Christopher Buehlman Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Christopher Buehlman

Because Christopher Buehlman writes across multiple subgenres—ranging from epic dark fantasy to historical Southern Gothic horror—the best place to start depends heavily on your reading preferences. There are two primary entry points recommended for new readers:

• For Fantasy Fans: Start with The Blacktongue Thief (2021). It is a witty, fast-paced dark fantasy novel featuring a highly original magic system, goblin wars, and a sarcastic protagonist. It is one of his most popular books and serves as the perfect introduction to his world-building and sharp humor.
• For Horror Fans: Start with Between Two Fires (2012). Set in 14th-century France during the Black Death, this novel is a masterpiece of historical dark fantasy and theological horror. It follows a disgraced knight and a young girl on a pilgrimage through a hellish landscape, blending survival horror with epic cosmic stakes.

The Blacktongue Universe

Buehlman's fantasy world is his only formal series to date. It consists of a primary novel and a prequel. While you can read them chronologically, the community and narrative structure strongly favor publication order.

1. The Blacktongue Thief (2021)

This novel introduces readers to Kinch Na Shannack, a talented young thief who is deeply in debt to the Guild of Take. To pay off his dues, he is sent on a mission that pairs him with Galva, a knight of the death goddess. Together they navigate a dangerous world recovering from a devastating war against goblins. The book is celebrated for its first-person narration, distinct slang, and rich lore.

2. The Daughters' War (2024)

This is a prequel novel set during the height of the Goblin Wars, years before the events of the first book. It is told from the perspective of Galva as she and her military unit attempt to survive the brutal conflict using giant war corvids (ravens).

Reading Advice: Prequel or Sequel First?

Even though The Daughters' War takes place first chronologically, you should read The Blacktongue Thief first. The prequel assumes familiarity with the world's geography, magic rules, and general history. Reading the books in publication order makes the emotional weight of Galva's backstory in the prequel significantly more impactful.

The Shared Vampire Universe

Buehlman has written two highly acclaimed vampire novels. While they are separate stories featuring different characters, they exist within the same universe and share the same dark vampire mythology.

1. The Suicide Motor Club (2016)

Set in the late 1960s, this novel follows a group of vampires who travel the American highway system in muscle cars, preying on drivers and leaving staged accidents in their wake. It is a fast-paced, grindhouse-style road thriller about vengeance and survival.

2. The Lesser Dead (2014)

Set in 1978 Manhattan, this book follows Joey Peacock, a permanently young vampire who lives in the subway tunnels of New York City. The status quo of the underground vampire society is threatened when they discover a group of strange, feral vampire children living deeper in the tunnels.

Reading Advice: Connections and Chronology

Because The Suicide Motor Club takes place in the late 1960s and The Lesser Dead takes place in 1978, the chronological order is the reverse of their publication order. The two books are linked by a character named Clayton, who plays a major role in The Suicide Motor Club and is referenced in The Lesser Dead. However, because both stories are fully self-contained, they can be read in either order without spoiling the other.

Standalone Horror and Fantasy Novels

If you prefer standalone stories that require no series commitment, Buehlman has three excellent standalone novels, each exploring a different subgenre of horror and dark fantasy:

• Those Across the River (2011): Buehlman's debut novel is a slow-burn Southern Gothic horror story. Set in 1935, it follows a World War I veteran and his lover who move to a family estate in Georgia, only to uncover a terrifying monthly ritual involving the local forest and the ruins of a plantation.
• The Necromancer's House (2013): A modern-day dark urban fantasy. It follows Andrew Ranulf Blankenship, a warlock and recovering alcoholic living in upstate New York who communicates with the dead. His life is threatened when he accidentally draws the ire of the legendary Slavic witch Baba Yaga.
• Between Two Fires (2012): A historical horror epic that stands as one of the most widely recommended dark fantasy novels of the 2010s, combining medieval plague realities with biblical apocalypse elements.

Complete Publication Order of Christopher Buehlman's Novels

1. Those Across the River (2011)
2. Between Two Fires (2012)
3. The Necromancer's House (2013)
4. The Lesser Dead (2014)
5. The Suicide Motor Club (2016)
6. The Blacktongue Thief (2021)
7. The Daughters' War (2024)

What to Know Before You Start: The Audiobook Experience

Before diving into Christopher Buehlman's work, it is highly recommended to consider the audiobook editions. Buehlman spent over two decades performing as a comedian ('Christophe the Insultor') at renaissance festivals, and he brings this theatrical background to his narration. He personally narrates the audiobooks for The Blacktongue Thief and The Lesser Dead. His narration is widely praised by fans for his mastery of accents, distinct character voices, and rhythmic delivery, making the audio versions an exceptionally immersive way to experience his writing.