Alma Alexander Books in Order

Where to Start: Recommended Reading Paths

Alma Alexander, also known to fans as the "Duchess of Fantasy," has written across a wide array of speculative fiction subgenres. Because her series are largely distinct, there is no single chronological path through her entire bibliography. Instead, your best starting point depends on your preferred flavor of fantasy:

• For Historical & Cultural Fantasy: Start with The Secrets of Jin-Shei. This is Alexander's breakout and most acclaimed work, offering a beautifully realized alternate-China setting centered on sisterhood, secret languages, and political intrigue.
• For Young Adult & Tech-Magic: Start with the Worldweavers series, beginning with Gift of the Unmage. Often compared to Harry Potter but with a unique digital twist, it is perfect for readers who enjoy magic systems that collide with modern computer science.
• For Classic High Fantasy: Start with the Anghara Kir Hama duology, beginning with The Hidden Queen. This is a traditional epic fantasy tale of a exiled heir, hidden magic, and political betrayal.
• For Sci-Fi & Speculative Standalones: Pick up Midnight at Spanish Gardens or the cosmic mystery The Second Star.

The Jin-Shei Duology

Set in the Syai Empire—a world heavily inspired by imperial China—this series explores the ancient bonds of "jin-shei," a lifelong sisterhood pact between women. The stories are renowned for their lyrical prose and deep focus on female relationships. Note that there is a 400-year time jump between the first and second book, meaning they feature completely different casts of characters, though they share the same world and mythos.

1. The Secrets of Jin-Shei (2003)
2. Embers of Heaven (2006)

The Worldweavers Series

This YA series follows Thea Winthrop, a girl born into a magical family who initially shows no magical aptitude—making her a disappointment in a world where magic is standard. However, she eventually discovers she is an "Unmage" with a completely different, tech-aligned way of interacting with magical energy. Originally published as a trilogy, the series was later repackaged and completed with a fourth volume.

1. Gift of the Unmage (2008)
2. Spellspam (2008)
3. Cybermage (2009)
4. Dawn of Magic (2015)

Anghara Kir Hama (Changer of Days Duology)

This duology centers on Anghara Kir Hama, a young princess forced to flee into exile after her father is murdered and her half-brother usurps the throne. In exile, she discovers she possesses the legendary "Sight" and is destined to become the Changer of Days. These two books are directly connected and must be read in order. They were also compiled into a single combined volume for their 20th anniversary in 2021.

1. The Hidden Queen (2001)
2. Changer of Days (2005)

The Were Chronicles

Leveraging Alexander's academic background in microbiology, this trilogy takes a scientifically rigorous approach to shape-shifting. Instead of supernatural curses, lycanthropy is treated as a biological reality. The narrative focuses on "Randoms"—shifters who have no fixed animal form and can transform into any warm-blooded creature—and the social prejudices they face.

1. Random (2014)
2. Wolf (2015)
3. Shifter (2016)

Val Hall Series

A unique blend of superhero tropes and cozy character studies, the Val Hall books are set in a retirement sanctuary for "Superheroes (Third Class)"—ordinary citizens who were granted a single, brief moment of extraordinary power. The books are collections of interconnected tales reflecting on aging, memory, and what happens after the heroism ends.

1. Val Hall: The Even Years (2020)
2. Val Hall: The Odd Years (2020)
3. Val Hall: Century (2023)

The Alexander Triads

The Triads are themed collections of short stories described by the author as "fairy tales for grown-ups." Written with a dark, melancholic tone reminiscent of Oscar Wilde and Hans Christian Andersen, they are meant to be read as companion pieces.

1. Haunted (2011)
2. Plaisir d'amour (2012)
3. Out of This World (2012)
4. Weight of Worlds (2012)
5. A Sense of Love (2013)

Standalone Novels

Alma Alexander has penned several standalone novels that span genres from historical fantasy to humorous sci-fi. They can be read in any order at any time:

• 2012 / Midnight at Spanish Gardens (2011/2018): Originally published under the title 2012, this contemporary fantasy follows five friends who are offered a magical chance to choose different paths in their lives.
• AbductiCon (2015): A humorous, metaphysical sci-fi novel about a science fiction convention hotel and its attendees being transported into space by time-traveling androids.
• Empress (2016): A historical fantasy inspired by the Byzantine era, charting the rise of a woman from obscurity to the throne.
• Wings of Fire (2017): A mythic fantasy blending Russian, Māori, and Irish folklore.
• The Second Star (2020): A space-exploration sci-fi novel about a lost starship that returns to Earth after two centuries with altered crew members.