Order of Book Series
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Marion Zimmer Bradley Books in Order

101 books are credited to Marion Zimmer Bradley, published between 1954 and 2024; 19 of them appeared after Marion Zimmer Bradley's death in 1999. The first book is The Crime Therapist (Short Story) (1954) and the newest is Arilinn (2024). Publication order is the reading order below.

Marion Zimmer Bradley also publishes as Alfrida Riversx, Astara Zimmer, Astra Zimmer, Elfrida Rivers, Elfrieda Rivers, John Dexter, John Jay Wells, Lee Chapman, Miriam Gardner, Morgan Ives, Valerie Graves.

Books
101
Published
1954–2024
Confirmed
96 of 101 titles
Pages on record
19,531 in 54 of 101 books
Reading time
326–488 hours

Reading time is an estimate, not a recorded figure: 19,531 pages at 300 words a page, read at 200–300 words a minute, covering the 54 of 101 titles with a page count on record.

See all 101 books in order Printable Marion Zimmer Bradley checklist

Fantasy, historical fantasy, science fiction and science fantasy were the fields of Marion Zimmer Bradley, an American author who lived from June 3, 1930 to September 25, 1999. Bradley is best known for the Darkover series and The Mists of Avalon, a novel of Arthurian fiction, and the writing stood out for a female perspective rarely seen before in sword and sorcery. Bradley started writing at 17, earned a Bachelor of Arts from Hardin-Simmons University, co-founded the Society for Creative Anachronism in 1966 and edited the Sword and Sorceress anthologies. The catalogue reaches back to Centaurus Changeling (1954), Falcons of Narabedla (1957) and The Door Through Space (1961), and Arilinn (2024) is the newest title in the listing.

How many Marion Zimmer Bradley books are there?

Marion Zimmer Bradley has 101 books, released between 1954 and 2024. 19 of them were published after Marion Zimmer Bradley's death in 1999. They include 9 separate series.

Marion Zimmer Bradley Books in Publication Order

The table lists all 101 Marion Zimmer Bradley books in the order they were published, with the release year, the page count where one is on record, and how many independent book listings confirm each title. Catalogue data as of September 2026.

