The Recommended Reading Path
Because the Books of History Chronicles spans multiple dimensions, timelines, and subseries, reading them in strict chronological order can be incredibly confusing for newcomers. For the best experience, we recommend starting with the thematic publication order. This path introduces you to the core rules of the universe before weaving in the spin-offs and sequels.
- The Core Circle Trilogy: Start with Black, Red, and White. This trilogy establishes Thomas Hunter’s dual-reality adventure and forms the backbone of the entire universe.
- The Paradise Trilogy: Read Showdown, Saint, and then Sinner. This introduces the town of Paradise and the villain Marsuvees Black.
- The Lost Books: Dive into the YA-focused adventure sequence: Chosen, Infidel, Renegade, Chaos, Lunatic, and Elyon. Note that Renegade directly links back to the events of Showdown.
- The Circle Conclusion: Finally, read Green (Book Zero). Even though it is labeled Book Zero, it serves as the ultimate finale that loops the entire narrative back to the beginning of Black.
The Complete Chronological Timeline
If you are a veteran reader looking for a reread that traces the internal history of the universe as it unfolds, follow this chronological order. Be warned: reading in this order on your first pass will spoil key twists in the main trilogy!
- Immanuel’s Veins (A historical prequel set in 1797)
- Black
- Chosen (Occurs during the timeline of Black)
- Infidel
- Red
- White
- Showdown
- House (Co-authored with Frank Peretti)
- Skin
- Renegade
- Chaos
- Saint
- Sinner
- Lunatic
- Elyon
- Green
Major Series and Subseries Breakdown
The Circle Series
The core subseries follows Thomas Hunter, a man who dreams between our world and an alternate fantasy realm. It consists of Black (2003), Red (2004), White (2004), and the loop-closing Green (2009).
The Paradise Trilogy
This thriller-based trilogy focuses on a mysterious project in a small Colorado town. It features Showdown (2005), Saint (2006), and Sinner (2008).
The Lost Books
A six-book adventure designed for younger readers that fills in details about the Forest Guard during the events of the Circle series. The books are Chosen (2007), Infidel (2007), Renegade (2008), Chaos (2008), Lunatic (2009), and Elyon (2009).
The Books of Mortals
Co-authored with Tosca Lee, this series takes place in a far-future post-apocalyptic world where all human emotion has been chemically erased. The saga includes the prequel novella The Keeper (2011), followed by Forbidden (2011), Mortal (2012), and Sovereign (2013).
The Dream Traveler's Quest
Co-authored with Ted Dekker's daughter, Kara Dekker, this 2018 four-part series follows a young boy's journey into another reality to conquer fear. The volumes are Into the Book of Light, The Curse of Shadowman, The Garden and the Serpent, and The Final Judgment.
Standalone Tie-ins and Graphic Novels
- House (2006): A supernatural horror thriller co-authored with Frank Peretti that visually ties into the Paradise characters.
- Skin (2006): A psychological thriller that connects back to the events of the Paradise trilogy.
- Graphic Novel Adaptations: The Circle and Lost Books have official graphic novel adaptations that retell the storylines of the early novels in visual formats.