Craig A. Falconer Books in Order

Where to Start with Craig A. Falconer

If you are new to Craig A. Falconer’s science fiction universes, finding the right entry point can seem daunting. The Scottish author has built several distinct worlds, each featuring his trademark combination of plausible "hard" science, political intrigue, and high-stakes adventure. Depending on what style of sci-fi you prefer, there are three primary starting points:

• For Epic First-Contact & Conspiracy: Start with Not Alone (2015). This is Falconer’s flagship series, focusing on a massive government cover-up, alien contact, and global tension. It is a slow-burn thriller that grows into a massive multi-trilogy saga.
• For Post-Apocalyptic Space Survival: Start with Last Man Standing (2022), the first novel in The Earthburst Saga. This series is perfect for readers who love high-stakes orbital operations, survival mechanics, and fast-paced action.
• For Classic Planetary Adventure: Start with Terradox (2017) or its prequel novella Terradox Zero: Before the Crash. It follows a spaceship crash landing on a hostile planet and features dangerous alien environments and advanced nanotechnology.

The Not Alone Universe Reading Order

The Not Alone series is Falconer's most famous and expansive work. The story begins with a young man finding evidence of alien life that the government has hidden for decades. Rather than a single endless run, the main storyline is divided into three distinct, chronological trilogy arcs, followed by an origins collection. To get the full experience, you should read them in order of publication.

1. The Contact Trilogy

This opening trilogy establishes the central conspiracy and the initial fallout of humanity realizing they are not alone in the universe.

• Not Alone (2015)
• Second Contact (2018)
• The Final Call (2019)

2. The Discovery Trilogy

This second arc shifts the focus toward the geopolitical consequences, newly discovered anomalies, and deeper space exploration.

• Fractured Union (2019)
• Leap of Destiny (2020)
• Revelations (2020)

3. The Evolution Trilogy

The final core trilogy raises the stakes to a cosmic level, dealing with the long-term future of human-alien relations and survival.

• The Awakening (2021)
• Hidden Wonder (2021)
• Endgame (2021)

4. Prequels and Companion Stories

Once you finish the main trilogy arcs, or if you want extra context along the way, you can dive into the companion works:

• Not Alone: First Encounter: A prequel novella that introduces Richard Walker and the early years of the Interspace Defense Agency. While chronologically first, it is best read after the first book or the first trilogy to avoid spoiling the mystery.
• Not Alone: Origins (2021): A collection of character background stories (which includes First Encounter) that is best read after finishing the main nine books.

The Earthburst Saga Reading Order

The Earthburst Saga is a tense, near-future survival series centered around an orbital disaster and humanity's desperate scramble to survive. The recommended order is to follow the publication order. However, there is a minor chronological caveat regarding the prequel story.

The publication order of the books is:

1. Last Man Standing (2022)
2. Into The Fire (2022)
3. Operation Starshot (2023)
4. The Anomaly (2023)
5. Reason To Fear (2023)
6. The Last Horizon (2023)
7. Echoes Of Destiny (2023)
8. The Reckoning (2024)
9. All Or Nothing (2024)
10. Beyond The Limit (2024)

Chronological Caveat: The final book listed in the publication order, Beyond The Limit (2024), is actually a prequel novella detailing the events leading up to the Earthburst crisis. While you can read it first as a chronological entry point (often designated as Book 0.5), readers generally recommend starting with the main novel Last Man Standing to experience the immediate impact of the crisis first, saving the prequel for later background context.

The Terradox Series Reading Order

The Terradox series follows the crew of a crashed colony ship trying to survive on a mysterious, hostile planet. The narrative is highly serial, meaning you must read them in order. The prequel novella Terradox Zero: Before the Crash can be read first, but the core quadrilogy is structured as follows:

1. Terradox (2017)
2. The Fall of Terradox (2017)
3. Terradox Reborn (2018)
4. Terradox Beyond (2019)

The Sycamore (Cyber Seed) Quadrilogy

One of Falconer's earliest projects, the Sycamore series, is a dystopian techno-thriller focused on virtual reality, corporate control, and augmented reality. The series must be read in numerical order:

1. Sycamore (2013)
2. Sycamore 2 (2015)
3. Sycamore X (2016)
4. Sycamore XL (2016)

Sci-Fi Sizzlers (Standalone Stories)

For readers looking for quick, self-contained stories, Falconer publishes the Sci-Fi Sizzlers series. These are quick standalone stories exploring different speculative concepts—ranging from artificial intelligence to time travel and space exploration. There is no continuing plot, meaning you can read or listen to them in any order. The publication order is as follows:

1. Wanderlust (2020)
2. Pamela 2.0 (2020)
3. Sunset Stays (2020)
4. Pumpkin Splice (2020)
5. Happy, Inc. (2020)
6. When Santa Slays (2020)
7. Arise With Us (2021)
8. Replica (2021)
9. Whence They Came (2021)
10. A Scent Of Man (2021)
11. Megaton Murphy (2021)
12. Yester Year (2021)
13. Too Good To Be True (2021)
14. Bound For Glory (2021)
15. Funscreen (2022)
16. Seedling (2023)
17. Empty Nesters (2023)
18. A Savage In The Future (2023)
19. Saturn For Sale (2024)
20. Oracle (2024)