Axis Of Time: Stalin's Hammer books in order

Q: "What order should I read the Stalin's Hammer novellas?"

"Read them in publication order: Rome (2012), Cairo (2016), and Paris (2016). They are set after the events of the main Axis of Time trilogy."

Q: "Do I need to read the Axis of Time trilogy before Stalin's Hammer?"

"Yes. The Stalin's Hammer novellas are a direct continuation of the Axis of Time trilogy, set in the altered Cold War that follows the events of the main series. Reading the trilogy first is necessary to understand the changed geopolitical landscape."

Q: "What is Stalin's Hammer about?"

"Set in an alternate Cold War shaped by the time-displacement event from the Axis of Time trilogy, the Stalin's Hammer novellas follow Soviet efforts to weaponize recovered future technology. The series takes place across Rome, Cairo, and Paris as Cold War tensions play out differently than in our timeline."

Reading order

#	Title	Published	Author	Buy on Amazon
1	Rome	2012	John Birmingham	Buy
2	Cairo	2016	John Birmingham	Buy
3	Paris	2016	John Birmingham	Buy

The Stalin’s Hammer novellas pick up after the events of the Axis of Time trilogy. The time-displacement event that sent a 21st-century naval fleet back to World War II has permanently changed the postwar world. The Soviet Union, having captured some of the future technology, is pursuing its own weapons programs based on what it recovered.

These three novellas follow the resulting Cold War as it plays out across different cities. The balance of power between the superpowers has shifted because both sides now have access to fragments of future knowledge and technology, but neither side has the complete picture. The stakes remain high because the altered timeline means nobody can predict what comes next.

Birmingham wrote these as shorter works that extend the Axis of Time universe without requiring a full trilogy. They are best read after the original three novels, as they build directly on that story’s conclusion and assume familiarity with the changed world.

Frequently Asked Questions

What order should I read the Stalin's Hammer novellas?

Read them in publication order: Rome (2012), Cairo (2016), and Paris (2016). They are set after the events of the main Axis of Time trilogy.

Do I need to read the Axis of Time trilogy before Stalin's Hammer?

Yes. The Stalin’s Hammer novellas are a direct continuation of the Axis of Time trilogy, set in the altered Cold War that follows the events of the main series. Reading the trilogy first is necessary to understand the changed geopolitical landscape.

What is Stalin's Hammer about?

Set in an alternate Cold War shaped by the time-displacement event from the Axis of Time trilogy, the Stalin’s Hammer novellas follow Soviet efforts to weaponize recovered future technology. The series takes place across Rome, Cairo, and Paris as Cold War tensions play out differently than in our timeline.

Reading order#

Frequently Asked Questions

Reading order