Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Red Thunder | 2003 | John Varley | Buy |
| 2 | Red Lightning | 2006 | John Varley | Buy |
| 3 | Rolling Thunder | 2008 | John Varley | Buy |
| 4 | Dark Lightning | 2014 | John Varley | Buy |
The Thunder and Lightning series is John Varley’s most accessible work. Red Thunder (2003) is about a group of friends who build a spaceship in a Florida junkyard and race to Mars, powered by a revolutionary new drive invented by a reclusive genius.
Red Lightning (2006) and Rolling Thunder (2008) shift focus to the next generation, moving from Mars to the outer solar system. Dark Lightning (2014) completes the series. The four books have a lighter, more adventure-oriented tone than Varley’s other science fiction.