Where to Start: The Touchstone Trilogy
For most readers, the absolute best entry point into Andrea K. Höst’s fiction is the Touchstone series. Beginning with the novel Stray, this series is a beloved fan favorite that blends science fiction, portals, and slice-of-life diary entries. It follows Cassandra Devlin, an ordinary teenager from Sydney who steps out of her house and accidentally walks through an interdimensional gate, finding herself stranded on an alien world called Muina. There, she encounters a group of elite, psychic fighters (often affectionately described by fans as "psychic space ninjas") and has to learn to survive in a high-tech, high-danger environment.
Because the main trilogy is written entirely in a personal diary format, it offers an incredibly intimate look at Cassandra's emotional journey, her struggles to adapt, and her slowly developing relationships. The trilogy is tightly plotted and should be read in strict publication order. Once you finish the core story, the author has provided several extra stories and a follow-up novel that expand the universe.
The Touchstone Series Reading Order
- Stray (2011) – The first book, establishing Cassandra's sudden portal-jump to Muina and her introduction to the Setari.
- Lab Rat One (2011) – The second book, where Cassandra faces military and scientific scrutiny as she adjusts to her new life.
- Caszandra (2011) – The final book in the main trilogy, bringing the primary interdimensional conflict to a resolution.
- Gratuitous Epilogue (2011) – A short story released shortly after the trilogy that wraps up immediate loose ends and gives fans a comforting glimpse of the aftermath.
- In Arcadia (2017) – A full-length spin-off novel set years later. It shifts focus away from Cassandra to her mother, Laura Devlin, who relocates to the futuristic techno-paradise of Muina and navigates family dynamics, planetary diplomacy, and a late-in-life romance with military officer Gidds Selkie.
- Snow Day (2019) – A collection of seasonal, lighthearted vignettes and extra worldbuilding scenes written for fans of the characters.
The Medair Duology
If you prefer epic fantasy with a heavy dose of political intrigue, historical memory, and moral ambiguity, the Medair Books are your best starting point. This duology is a complete, two-book story that subverts traditional "chosen one" fantasy tropes.
The story follows Medair Anstey, a herald and mage who was sent on a desperate quest to find a legendary magical relic to save her empire from an invading force. She succeeds in finding the horn, but on her return journey, she gets caught in a magical time distortion. When she finally steps back into the world, 500 years have passed. The empire she fought for is long dead, the invading force has settled and built a thriving, stable civilization, and Medair is suddenly a historical relic herself, struggling to determine where her loyalties should lie in a world that has moved on.
Medair Reading Order
- The Silence of Medair (2011) – Medair wakes up in the far future and must confront the legacy of her lost war and the changed empire.
- Voice of the Lost (2011) – The conclusion of Medair's journey as she seeks to resolve the remaining threads of the ancient conflict.
The Darest Fantasy Duology
Set in a high-fantasy world, the Darest Books explore the social dynamics of a "bi-normative" society. The books focus on personal honor, duty, and romance, featuring strong female protagonists facing complex social expectations.
Darest Reading Order
- Champion of the Rose (2010) – Andrea K. Höst's debut novel, introducing the fantasy kingdom of Darest and its unique traditions.
- Bones of the Fair (2013) – The sequel that expands the world and deepens the political stakes.
The Eferum Books
The Eferum series is another fantasy sequence that deals with magical secrets and personal identity. Like much of Höst's work, it focuses heavily on character agency and distinct, immersive worldbuilding.
Eferum Reading Order
- Stained Glass Monsters (2011) – The first novel in the Eferum setting.
- The Sleeping Life (2016) – The second installment, continuing the themes of magic and survival.
The Trifold Age (Historical Fantasy)
The Trifold Age is an alternate history and fantasy series set in a world where colonialism was halted by the active intervention of protective gods. The series is notable for its intricate theology and historical divergence.
Trifold Age Reading Order
- The Pyramids of London (2015) – The first novel, establishing the setting and introducing the complex interactions between mortals and deities.
- The Towers, the Moon (2016) – A collection of three connected short stories ("Two Wings," "Forfeit," and "Death and the Moon") set in the same universe. It contains minor spoilers for the first book. The novella Forfeit won the Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novella.
Note: The author has worked on a third installment titled Tangleways, focusing on side characters introduced in the first book, though it remains an ongoing project.
Other Series and Standalones
For readers who want self-contained stories or alternative genres, Höst has written several independent novels and projects:
- And All the Stars (2012) – A standalone science fiction novel set in Sydney, Australia, during a slow-burn, apocalyptic alien invasion. It follows a young woman navigating the immediate survival aftermath and alien technology.
- Hunting (2013) – A standalone fantasy novel exploring survival, tracking, and isolation.
- The Starfighter Invitation (2018) – The first entry in The Singularity Game series, a science fiction story that explores virtual reality, MMO gaming, and gender identity through virtual body-swapping.
- Swift the Chase (2019) – An anthology collecting short speculative fiction stories.
The Karan K. Anders Romance Pen Name
In addition to her speculative fiction, Andrea K. Höst writes explicit romance under the pseudonym Karan K. Anders. These books focus on intimate relationships and character-driven plots in romance settings. Her primary work under this pen name is the A Very Secret Garden series, which includes The Book of Firsts (2021) and Four Kings (2022).
What to Know Before You Start: The "Zero-Difference" Approach
One of the most defining aspects of Andrea K. Höst's writing across all her universes is her commitment to "zero-difference" worldbuilding. In her books, diverse identities—spanning gender, race, and sexuality—are integrated naturally into the fabric of the worlds. Characters of all backgrounds hold power, fight, and love without facing systemic discrimination based on these traits. This design choice creates refreshing environments where the stakes focus on external conflicts, magic, and survival rather than prejudice, allowing readers a welcoming escape into inclusive fantasy and science fiction.