Liaden Universe Books in Order
Liaden Universe by Sharon Lee contains 75 books, published between 1988 and 2025. The first book is Conflict of Honors (1988) and the newest is Civilized Behavior (2025). Publication order is the reading order below.
- Books
- 75
- Published
- 1988–2025
- Confirmed
- 75 of 75 titles
- Pages on record
- 9,101 in 34 of 75 books
The Liaden Universe is the imaginary setting of a space opera sequence begun by Sharon Lee in 1988 with Agent of Change and Conflict of Honors. Carpe Diem followed in 1989, Plan B and Duty Bound in 1999, and the Adventures In The Liaden Universe collections gather shorter pieces such as Two Tales of Korval (1995), Fellow Travelers (1998) and Certain Symmetry (2000). Seventy-five books reach Civilized Behavior in 2025. Life on other planets, space colonies and family ties run through the sequence.
How many Liaden Universe books are there?
Liaden Universe has 75 books, released between 1988 and 2025.
Liaden Universe Books in Publication Order
The table lists all 75 Liaden Universe 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.
- 11988–3/4
- 219883203/4
- 31989–3/4
- 41995–3/4
- 51998–3/4
- 61999–3/4
- 719993363/4
- 82000–3/4
- 92001–3/4
- 102001–3/4
- 112001–3/4
- 1220023203/4
- 1320023203/4
- 1420024803/4
- 152002–3/4
- 162003–3/4
- 1720044323/4
- 182004–3/4
- 192005–3/4
- 2020053523/4
- 212005–3/4
- 2220063843/4
- 232006613/4
- 2420073033/4
- 252007603/4
- 262008–3/4
- 272009–3/4
- 282009–3/4
- 292010–3/4
- 302010–3/4
- 3120103593/4
- 322010–3/4
- 332011–3/4
- 342011–3/4
- 352011–3/4
- 362011663/4
- 372012–3/4
- 382012–3/4
- 3920134643/4
- 4020134803/4
- 412013–3/4
- 4220133563/4
- 432013523/4
- 442013713/4
- 4520153683/4
- 4620154043/4
- 472015–3/4
- 482016733/4
- 492016–3/4
- 5020163553/4
- 512017–3/4
- 5220171033/4
- 532017793/4
- 5420173523/4
- 5520171033/4
- 5620181163/4
- 5720185923/4
- 5820193363/4
- 592019903/4
- 6020193363/4
- 6120191083/4
- 622020–3/4
- 6320201023/4
- 642020–3/4
- 6520203683/4
- 662021–3/4
- 672021–3/4
- 682021–3/4
- 692022–3/4
- 702022–3/4
- 712022–3/4
- 722023–3/4
- 732024–3/4
- 742025–3/4
- 752025–3/4
Liaden Universe Books in Chronological Order
In story order, Crystal Soldier comes first and Diviner's Bow comes last. Chronological order follows the events inside the story rather than the release dates. The 31 books with a recorded story position run in that sequence below.
- 9Crystal Soldier2005 · 352 pages · confirmed 3/420053523/4
- 10Crystal Dragon2006 · 384 pages · confirmed 3/420063843/4
- 8Balance of Trade2004 · 432 pages · confirmed 3/420044323/4
- 13Landed Alien2010 · confirmed 3/42010–3/4
- 18Trade Secret2013 · 356 pages · confirmed 3/420133563/4
- 32Fair Trade2022 · confirmed 3/42022–3/4
- 5Local Custom2002 · 320 pages · confirmed 3/420023203/4
- 6Scout's Progress2002 · 320 pages · confirmed 3/420023203/4
- 14Mouse and Dragon2010 · 359 pages · confirmed 3/420103593/4
- 1Conflict of Honors1988 · confirmed 3/41988–3/4
- 2Agent of Change1988 · 320 pages · confirmed 3/419883203/4
- 3Carpe Diem1989 · confirmed 3/41989–3/4
- 11Fledgling2009 · confirmed 3/42009–3/4
- 12Saltation2010 · confirmed 3/42010–3/4
- 4Plan B1999 · 336 pages · confirmed 3/419993363/4
- 7I Dare2002 · 480 pages · confirmed 3/420024803/4
- 15Ghost Ship2011 · confirmed 3/42011–3/4
- 17Necessity's Child2013 · confirmed 3/42013–3/4
- 16Dragon Ship2012 · confirmed 3/42012–3/4
- 20Dragon in Exile2015 · 404 pages · confirmed 3/420154043/4
- 21Chimera2015 · confirmed 3/42015–3/4
- 23Friend of a Friend2016 · confirmed 3/42016–3/4
- 24Alliance of Equals2016 · 355 pages · confirmed 3/420163553/4
- 25The Gathering Edge2017 · 352 pages · confirmed 3/420173523/4
- 28Neogenesis2018 · 592 pages · confirmed 3/420185923/4
- 29Accepting the Lance2019 · 336 pages · confirmed 3/420193363/4
- 30Preferred Seating2020 · confirmed 3/42020–3/4
- 31Trader's Leap2020 · 368 pages · confirmed 3/420203683/4
- 33Salvage Right2023 · confirmed 3/42023–3/4
- 34Ribbon Dance2024 · confirmed 3/42024–3/4
- 35Diviner's Bow2025 · confirmed 3/42025–3/4
Do you have to read Liaden Universe books in order?
You should read the Liaden Universe books in publication order, the order of the numbered table above. The catalogue does not record whether each Liaden Universe book also stands alone.
Where to start with Liaden Universe
Start with Conflict of Honors (1988), the earliest published title. In the chronological order, Crystal Soldier comes first.
What is the newest Liaden Universe book?
Civilized Behavior (2025) is the newest Liaden Universe book released so far.
Is there a new Liaden Universe book coming?
No next Liaden Universe book is announced in the catalogue, which is a gap in the listings it merges rather than a sign that the run has ended.
Liaden Universe at a glance
- Still running
- Liaden Universe is still running, with a title published as recently as 2025.
- Release pace
- Liaden Universe books have appeared more than one a year on average.
- Length
- 9,101 pages across the 34 of 75 books with a recorded length, a median of 328 pages each.
- Busiest decade
- Most Liaden Universe books, 33 of 75, were published in the 2010s.
What the Liaden Universe books are about
31 of the 75 Liaden Universe 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 19 of 31. The subjects are cataloguers’ headings, not a plot summary.
- Science fiction 19 of 31 books
- Life on other planets 12 of 31 books
- Space opera 4 of 31 books
- Space colonies 4 of 31 books
- Life on other planets -- Fiction 2 of 31 books
- Science fiction, action & adventure 2 of 31 books
More books by Sharon Lee
The author page linked below lists every book in publication order.
- Sharon Lee books in order 99 books
Series that include Liaden Universe books
The series linked below has its own reading-order page.