Author

Stephen Baxter

Q: What should I read first by Stephen Baxter?

Start with the Xeelee Sequence series, since it is the first on file, then read it in publication order.

Stephen Baxter has 50 known credited books (50 published) across 10 series. Start with Xeelee Sequence. Stephen Baxter also writes A Time Odyssey (created by Arthur C. Clarke) and The Long Earth (created by Terry Pratchett).

Stephen Baxter is a British science fiction author known for hard SF grounded in rigorous scientific speculation, spanning acclaimed series such as the Xeelee Sequence and numerous standalone novels exploring deep time, cosmology, and alternate history. He holds degrees in mathematics and engineering, a background reflected in the technical precision of his fiction, and he has written extensively both solo and in collaboration with other major genre figures, including Arthur C. Clarke. Baxter's most widely read collaborative work is The Long Earth series, co-written with Terry Pratchett, which imagines a discovery allowing humanity to 'step' sideways into an infinite chain of parallel Earths, combining Baxter's scientific rigor with Pratchett's characteristic wit and humanism. The partnership paired two very different authorial voices into a series that explored the social and economic consequences of near-limitless frontier expansion. Baxter has received numerous genre awards over his career and remains one of the most prolific and respected hard science fiction writers of his generation, continuing to publish both original novels and collaborative fiction.

Series: 10
Credited books: 50
Published: 50
Latest published book: Hearthspace 25 September 2025
Active: 1991–present
Best known for: Xeelee Sequence

Key facts about Stephen Baxter

Our list holds 50 books by Stephen Baxter. 37 of them belong to a series, while 13 stand alone. Since all 50 are out now, every book here is ready to read. Their series sit on our science fiction shelf.

Stephen Baxter has 10 series on file. Xeelee Sequence has 8 books, while NASA Trilogy has 3 books. Mammoth Trilogy has 3 books, starting in 1999.

Manifold Trilogy has 3 books, starting in 1999. A Time Odyssey has 3 books, starting in 2003. In particular, Xeelee Sequence is the longest series on file. A Time Odyssey began with Arthur C. Clarke, while Stephen Baxter has books in it too.

Xeelee Sequence starts with Raft, while NASA Trilogy starts with Voyage. Mammoth Trilogy starts with Silverhair.

Since Xeelee Sequence is the first series on file, it is the place to start. Their first published book on file came out in 1991. Meanwhile, Hearthspace is the latest published book, out on 25 September 2025.

There are also 13 standalone books. You can read them in any order, since each one stands alone. The newest one that is out is Hearthspace, from 2025. The oldest on file is Anti-Ice, from 1993.