Man-Kzin Wars books in order

The Man-Kzin Wars is a long-running shared-universe anthology series set in Larry Niven's Known Space, featuring stories about the conflict between humans and the Kzinti.

Reading order

# Title Published Author Buy on Amazon
1 Inconstant Star 1990 Paul Chafe N/A
2 The Man Kzin Wars 1988 Paul Chafe N/A
3 The Man-Kzin Wars 1988 Paul Chafe Buy
4 Man-Kzin Wars II 1989 Paul Chafe Buy
5 The Man-Kzin Wars II 1989 Paul Chafe N/A
6 Man-Kzin Wars III 1990 Paul Chafe Buy
7 Man-Kzin Wars IV 1991 Paul Chafe Buy
8 The Children’s Hour 1991 Paul Chafe Buy
9 Man-Kzin Wars V 1992 Paul Chafe Buy
10 Man-Kzin Wars VI 1994 Paul Chafe Buy
11 Man-Kzin Wars 7 1995 Paul Chafe N/A
12 Man-Kzin Wars VII 1995 Paul Chafe Buy
13 Choosing Names 1998 Paul Chafe N/A
14 A Darker Geometry 1996 Paul Chafe Buy
15 Man-Kzin Wars 9 2001 Paul Chafe N/A
16 The Best of All Possible Wars 1998 Paul Chafe Buy
17 Man-Kzin Wars X: The Wunder War 2003 Paul Chafe Buy
18 Man-Kzin Wars VIII: Choosing Names 1998 Paul Chafe Buy
19 Man-Kzin Wars 11 2005 Paul Chafe N/A
20 Man-Kzin Wars IX 2001 Paul Chafe Buy
21 The House of the Kzinti 2002 Paul Chafe Buy
22 Man-Kzin Wars XI 2005 Paul Chafe Buy
23 Destiny’s Forge 2006 Paul Chafe Buy
24 Man-Kzin Wars XII 2009 Paul Chafe Buy
25 Man-Kzin Wars XIII 2012 Paul Chafe Buy
26 Man-Kzin Wars XIV 2013 Paul Chafe Buy
27 Treasure Planet 2014 Paul Chafe Buy
28 Man-Kzin Wars XV 2019 Paul Chafe Buy

The Man-Kzin Wars is a shared-universe anthology series set in Larry Niven’s Known Space future history. The series centers on the long conflict between humanity and the Kzinti, a race of aggressive, cat-like aliens. Starting in 1988, the anthologies brought together stories by multiple authors, with Niven overseeing the shared setting and contributing some entries himself.

Over nearly three decades, the series grew to include numbered anthology volumes, standalone novels like Destiny’s Forge and Treasure Planet, and companion collections. The numbered volumes each contain several novellas and short stories by different contributors. Paul Chafe became one of the most prolific authors in the series, contributing stories and longer works throughout its run.

The series is a good fit for readers who enjoy military science fiction and shared-world storytelling, especially those already familiar with Niven’s Known Space novels like Ringworld.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Man-Kzin Wars series?

There are 28 books in the Man-Kzin Wars series, published between 1988 and 2019.

What is the first book in the Man-Kzin Wars series?

The first book in the Man-Kzin Wars series is Inconstant Star, published in 1990.

Do you need to read the Man-Kzin Wars books in order?

The Man-Kzin Wars anthologies can mostly be read in any order since each volume contains standalone stories, though reading in publication order provides the best sense of the universe’s development over time.

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