How to Read Ruby Dixon’s Ice Planet Barbarians: The Recommended Reading Path
For the best experience, readers should start at the very beginning with the self-titled first book, Ice Planet Barbarians. This novel introduces Georgie, the Sa-Khui chief Vektal, the frozen planet nicknamed 'Not-Hoth,' and the core biological concepts that drive the entire series. Because the series features an overarching plot concerning the survival of the human colony, the integration of new abductees, and gradual changes to their island community, reading the books in order is highly recommended. Skipping around will spoil major relationship developments and world-building milestones.
While each book focuses on a single couple and resolves their immediate romance, they are not true standalones. Major events, like the discovery of new crash sites or structural changes within the tribe, occur in the background of individual love stories. If you want the most seamless narrative flow, follow the publication order for the first fourteen books before deciding whether to interweave the spin-off series, Icehome, which takes place concurrently on another part of the planet.
What to Know Before You Start: The Lore of Not-Hoth
Before stepping onto the ice, it helps to understand the unique premise of the 'Rubyverse.' The story begins when a group of human women are abducted by cruel, insectoid aliens. When their ship malfunctions, the abductors dump the women on a freezing, inhospitable planet. There, they meet the Sa-Khui: seven-foot-tall, blue-skinned alien warriors with horns, tails, and unique biological traits designed to keep their partners satisfied.
Survival on Not-Hoth requires a symbiotic organism called a 'khui.' Once implanted in a human chest, the khui filters the toxic air and allows them to survive the sub-zero temperatures. However, the khui also acts as a biological fated-mate selector. When two compatible hosts meet, their khuis 'resonate'—a physical, vibrating reaction that alerts both parties that they are destined partners. This fated-mate trope is the driving force of the series, combining high-heat scenes with a cozy, community-focused survival narrative where consent, mutual respect, and emotional healing are central themes.
Publication Order of the Ice Planet Barbarians Books
The main series consists of 22 novels following the original tribe of Sa-Khui and the human survivors. Here is the publication order:
- Ice Planet Barbarians (2015)
- Barbarian Alien (2015)
- Barbarian Lover (2015)
- Barbarian Mine (2015)
- Ice Planet Holiday (2015) – A seasonal novella
- Barbarian's Prize (2016)
- Barbarian's Mate (2016)
- Barbarian's Touch (2016)
- Barbarian's Taming (2016)
- Barbarian's Heart (2016)
- Barbarian's Hope (2016)
- Barbarian's Choice (2016)
- Barbarian's Redemption (2017)
- Barbarian's Lady (2017)
- Barbarian's Rescue (2017)
- Barbarian's Tease (2017)
- The Barbarian Before Christmas (2017) – A holiday novella
- Barbarian's Beloved (2018)
- Barbarian's Valentine (2019) – A novella
- Barbarian's Seduction (2019)
- Barbarian's Treasure (2020)
- Barbarian's Bride (2021)
Ice Planet Honeymoon: The Dedicated Epilogues
For readers who want to see how the original couples adapt to married life and parenthood, Ruby Dixon released the Ice Planet Honeymoon series. These shorter, domestic-focused novellas check back in with the couples from the first four books:
- Vektal and Georgie (2019)
- Raahosh & Liz (2019)
- Aehako & Kira (2020)
- Rukh & Harlow (2021)
Ice Planet Barbarians: Slice of Life Stories
In addition to the main books, several 'Slice of Life' stories and novellas fill in smaller gaps in the timeline, exploring holiday celebrations, tribal dynamics, and the arrival of the next generation of children on Not-Hoth:
- Having the Barbarian's Baby (2016)
- Ice Ice Babies (2016)
- Calm (2016)
- Aftershocks (2016)
- Slices of Life (2016)
- Prison Planet Barbarian (2017)
Spin-Offs and the Expanding Rubyverse
As the community on Not-Hoth grew, the universe expanded into multiple spin-off series. The most significant of these is Icehome, which begins when a separate spaceship crashes on a different, volcanic island of the planet. Because these survivors interact with the main tribe, the timelines run parallel. Readers can start the first book of the spin-off, Lauren's Barbarian, after reading Barbarian's Rescue (Book 15) to maintain chronological continuity, though it can also be read as its own block after completing the main IPB series.
A newer companion series is Ice Planet Clones, which focuses on genetic clones created in the old alien ship's database who are trying to find their place on the planet. This series includes:
- R'jaal's Resonance (2023)
- Surviving Skarr (2023)
- Romancing Rem'eb (2024)
Chronological Caveats and Order Disagreements
Because the publication of Ice Planet Barbarians and Icehome overlapped, fans sometimes disagree on the best reading method. Some advocate for strict chronological ordering, which requires jumping back and forth between the main series and Icehome. Others find that this constant switching ruins the narrative momentum of individual groups, recommending instead that readers finish the main 22 books of Ice Planet Barbarians first before starting the Icehome spin-offs. Fortunately, the author maintains updated printable checklists for both reading styles on her official website, allowing you to choose the path that best suits your reading habits.