Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gravity Wells: Speculative Fiction Stories | 2004 | James Alan Gardner | N/A |
| 2 | Expendable | 1997 | James Alan Gardner | Buy |
| 3 | Commitment Hour | 1998 | James Alan Gardner | Buy |
| 4 | Vigilant | 1999 | James Alan Gardner | Buy |
| 5 | Hunted | 2000 | James Alan Gardner | Buy |
| 6 | Ascending | 2001 | James Alan Gardner | Buy |
| 7 | Trapped | 2002 | James Alan Gardner | Buy |
| 8 | Radiant | 2004 | James Alan Gardner | Buy |
The League of Peoples series by James Alan Gardner spans eight books set in a far-future galaxy governed by a deceptively simple rule: sentient beings who kill are not allowed to travel between star systems. This single constraint shapes every aspect of the civilizations and characters Gardner creates, forcing creative problem-solving and exposing the moral complexities beneath the rule’s apparent simplicity.
Each novel follows a different protagonist, from the “expendable” explorers sent on dangerous missions in the first book to various specialists and outsiders navigating the League’s peculiar justice system. Beginning with Expendable (1997), the series earned Gardner a reputation for combining hard science fiction worldbuilding with dark humor and incisive character work.