  1. Cover of Seven from the Stars by Marion Zimmer Bradley, book 2 of the Marion Zimmer Bradley Standalone Novels series (1961)
  2. Cover of The Sword of Aldones by Marion Zimmer Bradley, book 2 of the Darkover series (1962)
  3. Cover of The Colors of Space by Marion Zimmer Bradley, book 6 of the Marion Zimmer Bradley Standalone Novels series (1963)
  4. Cover of Souvenir of Monique by Marion Zimmer Bradley, book 13 of the Marion Zimmer Bradley Standalone Novels series (1967)
  5. Cover of The World Wreckers by Marion Zimmer Bradley, book 6 of the Darkover series (1971)
  6. Cover of Darkover Landfall by Marion Zimmer Bradley, book 7 of the Darkover series (1972)
  7. Cover of The Heritage of Hastur by Marion Zimmer Bradley, book 9 of the Darkover series (1975)
  8. Cover of The Shattered Chain by Marion Zimmer Bradley, book 10 of the Darkover series (1976)
  9. Cover of Drums of Darkness by Marion Zimmer Bradley, book 18 of the Marion Zimmer Bradley Standalone Novels series (1976)
  10. Cover of The Ruins of Isis / Haunted Spaceship by Marion Zimmer Bradley (1977)
  11. Cover of The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley, book 1 of the Avalon series (1979)
  12. Cover of Two to Conquer by Marion Zimmer Bradley, book 13 of the Darkover series (1980)
  13. Cover of Web of Darkness by Marion Zimmer Bradley, book 1 of the Web Of Light series (1982)
  14. Cover of Hawkmistress! by Marion Zimmer Bradley, book 15 of the Darkover series (1982)
  15. Cover of Web of Light by Marion Zimmer Bradley, book 2 of the Web Of Light series (1983)
  16. Cover of Thendara House by Marion Zimmer Bradley, book 16 of the Darkover series (1983)
  17. Cover of The Inheritor by Marion Zimmer Bradley, book 2 of the Claire Moffatt/Occult Tales series (1984)
  18. Cover of City of Sorcery by Marion Zimmer Bradley, book 17 of the Darkover series (1984)
  19. Cover of Lythande by Marion Zimmer Bradley, book 7 of the Marion Zimmer Bradley Short Stories/Novellas series (1985)
  20. Cover of The Dead of Winter by Marion Zimmer Bradley, book 7 of the Thieves' World series (1985)
  21. Cover of Night's Daughter by Marion Zimmer Bradley, book 23 of the Marion Zimmer Bradley Standalone Novels series (1985)
  22. Cover of The Firebrand by Marion Zimmer Bradley, book 25 of the Marion Zimmer Bradley Standalone Novels series (1987)
  23. Cover of Witch Hill by Marion Zimmer Bradley, book 3 of the Claire Moffatt/Occult Tales series (1990)
  24. Cover of Jamie and Other Stories: The Best of Marion Zimmer Bradley by Marion Zimmer Bradley (1992)
  1. 1
    The Crime Therapist (Short Story)Marion Zimmer Bradley Short Stories/Novellas #11954 · confirmed 1/4
    1954–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  2. 2
    Year of the Big ThawMarion Zimmer Bradley Standalone Novels #11954 · confirmed 3/4
    1954–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  3. 3
    Centaurus Changeling (Short Story)Marion Zimmer Bradley Short Stories/Novellas #21954 · confirmed 1/4
    1954–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  4. 4
    Death Between the StarsMarion Zimmer Bradley Short Stories/Novellas #31956 · confirmed 3/4
    1956–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  5. 5
    Bird of PreyLythande Short Stories/Novellas #11957 · confirmed 3/4
    1957–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  6. 6
    Falcons of NarabedlaMarion Zimmer Bradley Short Stories/Novellas #41957 · confirmed 3/4
    1957–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  7. 7
    Checklist: A Complete, Cumulative Checklist of Lesbian, Variant and Homosexual FictionMarion Zimmer Bradley Non-Fiction #11960 · confirmed 3/4
    1960–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  8. 8
    Seven from the StarsMarion Zimmer Bradley Standalone Novels #21961 · confirmed 3/4
    1961–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  9. 9
    The Door Through SpaceMarion Zimmer Bradley Standalone Novels #31961 · 181 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1961181
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  10. 10
    The Sword of AldonesDarkover #21962 · confirmed 3/4
    1962–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  11. 11
    I am a LesbianMarion Zimmer Bradley Standalone Novels #41962 · confirmed 3/4
    1962–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  12. 12
    Measureless to Man (Short Story)Marion Zimmer Bradley Short Stories/Novellas #51962 · confirmed 1/4
    1962–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  13. 13
    The Strange Women (As: Miriam Gardner)Marion Zimmer Bradley Standalone Novels #51962 · confirmed 3/4
    1962–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  14. 14
    The Colors of SpaceMarion Zimmer Bradley Standalone Novels #61963 · 108 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1963108
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  15. 15
    My Sister, My Love (As: Miriam Gardner)Marion Zimmer Bradley Standalone Novels #71963 · confirmed 3/4
    1963–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  16. 16
    Spare Her Heaven / Anything Goes (As: Morgan Ives)Marion Zimmer Bradley Standalone Novels #81963 · confirmed 3/4
    1963–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  17. 17
    The Bloody SunDarkover #31964 · 408 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1964408
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  18. 18
    Twilight Lovers (As: Miriam Gardner)Marion Zimmer Bradley Standalone Novels #91964 · confirmed 3/4
    1964–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  19. 19
    Star of DangerDarkover #41965 · confirmed 3/4
    1965–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  20. 20
    Castle TerrorMarion Zimmer Bradley Standalone Novels #101965 · 192 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1965192
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  21. 21
    No Adam for Eve (As: John Dexter)Marion Zimmer Bradley Standalone Novels #111966 · confirmed 3/4
    1966–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  22. 22
    Knives of Desire (As: Morgan Ives)Marion Zimmer Bradley Standalone Novels #121966 · confirmed 3/4
    1966–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  23. 23
    Souvenir of MoniqueMarion Zimmer Bradley Standalone Novels #131967 · confirmed 3/4
    1967–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  24. 24
    Bluebeard's DaughterMarion Zimmer Bradley Standalone Novels #141968 · confirmed 3/4
    1968–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  25. 25
    The Brass DragonMarion Zimmer Bradley Standalone Novels #151969 · confirmed 3/4
    1969–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  26. 26
    The Winds of DarkoverDarkover #51970 · confirmed 3/4
    1970–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  27. 27
    The World WreckersDarkover #61971 · 215 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1971215
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  28. 28
    Dark SatanicClaire Moffatt/Occult Tales #11972 · 224 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1972224
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  29. 29
    Darkover LandfallDarkover #71972 · 160 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1972160
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  30. 30
    Hunters of the Red MoonHunters Series #11973 · confirmed 3/4
    1973–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK

Marion Zimmer Bradley series in order

Each series linked below has its own reading-order page.

Marion Zimmer Bradley books grouped by series

Each title below is a row in the publication-order table above. None of these groups has a reading-order page of its own on this site.

