CrossTime Traffic Books in Order

How to Read the Crosstime Traffic Series

Harry Turtledove’s Crosstime Traffic series is a young adult alternate history collection that transports readers to parallel Earths. Because each novel is a standalone adventure with its own cast of characters and specific alternate-history setting, you have a lot of flexibility in how you approach them.

Recommended Reading Order: Publication Order

The safest and most common way to read the series is in order of publication. While the stories are independent, reading them chronologically by release date lets you appreciate how Turtledove introduces and subtly builds upon the rules and limitations of the Crosstime Traffic company. The recommended order is:

1. Gunpowder Empire (2003) — Set in an alternate timeline where the Roman Empire never fell and has reached a level of technology similar to the Renaissance.
2. Curious Notions (2004) — Set in a German-occupied San Francisco after Germany won World War I.
3. In High Places (2005) — Set in a medieval world where the Black Death wiped out much more of Europe's population, leaving a fractured, deeply religious society.
4. The Disunited States of America (2006) — Set in a timeline where the United States fell apart in the early 19th century, resulting in a balkanized continent of warring micro-states.
5. The Gladiator (2007) — Set in a world where the Soviet Union won the Cold War and dominates a stagnant global economy.
6. The Valley-Westside War (2008) — Set in a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles that was ravaged by a nuclear war in the 1960s.

Chronological Order and Connections

All books in the series are set roughly around the same time period in the "home" timeline—the late 21st century (specifically the 2090s). The home timeline is a resource-depleted Earth that uses portal technology to harvest raw materials, food, and goods from parallel timelines. Because there is no overarching chronological progression between the alternate worlds, chronological reading order is not a concern. You can pick up any book that features a premise that interests you first without worrying about spoilers for the other novels.

Where to Start

If you aren't sure where to begin, Gunpowder Empire is the ideal starting point. As the first book in the series, it does the best job of introducing the concept of Crosstime Traffic, its non-interference protocols, and the mechanics of the trade outposts. Another excellent entry point is The Gladiator, which won the 2008 Prometheus Award (tied with Jo Walton's Ha'penny) and offers a compelling look at a communist-controlled alternate Italy.