Affiliate Disclosure: Links on this page may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Read our affiliate policy

Hainish Cycle Books in Order

8
Books
1966
First Book
2000
Latest Book
35
Years

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

1
Rocannon's World cover

Rocannon's World

Buy on Amazon

1966

2
Planet of Exile cover

Planet of Exile

Buy on Amazon

1966

3
City of Illusions cover

City of Illusions

Buy on Amazon

1967

4
The Left Hand of Darkness cover

The Left Hand of Darkness

Buy on Amazon

1969

5
The Word for World is Forest cover

The Word for World is Forest

Buy on Amazon

1972

6
The Dispossessed cover

The Dispossessed

Buy on Amazon

1974

7
Four Ways to Forgiveness cover

Four Ways to Forgiveness

Buy on Amazon

1994

8
The Telling cover

The Telling

Buy on Amazon

2000

Affiliate Disclosure

As an Amazon Associate, Reading Order Books earns from qualifying purchases. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. This helps us maintain the site and continue providing reading order guides. Read our full disclosure