Marion Zimmer Bradley Standalone Novels

25 books

25 titles published under this heading without a numbered place in a series.

Marion Zimmer Bradley Short Stories/Novellas

10 books

10 titles published under this heading without a numbered place in a series.

Lythande Short Stories/Novellas

6 books

6 titles published under this heading without a numbered place in a series.

Marion Zimmer Bradley Short Story

4 books

4 titles published under this heading without a numbered place in a series.

Light in order

4 books
  1. 1. Ghostlight
  2. 2. Witchlight
  3. 3. Gravelight
  4. 4. Heartlight

Marion Zimmer Bradley Non-Fiction

3 books

3 titles published under this heading without a numbered place in a series.

Claire Moffatt/Occult Tales in order

3 books
  1. 1. Dark Satanic
  2. 2. The Inheritor
  3. 3. Witch Hill

Web Of Light in order

3 books
  1. 1. Web of Darkness
  2. 2. Web of Light
  3. 3. The Fall of Atlantis

Thieves' World in order

3 books
  1. 7. The Dead of Winter
  2. 15. Sanctuary
  3. 19. The Secret of the Blue Star

Hunters Series in order

2 books
  1. 1. Hunters of the Red Moon
  2. 2. The Survivors

Glenraven in order

2 books
  1. 1. Glenraven
  2. 2. In the Rift

Sixth Sense in order

1 book
  1. 1. In the Steps of the Master

Clingfire in order

1 book
  1. 1. The Fall of Neskaya

Trillium in order

1 book
  1. 4. Lady of the Trillium

Do you have to read Marion Zimmer Bradley books in order?

You only need to read Marion Zimmer Bradley books in order within each series: the books listed here span 9 separate series, and each series has its own publication order.

Where to start with Marion Zimmer Bradley

Start with the first book of the Marion Zimmer Bradley series you want to read: Darkover starts with The Planet Savers (1962) and Avalon starts with The Mists of Avalon (1979). The earliest catalogued title overall is The Crime Therapist (Short Story) (1954).

What is the newest Marion Zimmer Bradley book?

Arilinn (2024) is the newest Marion Zimmer Bradley book released so far.

Is there a new Marion Zimmer Bradley book coming?

No next Marion Zimmer Bradley book is announced in the catalogue, which is a gap in the listings it merges rather than a sign that the run has ended.

Awards Marion Zimmer Bradley has won

Wikidata records 2 awards and 18 nominations for Marion Zimmer Bradley. The most recent 12 are listed here. Each row states whether the title won or was shortlisted, and the year the award was given.

  • Inkpot Award1986Won
  • Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel1984Wonfor The Mists of Avalon
  • Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel1995Shortlistedfor The Forest House
  • Locus Award for Best Anthology1989Shortlistedfor Sword and Sorceress V
  • Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel1988Shortlistedfor The Firebrand
  • Locus Award for Best Anthology1988Shortlistedfor Sword and Sorceress IV
  • Locus Award for Best Collection1986Shortlistedfor The Best of Marion Zimmer Bradley
  • Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel1985Shortlistedfor City of Sorcery
  • Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel1984Shortlistedfor Thendara House
  • Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel1983Shortlistedfor Hawkmistress!
  • Mythopoeic Fantasy Award1983Shortlistedfor The Mists of Avalon
  • Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel1982Shortlistedfor Sharra's Exile

Marion Zimmer Bradley at a glance

Died
Marion Zimmer Bradley died in 1999, according to Wikidata.
After death
Books credited to Marion Zimmer Bradley are still being published after Marion Zimmer Bradley's death in 1999; the newest appeared in 2024.
Release pace
Marion Zimmer Bradley books have appeared more than one a year on average.
Length
19,531 pages across the 54 of 101 books with a recorded length, a median of 366 pages each.
Busiest decade
Most Marion Zimmer Bradley books, 22 of 101, were published in the 1970s.

What the Marion Zimmer Bradley books are about

60 of the 101 Marion Zimmer Bradley books carry subject tags in Open Library's catalogue. The subjects below are the ones that recur across them, most frequent first: science fiction is tagged on 31 of 60. The subjects are cataloguers’ headings, not a plot summary.

  • Science fiction 31 of 60 books
  • Darkover (Imaginary place) 25 of 60 books
  • Fantasy 18 of 60 books
  • Fiction in English 10 of 60 books
  • Life on other planets 9 of 60 books
  • New York (N.Y.) 4 of 60 books
  • Visionary & metaphysical 4 of 60 books
  • Avalon (Legendary place) 3 of 60 books
  • Jourdemayne, truth (fictitious character) 3 of 60 books