Classic Battlestar Galactica books in order

The Classic Battlestar Galactica series by Ron Goulart is a 21-book series running from 1978 to 1988, starting with Battlestar Galactica.

Reading order

# Title Published Author Buy on Amazon
1 Battlestar Galactica 1978 Ron Goulart Buy
2 Galactica 1978 Ron Goulart N/A
3 The Cylon Death Machine 1979 Ron Goulart Buy
4 Resurrection 1979 Ron Goulart N/A
5 The Tombs of Kobol 1979 Ron Goulart Buy
6 The Young Warriors 1980 Ron Goulart Buy
7 Galactica Discovers Earth 1980 Ron Goulart Buy
8 The Living Legend 1982 Ron Goulart Buy
9 War of the Gods 1982 Ron Goulart Buy
10 Greetings From Earth 1983 Ron Goulart Buy
11 Experiment in Terra 1984 Ron Goulart Buy
12 Experiment in Terra - Battlestar Galactica 09 1984 Ron Goulart N/A
13 The Long Patrol 1984 Ron Goulart Buy
14 Battlestar Galactica 11: The Nightmare Machine 1985 Ron Goulart Buy
15 The Nightmare Machine 1985 Ron Goulart Buy
16 Battlestar Galactica 12: “Die, Chameleon!” 1986 Ron Goulart N/A
17 Die, Chameleon! 1986 Ron Goulart Buy
18 Battlestar Galactica 13: Apollo’s War 1987 Ron Goulart Buy
19 Apollo’s War 1987 Ron Goulart Buy
20 Battlestar Galactica 14: Surrender the Galactica! 1988 Ron Goulart N/A
21 Surrender the Galactica! 1988 Ron Goulart Buy

The Classic Battlestar Galactica series by Ron Goulart ran for a decade, from the original Battlestar Galactica in 1978 through Surrender the Galactica! in 1988. With 21 entries in total, it is one of the longer novelization series of its era, keeping pace with and then extending well beyond the television run it adapted.

The early books — including Galactica, The Cylon Death Machine, Resurrection, and The Tombs of Kobol — were published in rapid succession between 1978 and 1979. The pace settled through the early 1980s with titles like The Living Legend, War of the Gods, and Greetings From Earth, before the later numbered entries (Apollo’s War, Die, Chameleon!, The Nightmare Machine) carried the story through to 1988. Reading in publication order gives the most complete sense of how the characters and conflicts developed across the full run.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Classic Battlestar Galactica series?

There are 21 books in the Classic Battlestar Galactica series, published between 1978 and 1988.

What is the first book in the Classic Battlestar Galactica series?

The first book in the Classic Battlestar Galactica series is Battlestar Galactica, published in 1978.

Do you need to read the Classic Battlestar Galactica books in order?

Reading the Classic Battlestar Galactica series in publication order starting with Battlestar Galactica (1978) is recommended, as characters and storylines develop across the 21 books.

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