Books On Board
series Reading Order

Commander Grimes Books in Order

15 Books
1961 – 2004 Published
Jump to reading order
Affiliate links: We may earn a commission on purchases made at no extra cost to you.
Reading order

How to Navigate the John Grimes Saga

A. Bertram Chandler's John Grimes series (sometimes grouped under the broader Rim World universe) spans dozens of novels and short stories. Because Chandler wrote these adventures out of chronological order over several decades, reading them in publication order can be highly disorienting. For the best experience, we recommend following Grimes's career path chronologically.

The Core Reading Order (Omnibus Cycles)

The easiest way to read the series today is through the Science Fiction Book Club (SFBC) and Baen omnibus editions, which collect the shorter novels and stories into logical career phases:

1. Lieutenant of the Survey Service

This phase covers Grimes's early career as an officer in the Federation Survey Service. Key stories include:

  • The Road to the Rim
  • To Prime the Pump
  • The Hard Way Up (Collection)
  • Spartan Planet (also published as False Fatherland)
  • The Inheritors

2. Survey Captain

Grimes gains more responsibility, navigating promotions and political conflicts on the galactic frontier. Key stories include:

  • The Broken Cycle
  • The Big Black Mark
  • The Far Traveler
  • Star Courier

3. Tramp Captain

Grimes transitions out of the official military service and begins operating as an independent spacefarer. Key stories include:

  • To Keep the Ship
  • Matilda's Stepchildren
  • Star Loot
  • The Anarch Lords

4. Reserve Commodore & Rim Runner

In his later career, Grimes becomes a prominent leader and commodore in the lawless Rim Worlds, occasionally slipping into alternate dimensions. Key stories include:

  • The Last Amazon
  • The Wild Ones
  • Catch the Star Winds (also published as The Winds of If)
  • Into the Alternate Universe
  • Contraband from Otherspace
  • The Rim Gods
  • The Commodore at Sea

Rim World Universe Tie-Ins

Several books in the local database are set in the same universe but serve as companion pieces or history builders rather than direct John Grimes adventures:

  • Rendezvous on a Lost World (also published as When the Dream Dies): Set in the Rim World universe, following a protagonist named Kemp rather than Grimes. It adds vital world-building for the setting.
  • The Deep Reaches of Space: A tangential work that details the history of the Gaussjammer spaceships, which are frequently referenced throughout the main Grimes saga.

Frequently Asked

QWho is Commander John Grimes?

John Grimes is the protagonist of A. Bertram Chandler's long-running space opera. Often described as a 'Horatio Hornblower in space,' his adventures heavily draw on Chandler's real-life career as a merchant marine officer, featuring detailed space-faring terminology and naval traditions.

QShould I read John Grimes in publication or chronological order?

Chronological order (following Grimes's rank promotions) is highly recommended. Because Chandler wrote stories set in different eras of Grimes's life at various points in his own career, reading by publication date makes the timeline jump around erratically.

QDoes John Grimes appear in Rendezvous on a Lost World?

No. Although Rendezvous on a Lost World (also known as When the Dream Dies) is closely connected to the Rim World sequence, the protagonist is a man named Kemp, not John Grimes.

QWhat is the significance of The Deep Reaches of Space?

While not a direct John Grimes novel, The Deep Reaches of Space is set in the same universe and explores the history of the Gaussjammer spaceships, which are fondly remembered in the core Grimes books.

QAre the omnibus editions still available?

Yes, the Science Fiction Book Club (SFBC) hardcovers (such as Lieutenant of the Survey Service and Survey Captain) and the Baen paperback omnibuses are widely considered the most accessible way to collect and read the series today.