'Folia's Story: The Armiger's Daughter' (1982).

Since they're not part of the actual cycle, but are meta-fictional, they can probably be read whenever: Some are told within the main novels, but others were published later as supplemental material. There are also several other short stories in the cycle that in-universe are fables collected in The book of the Wonders of Urth and Sky, which colloquially is known as the 'the brown book'. Another tetralogy, apparently not published as an omnibus, but separately or in two volumes:Ī trilogy published as an omnibus or separately: Short story which seems to be an interquel to The Citadel of the AutarchĪlso sometimes known as Starcrosser's Landfall (early title) or The Book of Silk (in-universe).

Short story which takes place here chronologically So! Since the consensus for the main novels seems to be to read them in publication order (although I've mentioned some other suggestions above), here's the suggested reading order I've put together, with short stories interspersed chronologically:Ī tetralogy published as an omnibus called either The Book of the New Sun or Severian of the Guild (UK), separately or in two volumes: Although these probably could also be read whenever, some of them reference past events and foreshadow future events, so it seems good to read them when they take place in the chronology. There are also several short stories in the cycle, which take place at different points in the chronology. The Urth of the New Sun is a coda/sequel to The Book of the New Sun and should probably be read after that, although some suggest to read it at the very end of the cycle, and others say it's considered optional reading. However, according to some people you can also start with The Book of the Long Sun the first quadrilogy The Book of the New Sun can really be read whenever you want, but The Book of the Long Sun must be read before The Book of the Short Sun. The consensus for the best order to read these novels in seems to be in this publication order. It is itself a sub-series of the larger series/cycle called the Solar Cycle, Urth or the Briah Cycle, which is probably what my question should've asked about from the beginning. (Comments indicated this question was opinion-based, but as it hasn't been closed, I'll self-answer with the results of my research (thanks to commentators for also providing some information) and invite comments or alternative answers if I'm wrong – I haven't read the books, after all.)įirst of all, what I called The Book of the New Sun is a series consisting of four books, usually published in two volumes of two books each.

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