Amber Benson Books in Order

Where to Start with Amber Benson's Books

Amber Benson has written across several different genres, but her primary literary home is urban fantasy. Depending on what you enjoy, there are three main pathways to enter her fictional worlds:

• For urban fantasy with a side of dark comedy: Start with the Calliope Reaper-Jones series, beginning with Death's Daughter (2009). It is a fun, fast-paced solo series about a young woman who reluctantly inherits her father's role as Death.
• For contemporary witch covens and diverse sisterhood: Start with the Witches of Echo Park series (also known as the Echo Park Coven series), beginning with The Witches of Echo Park (2015). This series is grounded, atmospheric, and focuses on a group of modern witches in Los Angeles.
• For Victorian gaslamp gothic fantasy: Start with the Ghosts of Albion series, co-authored with Christopher Golden. You can begin with either the novella Astray (2004) or the first full-length novel Accursed (2005).

Calliope Reaper-Jones Series Reading Order

This is Benson's longest-running solo series. It blends elements of classic urban fantasy with corporate satire, following Callie as she tries to avoid—and eventually manage—her family duty of running Death Inc. The series is best read in strict publication order, as Callie's powers and maturity develop sequentially across the volumes. There is also an optional middle short story that fits between books three and four.

1. Death's Daughter (2009)
2. Cat's Claw (2010)
3. Serpent's Storm (2011)
4. "Callie Meets Happy" (2012) – A short story published in the anthology 'An Apple for the Creature'. (Optional but recommended before Book 4).
5. How to be Death (2012)
6. The Golden Age of Death (2013)

The Witches of Echo Park Series Reading Order

Set in Los Angeles, this trilogy explores a secret coven of witches defending the natural world against dark forces. This series relies heavily on character development, and the story functions as a single continuous narrative arc, meaning the books must be read in order.

1. The Witches of Echo Park (2015)
2. The Last Dream Keeper (2016)
3. The End of Magic (2017)

Ghosts of Albion Series Reading Order

Co-authored with Christopher Golden, this Victorian-era fantasy series began as an interactive animated web series on the BBC website before transitioning into print. The chronological order differs slightly from publication because the 2006 collection Initiation gathers the web-series stories ("Legacy," "Embers," and "Illusions") that setup the universe before the novels take place. However, reading them in publication order remains the most popular and accessible approach for new readers.

1. Ghosts of Albion: Astray (2004) – Prequel Novella
2. Accursed (2005) – First Full Novel
3. Witchery (2006) – Second Novel
4. Initiation (2006) – An anthology collecting the short stories "Illusions", "Legacy", and "Embers" which originally served as online BBC dramas.

Comics, Graphic Novels, and Tie-Ins

In addition to her traditional novels, Benson is a prominent comic book writer. Her most notable work in this medium includes official spin-offs for Buffy the Vampire Slayer and a continuation of the classic teen movie Clueless.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer Comics

Benson collaborated with Christopher Golden to write stories focused on the relationship between Willow and Tara, expanding on characters she knew intimately from her acting role. These stories are collected in:

• Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Willow & Tara (2003) – Collects the one-shots "WannaBlessedBe" (2001) and "Wilderness" parts 1 & 2 (2002).
• Tales of the Vampires (2004) – An anthology comic where Benson contributed stories.

Clueless Graphic Novels

Benson teamed up with co-writer Sarah Kuhn and artist Siobhan Keenan to write two graphic novels that continue the story of Cher, Dionne, and Tai as they finish high school and prepare for college:

1. Clueless: Senior Year (2017)
2. Clueless: One Last Summer (2018)

Other Media and Collaborations

• Shadowplay (2005–2006) – A four-issue comic miniseries co-written with Ben Templesmith.
• Star vs. the Forces of Evil – Benson co-authored tie-in books for the Disney animated series, including 'Star and Marco's Guide to Mastering Every Dimension' (2017) and 'The Magic Book of Spells' (2018).

Standalone Novels and Plays

If you want a quick taste of Benson's writing style without committing to a series, she has published several standalone projects:

• The Seven Whistlers (2006) – A dark fantasy novella co-authored with Christopher Golden.
• Among the Ghosts (2010) – A spooky middle-grade adventure novel about a girl discovering spirits at her aunt's boarding school.
• Death and Buses (2015) – A standalone play written by Benson.