🎯 Where Should I Start?
ⓘ About John Barnes
John Barnes is an American published author who specializes in science fiction. The author was born in 1957. His hometown is located in Bowling Green, Ohio. He writes stories that delve into various questions involving the moral responsibility of the individual within a greater social context. Many of his plots have social criticism woven in throughout them. His Thousand Cultures series features four novels that ask questions about what globalization’s effects will be on otherwise isolated societies. His novels have been intended for adult readers but two of his stories have been seen as being appropriate for young adult audiences– The Sky So Big and Black as well as The Duke of Uranium. He has also been a contributor to the website Internet Evolution.
All Book Series by John Barnes
In the Hall of the Martian King
Latest in the series · book 3 of 3 · published 2003
Rod Rapid and His Electric Chair
Latest in the series · book 3 of 3 · published 2011
Upon Their Backs, to Bite 'em
Latest in the series · book 3 of 3 · published 2000
The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Fourth Annual Collection
Book 3 of 13 · published 2007
Science Fiction: The Best of the Year, 2008 Edition
Book 4 of 13 · published 2008
The Year's Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Ninth Annual Collection
Book 9 of 13 · published 2012
The 2020 Look at Mars Fiction Book
Latest in the series · book 13 of 13 · published 2020
? Frequently Asked Questions
Who is John Barnes?
John Barnes is an American published author who specializes in science fiction. The author was born in 1957. His hometown is located in Bowling Green, Ohio.
Which John Barnes series should I start with?
The best place to start is the Century Next Door series, the earliest of John Barnes's multi-book series: it opens with Orbital Resonance (1991) and runs to 5 books across 1991–2002, ending with The Sky So Big and Black (2002). John Barnes's other series stand alone, so they can be read in any order.
How many books has John Barnes written?
John Barnes has 57 books catalogued in this guide, published between 1986 and 2020. 23 of them belong to 7 named series — the largest being the Century Next Door series with 5 books — and 34 are standalone titles, collections or anthologies.
In what order should John Barnes's series be read?
Read each series in publication order — the numbered entries in each series follow the year each book first appeared. John Barnes's series do not depend on one another, so they can be started in any order; by start date they are Century Next Door (1991–2002, 5 books), Giraut (1992–2006, 4 books) and Timeraider (1992, 3 books), plus 4 more.
How are John Barnes's books organised into series?
This guide splits John Barnes's 57 books into 7 named series and 34 titles that stand alone or appear only in collections: Century Next Door (5 books, 1991–2002); Giraut (4 books, 1992–2006); Daybreak (3 books, 2010–2012); Jak Jinnaka (3 books, 2002–2003); Timeline Wars (3 books, 1997), plus 2 further series.