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urban fantasy
Series · fantasy
The Lunar Chronicles
The Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer has 8 known books (8 published) and is best read in publication order, starting with Cinder (2012). The latest book with a fully recorded publication date is Wires and Nerve, Volume 2: Gone Rogue. Marissa Meyer wrote the series; book 5 were illustrated by Douglas Holgate; book 6 were illustrated by Stephen Gilpin.
- Books
- 8 known books (6 novels + 1 novella + 1 collection)
- Published
- 8
- First published
- 2012
- Status
- completed
- Shelved under
- Fantasy
- Last checked
Start here: Cinder (2012) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
Cinder
Cinder opens The Lunar Chronicles on January 3, 2012, introducing Linh Cinder, a gifted mechanic in New Beijing who's also a cyborg -- and therefore second-class property under Commonwealth law. When Prince Kai brings her his broken android and a deadly plague sweeps the city, Cinder is pulled into a plot involving the ruthless Lunar Queen Levana. It runs 416 pages, the first of Marissa Meyer's four fairy-tale-with-a-science-fiction-twist heroines.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Cinder - Book 2:
Scarlet
Scarlet, published February 5, 2013, adds a Little Red Riding Hood analogue to the growing ensemble: Scarlet, hunting for her missing grandmother with the help of a street-fighter named Wolf, joins Cinder's story without displacing it. It runs 488 pages, longer than the series opener.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Scarlet - Book 3:
Cress
Cress, released February 4, 2014, brings in the series' Rapunzel figure -- a brilliant hacker trapped alone on a satellite who's never touched the ground -- as Meyer's braided fairy-tale plot keeps escalating toward full rebellion against Lunar tyranny. It runs 562 pages.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Cress - Book 4:
Fairest
Released on January 27, 2015, Fairest is an entry in The Lunar Chronicles series that falls between Cress and Winter. It is the shortest book in the series at 272 pages.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Fairest - Book 5:
Winter
Winter, released November 10, 2015, is the fourth and longest entry at 827 pages, bringing Levana's stepdaughter -- a Snow White figure whose beauty and encroaching madness make her a symbol of resistance -- into the story as the whole ensemble cast finally converges for the finale.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Winter - Book 6:
Stars Above
An entry in The Lunar Chronicles series that falls between Winter and Wires and Nerve, Stars Above was released on February 2, 2016. It comes in at 400 pages. It was written by Marissa Meyer.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Stars Above - Book 7:
Wires and Nerve
Released on January 31, 2017, Wires and Nerve is an entry in The Lunar Chronicles series that falls between Stars Above and Wires and Nerve, Volume 2: Gone Rogue. It spans 480 pages. It is a graphic novel rather than a prose entry.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Wires and Nerve - Book 8:
Wires and Nerve, Volume 2: Gone Rogue
Published on January 30, 2018, Wires and Nerve, Volume 2: Gone Rogue is the entry in The Lunar Chronicles series that follows Wires and Nerve. It is a graphic novel rather than a prose entry. It comes in at 336 pages.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Wires and Nerve, Volume 2: Gone Rogue
About The Lunar Chronicles
Linh Cinder is a gifted mechanic in New Beijing — and a cyborg, which under Commonwealth law makes her second-class property, not a citizen. When Prince Kai brings her his broken android, and a deadly plague sweeps the city, Cinder gets pulled into a plot involving the ruthless Lunar Queen Levana, who rules a colony of humans with the power to manipulate minds and wants Kai's throne through a forced marriage. Each subsequent book in the quartet adds a new fairy-tale heroine with a science-fiction twist and folds her into the growing cast: Scarlet is a Little Red Riding Hood analogue hunting for her missing grandmother with the help of a street-fighter named Wolf; Cress is a Rapunzel figure trapped alone on a satellite, a brilliant hacker who's never touched the ground; and Winter, Levana's stepdaughter, is a Snow White figure whose beauty and encroaching madness make her a symbol of resistance the Lunar people rally around.
Marissa Meyer's genius is structural: instead of one retelling, she braids four fairy tales into a single ongoing space-opera plot, escalating from a personal mystery into full rebellion against Lunar tyranny, with the growing ensemble cast finally converging for the finale in Winter. The results is equal parts fairy-tale mashup, political thriller, and found-family adventure, anchored by Cinder's arc from disposable mechanic to reluctant revolutionary.
Frequently asked questions
Who writes the The Lunar Chronicles series?
Marissa Meyer wrote the series; book 5 were illustrated by Douglas Holgate; book 6 were illustrated by Stephen Gilpin.
How many books are in The Lunar Chronicles?
Six: the four main novels (Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, Winter), the prequel novella Fairest, and the short-story collection Stars Above.
What order should I read The Lunar Chronicles in?
Read the four main novels in publication order: Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, Winter. Fairest works well just before Winter or after finishing the quartet; save Stars Above for last, since it's a collection of bonus stories spanning the whole series.
Do I need to read Fairest before Winter?
No, but many readers like to. Fairest is a prequel about Queen Levana's rise to power and doesn't reveal main-plot twists, so it can be read at almost any point after Cinder without spoiling anything.
Which fairy tale does each book retell?
Cinder is Cinderella, Scarlet is Little Red Riding Hood, Cress is Rapunzel, and Winter is Snow White. Each heroine joins the growing main cast rather than staying in her own separate story.
Is The Lunar Chronicles finished?
Yes. The quartet concluded with Winter in 2015, and Stars Above (2016) closed out the series with bonus material; Marissa Meyer has not announced further books in this world.
If you like The Lunar Chronicles
Reading order last verified .