Reading order
Darkover series reading order
- Darkover Landfall1972
- The Sword of Aldones1962
- Hawkmistress!1982
- Two to Conquer1980
- The Heirs of Hammerfell1989
- Rediscovery1993
- The Shattered Chain1976
- Thendara House1983
- City of Sorcery1984
- The Spell Sword1974
- The Forbidden Tower1977
- Star of Danger1965
- Every volume in order (20) ↓
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12- 20 volumes
- Volumes
- 1962–1999
- Published
- about 115 h
- Reading time
- Completed
- Status
Quick answer
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Publication order
20 volumes1962–1999Completed
The volume numbering in the source (Wikidata) has gaps — the list may be missing parts.
A plan for the whole series
20 volumes, 6,236 pages, about 115 hours. At 45 min a day that is about 5 months.
Stages
7 stages, with 6 short books from outside the series between them. You finish around April 23, 2027, about 3 weeks later than in one go.
- Stage 119 habout 4 weeksby November 23, 2026
- Short breakThe Fire Next Time · James Baldwin · 120 pp. · score 8.8
- Stage 216 habout 3 weeksby December 19, 2026
- Short breakThe Emperor's Soul · Brandon Sanderson · 96 pp. · score 8.8
- Stage 318 habout 3 weeksby January 15, 2027
- Short breakOn Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century · Timothy Snyder · 128 pp. · score 8.4
- Stage 414 h18 daysby February 7, 2027
- Short breakAnimal Farm · George Orwell · 128 pp. · score 8.3
- Stage 516 habout 3 weeksby March 4, 2027
- Short breakTo Be Taught, If Fortunate · Becky Chambers · 153 pp. · score 8.3
- Stage 618 habout 3 weeksby April 2, 2027
- Short breakThe Importance of Being Earnest · Oscar Wilde · 102 pp. · score 8.2
- Stage 713 h18 daysby April 23, 2027
- The end of the series
We count 1.1 min per page, the pace of an average novel reader. Faster? Move the slider.
How this plan is calculated
The plan comes from the pages and ratings of each volume: we split the series into stages of about three weeks’ reading, size each break to the stage before it, and read the chance of finishing from how many readers rate the last volume compared with the first. How we work out the plan →
Every volume in order
No volume in this series has enough ratings to enter a ranking yet, so the list carries no scores — the order and the volumes are still complete.
Order and years: Wikidata (CC0). Spotted an error? Tell us. · Data updated October 29, 2026
Extras, short stories and spin-offs
Not needed to follow the main story — read them after the series or skip them.
- The Door Through Space1961
- Falcons of Narabedla1964
- The Keeper's Price1980
- Sword of Chaos1982
- Free Amazons of Darkover1985
- Red Sun of Darkover1987
- The Other Side of the Mirror1987
- Four Moons of Darkover1988
- Domains of Darkover1990
- Leroni of Darkover1991
- Renunciates of Darkover1991
- Towers of Darkover1993
- Marion Zimmer Bradley's Darkover1993
- Snows of Darkover1994
- The Fall of Neskaya2001
- Zandru's Forge2003
- A Flame in Hali2004
- The Alton Gift2007
- Hastur Lord2010
- Music of Darkover2013
- Thunderlord!2016
Frequently asked questions
Which Darkover series book is the longest?
“The Shadow Matrix” is the longest at 560 pages; the shortest is “The Planet Savers” with 76 pages.
What should I read after Darkover series?
After the main series: The Door Through Space, Falcons of Narabedla, The Keeper's Price, Sword of Chaos.
