How to Start Reading Cadwell Turnbull
For readers new to Cadwell Turnbull, the best starting point depends on your preference for genre. Because his bibliographical output is divided into distinct projects, there are two primary entry points:
- For Epic Urban Fantasy & Mystery: Start with No Gods, No Monsters (2021). This is the first book of the Convergence Saga, a complex, multi-perspective urban fantasy trilogy about monsters emerging into the public eye and the sociopolitical fallout that follows.
- For Standalone Sci-Fi: Start with his award-winning debut novel, The Lesson (2019). Set in the U.S. Virgin Islands, it tells a tense, localized story of first contact with an advanced alien race, serving as a powerful allegory for colonialism and power dynamics.
The Convergence Saga Reading Order
The Convergence Saga is a continuous, chronological story that must be read in order. The narrative is heavily serialized, following a sprawling cast of characters as they navigate a world where magic, monsters, and secret societies are suddenly revealed to the public. Reading these books out of order will result in major spoilers and confusion.
- No Gods, No Monsters (2021) – The saga begins when a police shooting of a young Black man in Boston is revealed to be a werewolf killing, setting off a chain reaction that forces the supernatural world into the light.
- We Are the Crisis (2023) – The story continues in the aftermath of the "Revelation," as humans and monsters struggle to co-exist, and a search begins for a missing werewolf who may hold the key to the future.
- A Ruin, Great and Free (2025) – The final volume of the trilogy, published by Blackstone Publishing, brings the grand conflict between human institutions and supernatural factions to its ultimate conclusion.
Standalone Novels & Anthologies
Beyond his central trilogy, Turnbull has published standalone work and contributed to notable speculative fiction anthologies:
Standalone Novels
- The Lesson (2019) – Turnbull’s debut novel. Set in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, it depicts the arrival of the Ynaa, a seemingly benevolent but highly volatile alien species whose relationship with the human population mirrors historical colonial oppression.
Anthologies and Short Stories
- Many Worlds: Or, the Simulacra (2023) – A multi-author anthology co-edited by Cadwell Turnbull and Josh Eure. This collaborative project explores reality-bending stories set within a shared multiverse, featuring Turnbull's own short piece, "Notes on the Forum of the Simulacrum."
- Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror (2023) – Edited by Jordan Peele and John Joseph Adams, this anthology features Turnbull's acclaimed horror short story, "Wandering Devil."
- Notable Standalone Short Stories: Readers looking for Turnbull's shorter fiction should seek out "Loneliness Is in Your Blood" (originally published in Nightmare Magazine, 2017) and "Jump" (originally published in Lightspeed Magazine, 2018).
What to Know Before You Start
While some promotional materials and early reviews sometimes confuse his works due to recurring themes, it is important to know that The Lesson and the Convergence Saga are entirely separate universes. There is no narrative crossover between the alien Ynaa and the monsters of the Convergence trilogy. However, both projects showcase Turnbull's signature style: rich Caribbean settings, a focus on community resistance, and a refusal to rely on easy genre tropes. His stories are slow-burn, atmospheric, and highly political, making them perfect for fans of Octavia Butler and Ursula K. Le Guin.