Jerry Pournelle books in order
American science fiction writer, journalist, and scientist
- Lived
- 1933–2017
- Country
- United States
- Books
- 61
- Series
- 1
Jerry Pournelle published 58 novels, 1 short story collection and 2 other books, beginning with A Spaceship for the King (1973). The series is CoDominium (3 books, starting with A Spaceship for the King). 3 feature John Christian Falkenberg. The best-known is The Mote in God's Eye (1974).
Updated September 2026
CoDominium books in order (3)Series page
Reading order: 1 A Spaceship for the King (1973) · 2 The Mote in God's Eye (1974) · 3 The Gripping Hand (1993)
- 1.
A Spaceship for the King (Feb 1973)
- 2.
The Mote in God's Eye (Nov 1974), with Larry Niven
- 3.
The Gripping Hand (Feb 1993), with Larry Niven
Where to start with Jerry Pournelle
Start here
A Spaceship for the King
Book 1 of CoDominium, the series that includes The Mote in God's Eye, Jerry Pournelle's most-read book.
Highest rated
The Mote in God's Eye
Rated 4.0 out of 5 by 48 readers.
Shortest way in
The Legacy of Heorot
One of the most-read, at about 375 pages.
Standalone novels in order
Birth of Fire (1976)
Inferno (May 1976), with Larry Niven
High Justice (1977)
The Mercenary (1977)
Lucifer's Hammer (Jan 1977), with Larry Niven
Black Holes and Other Marvels (1978)
Exiles to Glory (1978)
West of Honor (1978)
A Step Farther Out (1979)
Janissaries (Jun 1979)
The Survival of Freedom (1981)
Oath of Fealty (Aug 1981), with Larry Niven
Clan and Crown (1983)
Blood and Iron (1984)
Men of War #02 (1984)
Mutual Assured Survival (1984)
Day of the Tyrant (1985)
Far Frontiers (1985)
The Endless Frontier (1985)
The Science Fiction Yearbook (1985)
Footfall (May 1985), with Larry Niven
The Stars at War (1986)
There Will Be War (Tor Science Fiction No 30) (1986)
Warrior (1986)
Janissaries III (1987)
Storms of Victory (1987)
The Legacy of Heorot (May 1987), with Larry Niven
Call to Battle! (1988)
The Crash of Empire (1989)
After Armageddon (1990)
FUTURE HISTORY (ORBIT BOOKS) (1990)
Fallen Angels (1991), with Larry Niven
Go Tell the Spartans (1991)
SAURON DOMINIUM (WARWORLD 3) (War World, No. 3) (1991)
Blood Feuds (War World) (1992)
Codominium (1992)
Prince of Sparta (1993)
The Moat Around Murcheson's Eye (1993)
BLOOD VENGEANCE (War World) (1994)
Invasion (Warworld 4) (1994)
Beowulf's Children (1995), with Larry Niven
Higher Education (1996)
Tran (1996)
Starswarm (1998)
The Burning City (2000), with Larry Niven
The Houses of the Kzinti (2002)
1001 Computer Words You Need to Know (2004)
Burning Tower (Feb 2005), with Larry Niven
Exile-and Glory (2008)
Escape from Hell (2009), with Larry Niven
Fires of Freedom (2009)
Mamelukes (2020)
Short story collections in order
Nebula Winners 16 (1982)
Other books in order
DEATH'S HEAD REBELLION (WARWORLD 2) (War World II) (1990)
War World I (1993)
About Jerry Pournelle
Jerry Eugene Pournelle was an American scientist in the area of operations research and human factors research, a science fiction writer, journalist, and one of the first bloggers. In the 1960s and early 1970s, he worked in the aerospace industry, but eventually focused on his writing career. In an obituary in Gizmodo, he was described as "a tireless ambassador for the future."
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Jerry Pournelle FAQ
- How many books has Jerry Pournelle written?
- Jerry Pournelle published 58 novels, 1 short story collection and 2 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Jerry Pournelle's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start CoDominium with A Spaceship for the King. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is Jerry Pournelle's last book?
- Fires of Freedom (2009).
- What is Jerry Pournelle's most famous book?
- The Mote in God's Eye (1974) is Jerry Pournelle's most widely read book.
- Are Jerry Pournelle's books connected?
- 3 books belong to 1 series (CoDominium); the other 58 books stand alone.
Authors like Jerry Pournelle
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.