Hal Clement books in order
American author
- Lived
- 1922–2003
- Country
- United States
- Books
- 15
- Series
- 1
Hal Clement published 13 novels and 2 short story collections, beginning with Mission of Gravity (1953). The series is Mesklin (2 books, starting with Close to Critical).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Hal Clement
Start here
Mission of Gravity
Hal Clement's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
Needle (1950)
Iceworld (1953)
Mission of Gravity (Jul 1953)
Cycle of Fire (1957)
Small Changes (1969)
The Best of Hal Clement (1979)
The Nitrogen Fix (1980)
Still River (1987)
Fossil (1993)
Half Life (2000)
Noise (2004)
Short story collections in order
Heavy Planet (2002)
Heavy Planet: The Classic Mesklin Stories (2007)
Free to read
All free classics
About Hal Clement
Harry Clement Stubbs, better known by the pen name Hal Clement, was an American science fiction writer and a leader of the hard science fiction subgenre. He also painted astronomically oriented artworks under the name George Richard.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Hal Clement FAQ
- How many books has Hal Clement written?
- Hal Clement published 13 novels and 2 short story collections that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Hal Clement's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start Mesklin with Close to Critical. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is Hal Clement's last book?
- Noise (2004).
- What is Hal Clement's most famous book?
- Mission of Gravity (1953) is Hal Clement's most widely read book.
- Are Hal Clement's books connected?
- 2 books belong to 1 series (Mesklin); the other 13 books stand alone.
- Can I read Hal Clement's books for free?
- Yes. 3 books by Hal Clement are in the public domain in the US and free to read online or download here.
Authors like Hal Clement
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Edgar Rice Burroughs
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Murray Leinster
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Doris Lessing
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Ayn Rand
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Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers, free texts from Project Gutenberg. Last updated September 2026.