Anthologies#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Flights |
2004 |
Buy |
| The Palencar Project |
2012 |
Buy |
| The Mad Scientist’s Guide to World Domination |
2013 |
Buy |
| Story Behind the Book : Volume 1 |
2013 |
Buy |
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Archform |
2002 |
Buy |
| Flash |
2004 |
Buy |
Corean Chronicles Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Legacies |
2002 |
Buy |
| Darknesses |
2003 |
Buy |
| Scepters |
2004 |
Buy |
| Cadmian’s Choice |
2006 |
Buy |
| Alector’s Choice |
2005 |
Buy |
| Soarer’s Choice |
2006 |
Buy |
| The Lord-Protector’s Daughter |
2008 |
Buy |
| Lady-Protector |
2011 |
Buy |
Ecolitan Matter Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Ecolitan Operation |
1989 |
Buy |
| The Ecologic Secession |
1990 |
Buy |
| The Ecologic Envoy |
1986 |
Buy |
| The Ecolitan Enigma |
1997 |
Buy |
Forever Hero Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Dawn for a Distant Earth |
1987 |
Buy |
| The Silent Warrior |
1987 |
Buy |
| In Endless Twilight |
1988 |
Buy |
Grand Illusion Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Isolate |
2021 |
Buy |
| Councilor |
2022 |
Buy |
| Contrarian |
2023 |
Buy |
| Legalist |
2025 |
Buy |
Imager Portfolio Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Imager |
2009 |
Buy |
| Imager’s Challenge |
2009 |
Buy |
| Imager’s Intrigue |
2010 |
Buy |
| Scholar |
2011 |
Buy |
| Princeps |
2012 |
Buy |
| Princeps a novel in the Imager portfolio |
2012 |
N/A |
| Imager’s Battalion |
2013 |
Buy |
| Antiagon Fire |
2013 |
Buy |
| Rex Regis |
2014 |
Buy |
| Madness in Solidar |
2015 |
Buy |
| Treachery’s Tools |
2016 |
Buy |
| Assassin’s Price |
2017 |
Buy |
| Endgames |
2019 |
Buy |
Johan Eschbach Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Of Tangible Ghosts |
1994 |
Buy |
| The Ghost of the Revelator |
1998 |
Buy |
| Ghost of the White Nights |
2001 |
Buy |
| Ghosts of Columbia |
2005 |
Buy |
Parafaith Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Parafaith War |
1996 |
Buy |
| The Ethos Effect |
2003 |
Buy |
Saga Of Recluce Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Recluce Tales: Stories from the World of Recluce |
2017 |
N/A |
| The Magic of Recluce |
1991 |
Buy |
| The Towers of the Sunset |
1992 |
Buy |
| The Magic Engineer |
1994 |
Buy |
| The Order War |
1995 |
Buy |
| The Death of Chaos |
1995 |
Buy |
| Fall of Angels |
1996 |
Buy |
| The Chaos Balance |
1997 |
Buy |
| The White Order |
1998 |
Buy |
| Colors of Chaos |
1998 |
Buy |
| Magi’i of Cyador |
2000 |
Buy |
| Scion of Cyador |
2000 |
Buy |
| Wellspring of Chaos |
2004 |
Buy |
| Ordermaster |
2005 |
Buy |
| Natural Ordermage |
2007 |
Buy |
| Mage-Guard of Hamor |
2008 |
Buy |
| Arms-Commander |
2009 |
Buy |
| Cyador’s Heirs |
2014 |
Buy |
| Heritage of Cyador |
2014 |
Buy |
| The Mongrel Mage |
2017 |
Buy |
| Outcasts of Order |
2018 |
Buy |
| The Mage-Fire War |
2019 |
Buy |
| Fairhaven Rising |
2021 |
Buy |
| From the Forest |
2024 |
Buy |
| Overcaptain |
2024 |
Buy |
| Sub-Majer’s Challenge |
2025 |
Buy |
| Last of the First |
2026 |
Buy |
Saga Of Recluce Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Recluce Tales: Stories from the World of Recluce |
2017 |
N/A |
| The Magic of Recluce |
1991 |
Buy |
| The Towers of the Sunset |
1992 |
Buy |
| The Magic Engineer |
1994 |
Buy |
| The Order War |
1995 |
Buy |
| The Death of Chaos |
1995 |
Buy |
| Fall of Angels |
1996 |
Buy |
| The Chaos Balance |
1997 |
Buy |
| The White Order |
1998 |
Buy |
| Colors of Chaos |
1998 |
Buy |
| Magi’i of Cyador |
2000 |
Buy |
| Scion of Cyador |
2000 |
Buy |
| Wellspring of Chaos |
2004 |
Buy |
| Ordermaster |
2005 |
Buy |
| Natural Ordermage |
2007 |
Buy |
| Mage-Guard of Hamor |
2008 |
Buy |
| Arms-Commander |
2009 |
Buy |
| Cyador’s Heirs |
2014 |
Buy |
| Heritage of Cyador |
2014 |
Buy |
| The Mongrel Mage |
2017 |
Buy |
| Outcasts of Order |
2018 |
Buy |
| The Mage-Fire War |
2019 |
Buy |
| Fairhaven Rising |
2021 |
Buy |
| From the Forest |
2024 |
Buy |
| Overcaptain |
2024 |
Buy |
| Sub-Majer’s Challenge |
2025 |
Buy |
| Last of the First |
