Publication Order vs Chronological Order: How to Choose Where to Start a Series

You found a great series. Then you hit a snag. One list says to begin with book one, and another says to begin with a prequel.

However, both lists can be right. They simply answer different questions. This guide explains the difference between publication order and chronological order, and it shows how to choose between them.

The three orders, in plain terms

Some series have more than one valid reading order. The Well Bookshop stores up to three of them for each series. Each one answers a different question.

Publication order

Publication order lists books in the sequence the author released them. It is the order early readers experienced. Most series in our catalogue have one: 1,151 of 1,190.

This order is the safest default. After all, the author wrote each book knowing what readers had already seen. As a result, reveals land the way the author planned.

Chronological order

Chronological order lists books by when their events happen inside the story. A prequel written late often moves to the front. A short companion novel can slot into the middle.

For example, our catalogue stores a chronological order for 41 of its 1,190 series. For most of the rest, publication order is the only order we record. That is a deliberate limit. We do not guess at timelines.

Recommended order

Finally, some series have a third path: a recommended order. This is an editorial suggestion, not a fact about the books. However, we store one only for some series.

In total, our catalogue stores a recommended order for 24 series. Therefore, we label each one as a suggestion. We never present it as the single correct way to read.

Why the two orders drift apart

In general, a series does not always appear in story order. A prequel can arrive years after the book it precedes, as with Narnia below.

Similarly, other series drift for different reasons. Narnia’s chronological order follows a publisher’s renumbering, and some series change hands over the years.

Examples from the catalogue

Still, real series show the choice best. Each fact below comes from the series pages, so you can check them yourself.

A prequel that arrived late

The Chronicles of Narnia is the classic case. It is a completed series of seven books, published between 1950 and 1956 by C. S. Lewis. In publication order, The Magician’s Nephew comes sixth. In chronological order, it comes first.

Also, our page notes that the chronological order follows the publisher’s in-story renumbering. Because of that, the two paths feel different. Publication order opens in the wardrobe. Chronological order opens with creation.

Likewise, The Wheel of Time works the same way. It has 15 books and is marked completed, with books published from 1990 to 2013. New Spring is eleventh by publication date. It is first by chronology.

Meanwhile, Dragonriders of Pern goes further. It has 26 books across 1968 to 2018, and its chronological order starts with Dragonsdawn, not Dragonflight. The catalogue notes that this order follows Pern’s internal timeline.

A companion novel set early

Sometimes, however, a single book moves. Throne of Glass has eight books. The Assassin’s Blade is third in publication order, but first in chronological order. Our editorial recommended order puts it fourth.

Our criterion is simple. A prequel set earlier in the timeline often reads best once you know the main character. For that reason, we suggest reading Throne of Glass, Crown of Midnight and Heir of Fire before it. That is our opinion, and the other orders remain valid.

Similarly, Jack Ryan shows the same pattern at a larger scale. The series has 44 entries and is still ongoing. Without Remorse is sixth by publication date, yet first chronologically.

Likewise, Mitch Rapp is similar. It has 24 books and is also ongoing. American Assassin is eleventh by publication date. In chronological order, it opens the series.

Orders that differ only in the middle

However, not every difference sits at the start. The Dark Tower is a completed series of eight books. Its orders match for four books. Then The Wind Through the Keyhole moves from eighth place to fifth.

Similarly, The Murderbot Diaries behaves the same way. It is ongoing, with ten entries. Fugitive Telemetry is seventh by publication date, but fifth by chronology.

Likewise, Ender’s Game is another mid-series example. Two side stories, A War of Gifts and Ender in Exile, come late in publication order. In chronological order, they move up to second and third.

Smaller changes

Sometimes, though, the change is smaller. The Witcher has eight books. Sword of Destiny comes first in publication order, and The Last Wish comes second. In chronological order, they swap places, and Season of Storms moves from eighth to third.

Next, Chrestomanci has seven books. The Lives of Christopher Chant is fourth by publication date. Chronologically, it is first.

Finally, Zodiac Academy has 13 books and a recommended order as well. The prequel Origins of an Academy Bully is third by publication date. In our recommended order, it moves to ninth.

When there is only one order

By contrast, many series have no alternative. Dune is a completed series of six books by Frank Herbert, published from 1965 to 1985. Our catalogue stores a publication order only. There, the choice does not exist.

How to choose where to start

A simple rule helps. First, ask whether you are new to the series. Then pick the order that fits your answer.

First, if you are new, start with publication order. It is how the author meant the story to unfold. Spoilers also stay in their proper place.

Second, if you are returning, consider chronological order. You already know the big reveals. A second read in story order can show fresh links between books.

Third, if the series has a recommended order, read how we describe it. Then decide whether it fits your taste. We do not claim it is better than the others.

Meanwhile, authors with long catalogues add another wrinkle. Some series pass to a new writer. Our catalogue records these hand-offs in each series’ author list, and they can also affect where a story’s timeline begins.

Finished or ongoing: check before you commit

Order is only half the question. In fact, completion matters too. A finished series generally lets you read straight through. An ongoing series may leave you waiting.

Each series page shows a status, a book count and start and end years. Of the 1,190 series in our catalogue, 763 are marked completed and 376 are marked ongoing. The rest carry other statuses, such as hiatus.

Therefore, if you like closed stories, start with our guide to completed trilogies and duologies. Fantasy fans can try our list of completed fantasy series. For a much bigger commitment, see the longest book series.

Where to go next

Afterward, readers who finish a series often want more of the same. Our editorial guide to authors like James Patterson explains how we pick similar writers. Younger readers might enjoy series like Goosebumps.

Also, browse the full fantasy genre page to see more series with their orders. You can also open an author page, such as Robert Jordan, to see every series by that writer.