Honor Harrington books in order

Complete reading order for the Honor Harrington series and Honorverse by David Weber. Military space opera across multiple sub-series.

Honor Harrington Main Series

# Title Year Buy on Amazon
1 On Basilisk Station 1992 Buy
2 The Honor of the Queen 1993 Buy
3 The Short Victorious War 1994 Buy
4 Field of Dishonor 1994 Buy
5 Flag in Exile 1995 Buy
6 Honor Among Enemies 1996 Buy
7 In Enemy Hands 1997 Buy
8 Echoes of Honor 1998 Buy
9 Ashes of Victory 2000 Buy
10 War of Honor 2002 Buy
11 At All Costs 2005 Buy
12 Mission of Honor 2010 Buy
13 A Rising Thunder 2012 Buy
14 Shadow of Freedom 2013 Buy
15 Shadow of Victory 2016 Buy
16 Uncompromising Honor 2018 Buy

Manticore Ascendant Prequels (co-written with Timothy Zahn & Thomas Pope)

# Title Year Buy on Amazon
1 A Call to Duty 2014 Buy
2 A Call to Arms 2015 Buy
3 A Call to Vengeance 2015 Buy

David Weber’s Honor Harrington began in 1992 with On Basilisk Station, introducing a Horatio Hornblower-inspired space opera where Honor Harrington, a commander in the Royal Manticoran Navy’s light cruiser Hermes, inherits an ancient ship and must whip her crew into shape before the Havenite Empire invades Basilisk system.

Sixteen main-series novels follow Honor through decades of war, peace, politics, and assassination attempts. Weber writes space opera with attention to military detail, political consequences, and technological progression. The series spans thirty years in-universe, with Honor aging from commander to admiral, and Manticore’s politics shifting as enemies and allies rise and fall.

The Honorverse expands beyond Honor herself. The Manticore Ascendant trilogy (co-authored with Timothy Zahn) tells the story of how the Star Kingdom formed centuries before On Basilisk Station. Crown of Slaves focuses on intelligence operations. Saganami Island follows other officers. WINT anthologies collect shorter tales by Weber and others. The universe is large enough to support multiple perspectives while maintaining the same history and technology.

Publication order works best for the main series. Honor’s development, relationships, and political position grow naturally. Read On Basilisk Station through Uncompromising Honor in sequence. Then decide if you want the prequels or side stories. The sub-series enrich the world but aren’t required for Honor’s complete narrative.

Weber continues writing. The Honorverse remains one of military science fiction’s longest-running shared universes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What order should I read the Honor Harrington books?

Begin with the main Honor Harrington series in publication order: On Basilisk Station through Uncompromising Honor. Then decide if you want more. The sub-series—Saganami Island, WINT, Manticore Ascendant prequels, Crown of Slaves—expand the universe but aren’t required for the main story. Publication order for the main series provides the best experience.

In what order should I read the sub-series?

After finishing the main Honor Harrington series, read the Manticore Ascendant prequels for backstory on how the Star Kingdom of Manticore formed. Then explore Crown of Slaves for intelligence operations. The novels within Honorverse function as interconnected pieces rather than continuous arcs. Read whatever interests you once the main story concludes.

How many Honor Harrington books are there?

16 main-series novels published 1992-2018. The Honorverse also includes the Manticore Ascendant prequels, Crown of Slaves intelligence series, Saganami Island officers, and WINT anthologies. Over 20 books total in the shared universe.

What is the Honorverse?

The Honorverse is the shared universe containing Honor Harrington and related series. Multiple sub-series explore different aspects: Manticore’s founding, intelligence operations, officers serving under other admirals, and anthology stories. The universe is expansive enough to support decades of storytelling while maintaining continuity.

Are the prequels essential?

No. The Manticore Ascendant trilogy explains how the Star Kingdom formed before Honor’s birth, which adds context but isn’t required to understand or enjoy the main series. Treat them as optional enrichment once you’ve finished Honor’s story.

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