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Crime Series:

Susan Wittig Albert's China Bayles

Lawrence Block's Bernie Rhodenbarr (Burglar)

Lawrence Block's Matt Scudder

Lilian Jackson Braun's Qwilleran and Koko (Cat Who)

Lee Child's Jack Reacher

Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum

Janet Evanovich's Alex Barnaby

Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg's O'Hare/Fox series

Sue Grafton's Kinsey Milhone

Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher

Kerry Greenwood's Corinna Chapman

Wendy Hornsby's Maggie MacGowen

Tanya Huff's Vicki Nelson (Blood)

Val McDermid's Kate Brannigan

Shane Maloney's Murray Whelan

Sara Paretsky's V. I. Warshawski

J D Robb's Eve Dallas and Roarke

Dorothy Sayers'Lord Peter Wimsey

Michael W. Sherer's Blake Sanders

Zoe Sharp's Charlie Fox

John Sandford's Lucas Davenport

John Sandford's Virgil Flowers

John Sandford's Kidd & LuEllen


Fantasy/Science Fiction series:

Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series

Isaac Asimov's Foundation and Robots series

Mary Janice Davidson's Undead series

Anne McCaffrey's Dragonrider series

Anne McCaffrey's Crystal Singer series

Anne McCaffrey's Brain Ships series

Anne McCaffrey's Talents (psychic, rowan, tower) series

Anne McCaffrey's Petaybee series

Anne McCaffrey's Freedom series

Anne McCaffrey's Acorna series

George R. R. Martin's Game of Thrones and more

Tanya Huff's Vicki Nelson (Blood Lines)

Tanya Huff's Confederation

Terry Pratchett's Discworld series

Spider Robinson's Callahan and Stardance series

Roger Zelazny's Amber Series



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Films at Festivale, movie reviews, commentary, coming attractions, release dates

The Dragonrider books by Anne McCaffrey series reading order and synopsis


Terry Pratchett's Discworld series page reading order and synopsis; 160x480


See also: Roger Zelazny's Amber series reading order and synopsis; 160x480

Isaac Asimov Series Page

A Tale Across Space and Time

Originally a series of short stories published in science fiction magazines, the Foundation trilogy became a must-read of the science fiction genre.

The Foundation series was tied together by the theory of 'psychohistory', a system of methematics so complex that it could predict history.

Asimov also became the standard in robot stories, his Three Rules of Robotics were intergrated into the stories of other authors.

Not content with having such successful series as the Robots stories and the Foundation trilogy, Asimov, who prided himself on his hubris, set about tying them together.

This reading order is his own published chronology for the combined Robots and Foundation series.

All cover images on this page are from the contributor's collection and/or review copies.


Summary:

I, Robot

The Rest of Robots (both these collections republished as The Complete Robot)

Caves of Steel

The Naked Sun (1956)

The Robots of Dawn (1983)

Robots and Empire (1985)

The Currents of Space (1955)

The Stars Like Dust (1955)

Pebble in the Sky (1950? 1958?)

Prelude to Foundation (1988)

Foundation

Foundation and Empire (1952)

Second Foundation (1953)

Foundation's Edge (1982)

Foundation and Earth (1986)

Forward the Foundation

Robot Dreams

Robot Visions


book cover, The Complete Robot, Isaac Asimov
1. The Complete Robot (1982), Isaac Asimov

1. The Complete Robot (1982)

Note: All 31 robot short stories appear in The Complete Robot

At that time, only the short story Robot Dreams was missing from the collection.

The two volumes, I, Robot and The Rest of Robots listed below are included in The Complete Robots, plus another 15 or so stories. I put the two volumes in this chronology because so many people have them in their collections.

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book cover, I Robot, Isaac Asimov
I, Robot (1964), Isaac Asimov

I,Robot (1964)

A collection of short stories, and my personal re-entry into science fiction reading as a teenager. In these stories Asimov introduced his now-famous Three Laws of Robotics (later supplemented by the zeroth law). Also known as the IAs, many science fiction writers integrate them into their own work.

