Resident Evil books in order

Complete reading order for the Resident Evil book series by S.D. Perry, including novelizations of the classic survival horror video games published between 1998 and 2004.

Reading order

# Title Published Author Buy on Amazon
1 Hora cero 2004 S.D. Perry N/A
2 The Umbrella Conspiracy 1998 S.D. Perry Buy
3 Genesis 2004 S.D. Perry N/A
4 Caliban Cove 1998 S.D. Perry Buy
5 Apocalypse 2004 S.D. Perry N/A
6 City of the Dead 1999 S.D. Perry Buy
7 Underworld 1999 S.D. Perry Buy
8 Nemesis 2000 S.D. Perry Buy
9 Resident Evil: Nemesis 2000 S.D. Perry N/A
10 Code 2001 S.D. Perry Buy
11 Code: Veronica 2001 S.D. Perry N/A
12 Zero Hour 2004 S.D. Perry Buy
13 Resident Evil 8 2001 S.D. Perry N/A

S.D. Perry’s Resident Evil novels brought the survival horror video game franchise to the printed page. Starting with The Umbrella Conspiracy in 1998, Perry adapted the core games while also writing original stories set in the same universe. The series follows characters like Jill Valentine, Chris Redfield, and Claire Redfield as they confront the biological weapons created by the Umbrella Corporation. Note that some entries in the list above are foreign-language editions or alternate printings of the same books (for example, “Hora cero” is the Spanish edition of Zero Hour, and “Apocalypse” and “Genesis” are alternate editions).

The novels are best read in publication order of the English-language originals: The Umbrella Conspiracy, Caliban Cove, City of the Dead, Underworld, Nemesis, Code: Veronica, and Zero Hour. Perry’s original entries, Caliban Cove and Underworld, fit between the game adaptations and give the characters room to develop outside the familiar game plots. These books remain popular with Resident Evil fans who want a prose version of the franchise’s early storylines.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Resident Evil series?

There are thirteen books in the Resident Evil series, published between 1998 and 2004.

What is the first book in the Resident Evil series?

The first book in the Resident Evil series is Hora cero, published in 2004.

Do the Resident Evil books follow the same story as the video games?

The Resident Evil novels by S.D. Perry closely follow the plots of the original video games, with added character development and backstory. Books like The Umbrella Conspiracy (based on Resident Evil 1), City of the Dead (based on Resident Evil 2), Nemesis (based on Resident Evil 3), and Code: Veronica each retell a specific game’s events in prose form. Perry also wrote two original novels, Caliban Cove and Underworld, which fill in gaps between the game storylines.

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