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Hainish Cycle Books in Order
Below you'll find the complete list of Hainish Cycle books in publication order. This is generally the recommended reading order for the series.
Reading order verified: April 2026
Quick Answer
What order should I read the Hainish Cycle series? Start with "Rocannon's World" (1966) and follow publication order through all 8 books.
The complete Hainish Cycle reading order is listed below in publication sequence.
Publication Order
Rocannon's World
1966
Planet of Exile
1966
City of Illusions
1967
The Left Hand of Darkness
1969
The Word for World is Forest
1972
The Dispossessed
1974
Four Ways to Forgiveness
1994
The Telling
2000
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