Charles De Lint Books in Order

Where to Start: Choose Your Magical Gateway

Charles de Lint is widely considered a pioneer of the urban fantasy genre, blending the grit of modern cities with the deep roots of Celtic, European, and Native American folklore. Because most of his books are set in a shared universe rather than a single linear story, newcomers often struggle to figure out where to begin. The good news is that you have two main pathways to choose from depending on your reading preferences:

• The Short Story Gateway: Start with Dreams Underfoot (1993). This collection of short stories is the perfect introduction to his flagship setting, the fictional city of Newford. It introduces key characters like the artist Jilly Coppercorn and the writer Geordie Riddell, giving you a feel for his style in bite-sized pieces.
• The Novel Gateway: Start with Moonheart (1984). Widely celebrated as a masterpiece of mythic fantasy, this standalone novel is set in Ottawa and centers on Tamson House, a magical manor that acts as a crossroads between worlds. It is the perfect entry point if you want a complete, high-stakes story right from the beginning.

The Newford Shared Universe: A Core Reading Path

The fictional city of Newford is the backdrop for Charles de Lint's most extensive and beloved body of work. The Newford books function like a "repertory company"—while they share a setting and a recurring cast of characters, almost all of them can be read as standalones. There is no single chronological storyline you must follow. However, de Lint himself has suggested a "core sequence" for readers who prefer a cohesive thematic flow:

1. Dreams Underfoot (1993) – The foundation collection.
2. Memory and Dream (1994) – A novel focusing on the power of art and spirits.
3. The Ivory and the Horn (1995) – A crucial follow-up short story collection.
4. Trader (1997) – A body-swapping tale that tests the identity of a local luthier.
5. Someplace to Be Flying (1998) – An epic tale centering on animal spirits and creation myths.
6. Moonlight and Vines (1998) – Another essential short story collection.
7. Forests of the Heart (2000) – A novel blending Irish and Mexican-American lore.
8. The Onion Girl (2001) – The deep-dive novel focusing on Jilly Coppercorn's painful past.

The Must-Follow Trilogy Exception

While standard Newford books can be read in any order, there is one major exception. The author explicitly recommends reading this specific trio of books in order, as they form a continuous, sequential story arc that builds directly on the events of the previous volumes:

1. The Onion Girl (2001)
2. Spirits in the Wires (2003)
3. Widdershins (2006)

Reading these out of order will spoil major character developments, particularly surrounding Jilly Coppercorn and the digital/magical intersection of the Wordwood.

The Recent Newford Additions

In recent years, de Lint has continued writing stories set in Newford, most notably featuring the character Juniper Wiles. These books are set in the same shared city and feature appearances by classic characters, but they follow a slightly different, contemporary investigator tone:

• Juniper Wiles (2021)
• Juniper Wiles and the Ghost Girls (2022)

The Moonheart and Tamson House Series

If you choose to start with Moonheart, you will be happy to know it has a direct sequel. The reading order for this subseries is straightforward:

1. Moonheart (1984)
2. Spiritwalk (1992)

Note on Novellas: Between these two main releases, de Lint published several individual novellas: Ascian in Rose (1987), Westlin Wind (1989), and Ghostwood (1990). You do not need to hunt down rare standalone copies of these; they were all compiled and integrated directly into the text of the sequel novel, Spiritwalk.

Other Notable Series and Collaborations

Outside of Newford and Moonheart, de Lint has written several smaller series and standalone novels:

The Jack of Kinrowan Duology

This fun, fairy-tale-infused urban fantasy duology adapts classic fairy tales (like Jack the Giant Killer) into a modern-day setting. The books must be read in publication order:

1. Jack, the Giant Killer (1987)
2. Drink Down the Moon (1990)

Cerin Songweaver

Centering on a Harper in a high-fantasy style setting, these are closely linked:

1. The Harp of the Grey Rose (1985)
2. Ghosts of Wind and Shadow (1990)

The Wildlings Trilogy

For younger readers, de Lint wrote a young adult trilogy focused on shapeshifters in Santa Maria:

1. Under My Skin (2012)
2. Over My Head (2013)
3. Out of This World (2014)

Co-Authored Works & Bibliographical Oddities

You may see de Lint's name associated with other lists due to shared-world projects and anthologies:

• Philip José Farmer's The Dungeon: This is a six-volume shared-world project. De Lint wrote Book 3 (The Valley of Thunder, 1989) and Book 5 (The Hidden City, 1990). While de Lint wrote these volumes, the series is a continuous story conceived by Farmer, meaning you must read all six volumes in order to understand the overarching plot.
• Dragonflight Books: Some databases group de Lint's works under a "Dragonflight Books" series. In reality, Dragonflight was a curated YA fantasy series published by Atheneum that featured books from multiple different authors. De Lint's only contribution was the novella The Dreaming Place (1990), which is also considered part of the Newford universe. Other books in that line, like Wishing Season or Dragon's Plunder, were written by other authors and are completely unrelated to his work.

What to Know Before You Start

Because de Lint's stories are heavily character-driven and deal with real-world trauma, recovery, and the healing power of art and community, they have a warm, hopeful tone. However, they also tackle dark topics like abuse, homelessness, and loss. Reading his short story collections first helps you get comfortable with the balance of light and shadow in his stories without committing to a full-length novel. Almost all of his standalones, including Mulengro (1985) and Yarrow (1986), can be read whenever you want a break from the shared universe of Newford.