Daniel Abraham Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Daniel Abraham

Daniel Abraham is a master of speculative fiction who writes under several names. Because his works span hard science fiction, epic political fantasy, and urban fantasy, the best place to start depends entirely on your genre preference:

• For Sci-Fi Fans: Start with Leviathan Wakes, the first novel in the Hugo-winning space opera The Expanse (written under the pen name James S.A. Corey with Ty Franck).
• For Epic Fantasy Fans: Start with The Dragon's Path, the opening volume of The Dagger and the Coin. It offers a classic but economically savvy fantasy adventure that is highly accessible.
• For Lovers of Unique World-building: Start with A Shadow in Summer, the first book of The Long Price Quartet, which features a highly original magic system based on binding abstract concepts.
• For Urban Fantasy Lovers: Start with Unclean Spirits, written under his M.L.N. Hanover pseudonym, which kicks off a gritty, supernatural urban fantasy series.

The Expanse Reading Order (as James S.A. Corey)

Co-authored with Ty Franck under the joint pseudonym James S.A. Corey, The Expanse is a massive nine-novel series accompanied by several crucial novellas. While a chronological order is possible, we strongly recommend reading the novels in publication order and inserting the novellas at their respective publication spots to experience the mystery and character growth as the authors intended.

Fortunately, all of the short stories and novellas have been compiled into a single volume, Memory's Legion (2022), making it easy to catch up on the side stories.

Recommended Publication Reading Order:

1. Leviathan Wakes (2011) - Novel 1
2. "The Butcher of Anderson Station" (2011) - Novella (collected in Memory's Legion)
3. Caliban's War (2012) - Novel 2
4. "Gods of Risk" (2012) - Novella (collected in Memory's Legion)
5. "Drive" (2012) - Short Story (collected in Memory's Legion)
6. Abaddon's Gate (2013) - Novel 3
7. "The Churn" (2014) - Novella (collected in Memory's Legion)
8. Cibola Burn (2014) - Novel 4
9. Nemesis Games (2015) - Novel 5
10. "The Vital Abyss" (2015) - Novella (collected in Memory's Legion)
11. Babylon's Ashes (2016) - Novel 6
12. "Strange Dogs" (2017) - Novella (collected in Memory's Legion)
13. Persepolis Rising (2017) - Novel 7
14. Tiamat's Wrath (2019) - Novel 8
15. "Auberon" (2019) - Novella (collected in Memory's Legion)
16. Leviathan Falls (2021) - Novel 9
17. "The Sins of Our Fathers" (2022) - Novella (collected in Memory's Legion)

Note: The standalone short story "The Last Flight of the Cassandra" (2019) was written specifically for The Expanse Roleplaying Game rulebook and is not included in Memory's Legion, but it remains a fun, optional read for completionists.

The Captive's War (as James S.A. Corey)

In 2024, the Corey duo launched a brand-new space opera trilogy, The Captive's War, published by Hachette Book Group. This series is completely independent of The Expanse and focuses on humanity's struggle as captives of an advanced alien empire. The books should be read in publication order:

1. The Mercy of Gods (2024) - Novel 1
2. "Livesuit" (2024) - Novella
3. The Faith of Beasts (2026) - Novel 2

The Kithamar Trilogy (as Daniel Abraham)

Under his own name, Daniel Abraham created a unique fantasy project called the Kithamar Trilogy. Unlike traditional series where the story progresses sequentially over time, each of these three novels takes place in the same city (Kithamar) during the exact same critical year, but each is told from the perspective of different characters living through those events. They are best read in publication order:

1. Age of Ash (2022)
2. Blade of Dream (2023)
3. Judge of Worlds (Expected February 2027)

The Dagger and the Coin

This is a complete, five-book epic fantasy series that focuses on themes of economics, war, and the power of lies. Unlike many fantasy series, it has a clear, linear publication order with no side stories or companion novellas, making it straightforward to read:

1. The Dragon's Path (2011)
2. The King's Blood (2012)
3. The Tyrant's Law (2013)
4. The Widow's House (2014)
5. The Spider's War (2016)

The Long Price Quartet

Abraham's debut fantasy series is a slow-burn, character-driven masterpiece. It follows two main characters across several decades of their lives, and the magic system is deeply philosophical. The series is complete and must be read in order:

1. A Shadow in Summer (2006)
2. A Betrayal in Winter (2007)
3. An Autumn War (2008)
4. The Price of Spring (2009)

Black Sun's Daughter (as M.L.N. Hanover)

Writing as M.L.N. Hanover, Abraham penned a five-part urban fantasy series centered on a young woman who inherits a magical debt and is forced to hunt supernatural entities. Read this urban fantasy saga in chronological/publication order:

1. Unclean Spirits (2008)
2. Darker Angels (2009)
3. Vicious Grace (2010)
4. Killing Rites (2011)
5. Graveyard Child (2013)

Co-Authored Projects & Graphic Novels

Daniel Abraham has maintained a close professional relationship with George R.R. Martin. Together with Martin and Gardner Dozois, Abraham co-wrote the sci-fi novel Hunter's Run (2007). He has also adapted several of Martin's works into comic book scripts and graphic novels, including A Game of Thrones: The Graphic Novel, Skin Trade, Fevre Dream, and Starport.