Elizabeth Ann Scarborough Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Elizabeth Ann Scarborough

Because Elizabeth Ann Scarborough has written across multiple distinct subgenres, your ideal starting point depends entirely on what kind of story you are looking for.

For readers seeking literary depth and powerful emotional realism, start with the standalone novel The Healer's War. Drawing heavily on Scarborough's own experiences as a U.S. Army nurse during the Vietnam War, this Nebula Award-winning masterpiece blends the gritty reality of a military hospital with a subtle thread of magic. It is widely considered her finest solo work.

If you prefer lighthearted, humorous high fantasy with folklore and fairy tale elements, start with Song of Sorcery, the first book in the Songs from the Seashell Archives. It introduces a whimsical world populated by practical-minded heroines, eccentric witches, and dragons.

For fans of collaborative science fiction and planetary romance, start with Powers That Be, co-authored with Anne McCaffrey. This starts the Petaybee series, featuring a sentient, icy world and a retired combat officer sent to investigate its secrets.

Songs from the Seashell Archives (Argonia Series)

This lighthearted fantasy series takes place in the magical land of Argonia. The stories subvert classic fantasy tropes with humor, focusing on everyday problems in magical settings. The books should be read in publication order, as characters and relationships develop over time. Although the initial run concluded in the 1980s, Scarborough returned to the setting decades later to publish new adventures.

1. Song of Sorcery (1982)
2. The Unicorn Creed (1983)
3. Bronwyn's Bane (1983)
4. The Christening Quest (1985)
5. The Dragon, the Witch, and the Railroad (2015)
6. The Redundant Dragons (2018)

Collaborative Universes with Anne McCaffrey

Scarborough is widely recognized for her highly successful collaborations with science fiction legend Anne McCaffrey. These joint projects span several planetary systems and are best read chronologically within their respective series.

The Petaybee Universe

Set on a living, sentient ice planet, this series is split into two trilogies. The original trilogy focuses on Major Yanaba Maddock and the planet's awakening, while the sequel trilogy follows her twin children who possess the unique ability to shapeshift into seals.

1. Powers That Be (1993)
2. Power Lines (1994)
3. Power Play (1995)
4. Changelings (2005)
5. Maelstrom (2006)
6. Deluge (2007)

The Acorna Universe

This extensive space fantasy series follows Acorna, a unicorn-like humanoid girl with healing abilities, who is rescued by space salvage operators. After the main seven-novel arc, Scarborough and McCaffrey penned a three-part spin-off series focusing on Acorna's children.

1. Acorna: The Unicorn Girl (1997)
2. Acorna's Quest (1998)
3. Acorna's People (1999)
4. Acorna's World (1999)
5. Acorna's Search (2001)
6. Acorna's Rebels (2003)
7. Acorna's Triumph (2004)
8. First Warning: Acorna's Children (2005)
9. Second Wave: Acorna's Children (2006)
10. Third Watch: Acorna's Children (2007)

Tales of the Barque Cats

A fun science fiction duology centered on space-faring cats with telepathic abilities who assist human crews on long journeys, only to face a mysterious threat to their species.

1. Catalyst (2009)
2. Catacombs (2010)

The Godmother Series

This urban fantasy trilogy updates classic fairy tales for a modern audience. The story follows Felicity Fortune, a contemporary social worker who functions as a real-life fairy godmother in Seattle, helping troubled individuals navigate modern hardships using subtle magic and empathy.

1. The Godmother (1994)
2. The Godmother's Apprentice (1995)
3. The Godmother's Web (1998)

Other Notable Fantasy and Sci-Fi Series

The Songkiller Saga

A trilogy combining elements of folklore, Appalachian music, and urban fantasy. The plot follows a group of musicians and folklore collectors as they battle dark forces attempting to erase traditional folk music from human memory.

1. Phantom Banjo (1991)
2. Picking the Ballad's Bones (1991)
3. Strum Again? (1992)

V. Lovelace's Guide to the Wild West

A humorous historical fantasy duology featuring Valentine Lovelace, a theatrical journalist navigating a version of the American West populated by dragons and vampires.

1. The Drastic Dragon of Draco, Texas (1986)
2. The Goldcamp Vampire, or the Sanguinary Sourdough (1987)

The Tibet Duology

A post-apocalyptic science-fantasy duology. The story begins in Nothing Sacred with a prisoner of war in a futuristic conflict who finds refuge in a hidden valley resembling Shangri-La, and continues in Last Refuge as the survivors face new challenges.

1. Nothing Sacred (1991)
2. Last Refuge (1992)

The Cleopatra Duology

A science fiction duology centered on genetic engineering and identity, where a modern woman is implanted with the memories and personality of the historical Cleopatra.

1. Channeling Cleopatra (2002)
2. Cleopatra 7.2 (2004)

Feline Adventures and Cozy Mysteries

In her later career, Scarborough wrote heavily for cat lovers, producing cozy mysteries and short story collections centered on magical or exceptionally clever felines.

Spam the Cat Purranormal Mysteries

This lighthearted cozy mystery series features a cat named Spam who helps solve supernatural crimes and encounters vampires, ghosts, and cryptids.

1. Spam vs. the Vampire (2011)
2. Father Christmas (2012)
3. The Tour Bus of Doom (2012)
4. Spam and the Sasquatch (2016)
5. Spam, the Spooks, and the UPS Bandit (2016)

9 Tales O' Cats

A series of standalone short stories and novellas featuring various historical, mythical, and magical felines. The stories can be read in any order, though starting with the primary collection is recommended.

1. 9 Tales O' Cats (2011)
2. Bastet's Blessing (2011)
3. Boon Companion (2011)
4. Born Again (2011)
5. Cat Among the Pigeons (2011)
6. The Cat Quest of Mu Mao the Magnificent (2011)
7. Final Vows (2011)
8. Mu Mao and the Court Oracle (2011)
9. The Queen's Cat's Tale (2011)
10. Tinkler Tam and the Body Snatchers (2011)

Standalone Novels

In addition to her series, Scarborough has written several standalone works that showcase her versatility in combining historical settings, mythologies, and modern struggles.

• The Harem of Aman Akbar (1984)
• The Healer's War (1988)
• Carol for Another Christmas (1996)
• The Lady in the Loch (1998)

What to Know Before You Start

Scarborough's writing is highly characterized by its warmth, wit, and strong, pragmatic female protagonists. Her background as a nurse gives her novels a deep, empathetic understanding of healing and human suffering, which balances the lighter, humorous elements of her fantasy. When reading her collaborative works with Anne McCaffrey, it is helpful to know that their writing styles merged seamlessly, blending McCaffrey's grand world-building with Scarborough's sharp dialogue and character dynamics.