Today most of us realise that Susan Calvin, the 'frustrated spinster' is a figment of male wishful thinking.

The stories were originally published between 1942 and 1957. Cover above and below, 1978 printing.

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book cover, Rest of Robots, Isaac Asimov
The Rest of Robots (1964), Isaac Asimov

The Rest of Robots (1964)

In my copy, the blurb claims that these stories 'complete the Robots saga'. Ha, little did we know in the seventies that Asimov would get his second wind.

Writers and editors will especially love The Galley Slave.

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book cover, Caves of Steel, Isaac Asimov
3. Caves of Steel (1954), Isaac Asimov

3. Caves of Steel (1954)

Earther (Terran?) Lije Baley is a plain clothes detective who is summoned to investigate the murder of a Spaceman. He is ably assisted by R. Daneel Olivaw (R is for Robot).

Early robot stories had humans reacting against robots, a subtext of anti-racism and anti-luddite perhaps too.

The Caves of Steel refers to the heavily urbanised Earth . It's inhabitants are considered untouchable by the Spacers.

The first Robot novel.

Note the Chris Foss cover, 1973 vintage. In the early seventies you could identify the sf books by the Foss space ships. CF also illustrated The Joy of sex.

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book cover, Naked Sun
4. The Naked Sun (1956), Isaac Asimov

The Naked Sun (1956)

The immediate sequel to The Caves of Steel, this murder mystery reunites R. Daneel Olivaw and Lije Baley.

This time Lije must leave the Earth and travel to Solaria, a planet where robots are plantation slaves. One underlying premise in this book is negated by in vitro fertilisation. Strange that IA didn't anticipate it.

Illustration, another Chris Foss cover from 1977.

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book cover, Robots of Dawn, Isaac Asimov
5. The Robots of Dawn (1983), Isaac Asimov

5. The Robots of Dawn (1983)

The third robot novel. I can't find my copy, can anyone help with a synopsis?

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book cover, Robots and Empire, Isaac Asimov
6. Robots and Empire (1985), Isaac Asimov

6. Robots and Empire (1985)

Daneel Olivaw returns in this novel, set long after the death of Lije Baley. Chris Foss cover, 1986

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book cover, Currents of Space, Isaac Asimov
7. The Currents of Space (1955), Isaac Asimov

7. The Currents of Space (1955)

Crazy Rik was a victim of the psychic probe (an Asimovian torture/interrogation device), but he still knew that his planet was doomed.

The first of the Empire novels. Chris Foss cover, 1975.

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book cover, The Stars Like Dust, Isaac Asimov
8. The Stars Like Dust (1955), Isaac Asimov

8. The Stars Like Dust (1955)

A galactic murder mystery set in the Foundation universe. Biron Farrill, a student at the University of Earth, has to flee an unknown assassin. His father, in the Horsehead Nebula has already been murdered.

The second Empire novel.

Chris Foss cover (1973)

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book cover, Pebble in the Sky, Isaac Asimov
9. Pebble in the Sky (1950? 1958?), Isaac Asimov

9. Pebble in the Sky (1950? 1958?)

Asimov's first novel, according to the cover of my copy. The third Empire novel. Asimov has it dated 1950, my copy has the copyright as 1958.

Joseph Schwartz is catapulted from 1949 to post-atomic war Earth, a planet inhabited by the outcasts who refused to leave 'Mother Earth'. He finds himself the middle of a revolution that only he can stay.

May, 2001 out of print.

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book cover, Prelude to Foundation, Isaac Asimov
10. Prelude to Foundation (1988), Isaac Asimov

10. Prelude to Foundation (1988)

This volume has the author's note that documents this chronology.

At the sunset of the Galactic Empire, Cleon I is desperate to calm the people. He comes to believe that Hari Seldon and his psychohistory predictions may save the empire. The way is not easy for Hari if he is to save the accumulated knowledge of the Galactic empire by setting up an isolated colony -- The Foundation.

A prequel, making it the first Foundation novel, chronologically. Cover: Tim White, 1988.

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