Night Passage
  • 2019Permafrost
  • 2019Shadow Captain
  • 2020Bone Silence
  • 2021Belladonna Nights and Other Stories
  • 2022Eversion
  • Detonation Boulevard
  • The Best of Subterranean

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Alastair Reynolds on BookRank