War Surplus books in order

The War Surplus series by Lawrence Watt-Evans blends science fiction and fantasy as a stranded cyborg soldier encounters a world of magic. The series started with The Cyborg and the Sorcerers in 1982.

Reading order

# Title Published Author Buy on Amazon
1 The Cyborg and the Sorcerers 1982 Lawrence Watt-Evans N/A
2 The Cyborg and the Sorcerers / The Cyborg and the Sorceress 1982 Lawrence Watt-Evans Buy
3 The Wizard and the War Machine 1987 Lawrence Watt-Evans Buy

The War Surplus series is one of Lawrence Watt-Evans’s early works, mixing science fiction and fantasy in a way that was unusual for the early 1980s. The story begins when a cyborg soldier, a leftover weapon from an interstellar war, arrives on a planet where magic works and technology is barely understood. The clash between his cybernetic abilities and the local sorcerers drives the plot.

Watt-Evans uses the premise to explore questions about identity, free will, and what happens when a weapon outlives its war. The cyborg protagonist is programmed for combat but finds himself in situations that require diplomacy and understanding rather than firepower. The sequel, The Wizard and the War Machine, picks up the story years later with a new threat arriving on the same planet.

The series is a good example of the science fantasy subgenre, where the line between technology and magic is deliberately blurred. Readers who enjoy stories about fish-out-of-water characters or the collision of very different civilizations will find this series worth tracking down.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the War Surplus series?

There are three books in the War Surplus series, published between 1982 and 1987.

What is the first book in the War Surplus series?

The first book in the War Surplus series is The Cyborg and the Sorcerers, published in 1982.

What is the War Surplus series about?

The series follows a cyborg soldier from a lost interstellar war who arrives on a planet where sorcery is real. He must navigate a world where his technology and the local magic are at odds, leading to conflict between his military programming and the society he finds himself in.

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