Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stray | 2013 | Monica Hesse | Buy |
| 2 | Burn | 2014 | Monica Hesse | Buy |
Stray is a two-book science fiction series by Monica Hesse. Stray (2013) and Burn (2014) are set in a future society, representing Hesse’s early work before she focused on historical fiction.
The duology takes place in a world where society has been rebuilt after a catastrophic war, and conformity is enforced through technology. Stray follows a young woman who begins to question the system she was raised in. Burn continues her story as the consequences of that questioning become dangerous.
Hesse later became known for historical novels like Girl in the Blue Coat (2016) and The War Outside (2018). These early science fiction books share her interest in characters who push back against unjust systems, even if the genre is different from what she writes now.