2026 |
Buy |
| Of Tangible Ghosts |
1994 |
Buy |
| The Ghost of the Revelator |
1998 |
Buy |
| Ghost of the White Nights |
2001 |
Buy |
| Ghosts of Columbia |
2005 |
Buy |
Saga Of Recluce Collections Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Recluce Tales: Stories from the World of Recluce |
2017 |
N/A |
| The Magic of Recluce |
1991 |
N/A |
| Recluce Tales |
2017 |
Buy |
| The Towers of the Sunset |
1992 |
N/A |
| The Magic Engineer |
1994 |
N/A |
| The Order War |
1995 |
N/A |
| The Death of Chaos |
1995 |
N/A |
| Fall of Angels |
1996 |
N/A |
| The Chaos Balance |
1997 |
N/A |
| The White Order |
1998 |
N/A |
| Colors of Chaos |
1998 |
N/A |
| Magi’i of Cyador |
2000 |
N/A |
| Scion of Cyador |
2000 |
N/A |
| Ordermaster |
2005 |
N/A |
| Natural Ordermage |
2007 |
N/A |
| Mage-Guard of Hamor |
2008 |
N/A |
| Arms-Commander |
2009 |
N/A |
| Cyador’s Heirs |
2014 |
N/A |
| Heritage of Cyador |
2014 |
N/A |
| The Mongrel Mage |
2017 |
N/A |
| Outcasts of Order |
2018 |
N/A |
| The Mage-Fire War |
2019 |
N/A |
| Fairhaven Rising |
2021 |
N/A |
| From the Forest |
2024 |
N/A |
| Overcaptain |
2024 |
N/A |
| Sub-Majer’s Challenge |
2025 |
N/A |
Short Story Collections#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Viewpoints Critical: Selected Stories |
2008 |
Buy |
Spellsong Cycle Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Soprano Sorceress |
1997 |
Buy |
| The Spellsong War |
1998 |
Buy |
| Darksong Rising |
1999 |
Buy |
| The Shadow Sorceress |
2001 |
Buy |
| Shadowsinger |
2002 |
Buy |
Standalone Novels#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Hammer of Darkness |
1985 |
Buy |
| The Green Progression |
1992 |
Buy |
| Adiamante |
1996 |
Buy |
| Gravity Dreams |
1999 |
Buy |
| The Octagonal Raven |
2001 |
Buy |
| The Eternity Artifact |
2005 |
Buy |
| The Elysium Commission |
2007 |
Buy |
| Haze |
2009 |
Buy |
| Empress of Eternity |
2010 |
Buy |
| The One-Eyed Man |
2013 |
Buy |
| Solar Express |
2015 |
Buy |
| Quantum Shadows |
2020 |
Buy |
The Palencar Project#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| New World Blues |
2012 |
Buy |
Timegods’ World Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Timegod |
1982 |
N/A |
| The Timegod / The Fires of Paratime |
1982 |
Buy |
| Timediver’s Dawn |
1992 |
Buy |
L.E. Modesitt Jr. has been writing science fiction and fantasy since the early 1980s, building a body of work that exceeds 150 books. His Saga of Recluce, which started with The Magic of Recluce in 1991, spans over two dozen novels set in a world where order and chaos magic shape civilizations across different eras. The series is known for its thoughtful approach to magic systems and its focus on craftsmanship and practical problem-solving alongside traditional fantasy adventure.
Beyond Recluce, Modesitt has created numerous other series. The Imager Portfolio follows a painter who discovers magical abilities in a society that fears and regulates magic users. The Spellsong Cycle features a singer transported to a world where music is the basis of magical power. His science fiction works include the Ecolitan Matter series, the Forever Hero trilogy, and standalone novels like Gravity Dreams and Solar Express. The Grand Illusion series, begun in 2021, represents his most recent fantasy venture. Throughout his career, Modesitt has earned a reputation for intelligent world-building, complex ethical dilemmas, and protagonists who succeed through competence rather than chosen-one destiny.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books has L.E. Modesitt Jr written?
L.E. Modesitt Jr has written 150 books across seventeen series.
What was L.E. Modesitt Jr's first book?
L.E. Modesitt Jr’s first book is The Timegod, published in 1982.
What is the best L.E. Modesitt Jr. series to start with?
The Saga of Recluce is L.E. Modesitt Jr.’s most popular series and a good starting point, beginning with The Magic of Recluce (1991). For science fiction readers, the Imager Portfolio starting with Imager (2009) or the Grand Illusion series starting with Isolate (2021) are strong alternatives.