Chris Riddell Books in Order

Where to Begin with Chris Riddell

Chris Riddell is celebrated for his unique ability to blend detailed, whimsical line drawings with engaging narrative worlds. Whether writing solo or collaborating with author Paul Stewart, his works span across several distinct ages and reading levels. If you are brand new to his bibliography, your best starting point depends on what you are looking for:

• For Epic High Fantasy: Start with the Twig Saga in The Edge Chronicles, beginning with Beyond the Deepwoods.
• For Cozy Mystery & Whimsy (Ages 7-10): Start with the Ottoline series, beginning with Ottoline and the Yellow Cat.
• For Gothic Humor & Puns (Ages 8-12): Start with the Goth Girl series, starting with Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse.
• For Steampunk Horror (Ages 9-12): Dive into Barnaby Grimes, starting with The Curse of the Nightwolf.

The Edge Chronicles: Two Ways to Read

Co-created with Paul Stewart, The Edge Chronicles is a massive, highly detailed high fantasy series spanning several generations and Ages of Flight. The authors designed each saga to stand relatively well on its own, but there are two primary paths readers choose: Chronological Order (following the history of the world) and Publication Order (how the mysteries were originally revealed).

The In-Universe Chronological Order (Recommended by Authors)

Reading the books chronologically helps you follow the progression of the Edge's technology, the floating city of Sanctaphrax, and the lineage of the characters across generations. This order groups the books into distinct sagas:

1. The Quint Saga (First Age of Flight)
Quint is the son of a sky pirate captain and the father of Twig. This saga sets up the origins of Sanctaphrax and the academic rivalries of the Edge.

• The Curse of the Gloamglozer (2001)
• The Winter Knights (2005)
• The Clash of the Sky Galleons (2006)

2. The Twig Saga (Second Age of Flight)
Twig is raised by woodtrolls and goes on an epic quest to find his true identity, eventually becoming a sky pirate captain.

• Beyond the Deepwoods (1998)
• Stormchaser (1999)
• Midnight Over Sanctaphrax (2000)

3. The Rook Saga (Third Age of Flight)
Rook Barkwater is an apprentice librarian who becomes a sky pirate in an era where sky sailing has become much more dangerous.

• The Last of the Sky Pirates (2002)
• Vox (2003)
• Freeglader (2004)

4. The Nate Saga / Standalone Era
This book bridges the classic era of the Edge with the far future, following Nate Quarter as he ventures into the deep woods.

• The Immortals (2009)

5. The Cade Saga (Third Age of Flight - Later Era)
Set hundreds of years after the original sagas, this follows Cade Quarter as he fights for survival on the shifting borders of the Edge.

• The Nameless One (2014)
• Doombringer (2015)
• The Descenders (2019)

6. Companion Collections and Side Stories
These novellas and maps can be read at any point, but are best enjoyed after you have familiarized yourself with the main sagas:

• Cloud Wolf (2001)
• Maps (2004)
• The Stone Pilot (2006)
• The Lost Barkscrolls (2007)

The Publication Order

Many readers prefer publication order because it allows you to experience the world exactly as it was built by the creators. If you follow this path, you start with Twig, go back in time to Quint, jump forward to Rook, back to Quint, and so on. The exact publication order is:

1. Beyond the Deepwoods (1998)
2. Stormchaser (1999)
3. Midnight Over Sanctaphrax (2000)
4. The Curse of the Gloamglozer (2001)
5. Cloud Wolf (2001)
6. The Last of the Sky Pirates (2002)
7. Vox (2003)
8. Freeglader (2004)
9. Maps (2004)
10. The Winter Knights (2005)
11. The Stone Pilot (2006)
12. The Clash of the Sky Galleons (2006)
13. The Lost Barkscrolls (2007)
14. The Immortals (2009)
15. The Nameless One (2014)
16. Doombringer (2015)
17. The Descenders (2019)

Ottoline Series Reading Order

Written and illustrated entirely by Chris Riddell, Ottoline is a charming, award-winning series about a clever girl named Ottoline Brown and her hairy, best friend Mr. Munroe. The books are heavily illustrated, featuring secret clues in the artwork. They should be read in order:

1. Ottoline and the Yellow Cat (2007)
2. Ottoline Goes to School (2008)
3. Ottoline at Sea (2010)
4. Ottoline and the Purple Fox (2016)

Goth Girl Series Reading Order

Set in the gothic mansion of Ghastly-Gorm Hall, this series follows Ada Goth, the daughter of Lord Goth, as she makes friends with ghosts, mice, and quirky houseguests. The books are full of literary parodies and puns. The recommended reading order is:

1. Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse (2013)
2. Goth Girl and the Fete Worse than Death (2014)
3. Goth Girl and the Wuthering Fright (2015)
4. Goth Girl and the Pirate Queen (2015)
5. Goth Girl and the Sinister Symphony (2019)

Note: Goth Girl and the Pirate Queen was originally published as a special World Book Day release, but it fits neatly as a fun side-adventure between the third and fifth books.

Other Notable Collaborations with Paul Stewart

Stewart and Riddell are one of children's literature's most productive duos. Beyond the Edge, they have built several other highly original worlds:

Barnaby Grimes

A dark, atmospheric series about a "tick-tack-toe" messenger who climbs over the rooftops of a Victorian-esque city and encounters supernatural beasts.

1. The Curse of the Nightwolf (2007)
2. Return of the Emerald Skull (2008)
3. Legion of the Dead (2008)
4. Phantom of Blood Alley (2010)

Wyrmeweald

A darker, YA-oriented fantasy trilogy set in a harsh wilderness populated by dangerous, dragon-like wyrms.

1. Returner's Wealth (2010)
2. Bloodhoney (2012)
3. The Bone Trail (2013)

Scavenger Trilogy

A sci-fi adventure set on a giant colony ship where humans must survive against rebellious robots called Zoids.

1. Zoid (2014)
2. Scavenger (2015)
3. Mind Warp (2016)

Far-Flung Adventures

Lighthearted, episodic adventures set in the same whimsical world, following different young heroes.

1. Fergus Crane (2004)
2. Corby Flood (2005)
3. Hugo Pepper (2006)

Muddle Earth

A parody of classic high fantasy (specifically The Lord of the Rings), following a normal boy named Joe who gets summoned to a highly chaotic, confusing fantasy world.

1. Muddle Earth (2003)
2. Here be Dragons (2003)
3. Muddle Earth Too (2003)
4. Doctor Cuddles of Giggle Glade (2005)