Orson Scott Card books in order
American science fiction novelist
- Born
- 1951
- Country
- United States
- Books
- 122
- Series
- 7
- Also writes as
- Brian Green, Bryan Green, Byron Walley, Frederick Bliss
Orson Scott Card has published 94 novels, 4 novellas, 19 short story collections, 2 non-fiction books, 1 children's book and 2 other books, beginning with Songmaster (1980). The 7 series include Ender's Saga (20 books, starting with Earth Unaware), The Tales of Alvin Maker (8 books, starting with "Prentice Alvin and the No-Good Plow") and Homecoming Saga (5 books, starting with The Memory of Earth). The best-known is Ender's Game (1985). The latest is Master Alvin (2026).
Updated September 2026
Ender's Saga books in order (20)Series page
Reading order: 1 Earth Unaware (2012) · 2 Earth Afire (2013) · 3 Earth Awakens (2014) · 4 The Swarm (2016) · 5 The Hive (2019) · 6 Ender's Shadow (1999) · 7 Ender's Game (1985) · 8 A War of Gifts · 9 Shadow of the Hegemon (2001) · 10 Children of the Fleet (2017) · … all 20 below
- 1.
Earth Unaware (Jul 2012)
- 2.
Earth Afire (Jun 2013)
- 3.
Earth Awakens (Jun 2014)
- 4.
The Swarm (Aug 2016)
- 5.
The Hive (Jun 2019)
- 6.
Ender's Shadow (Sep 1999)
- 7.
Ender's Game (Jan 1985)
- 8.
A War of Gifts
- 9.
Shadow of the Hegemon (Jan 2001)
- 10.
Children of the Fleet (2017)
- 11.
Shadow Puppets (Aug 2002)
- 12.
Shadow of the Giant (Mar 2005)
- 13.
Ender in Exile (2008)
- 14.
Shadows in Flight (Jan 2012)
- 15.
Speaker for the Dead (Mar 1986)
- 16.
Xenocide (Aug 1991)
- 17.
Children of the Mind (Aug 1996)
- 18.
The Last Shadow (Nov 2021)
First Meetings (2002)
A War of Gifts: An Ender Story (2007)
The Tales of Alvin Maker books in order (8)Series page
Reading order: 1 "Prentice Alvin and the No-Good Plow" (1989) · 2 Seventh Son (1987) · 3 Red Prophet (1988) · 4 Prentice Alvin (1989) · 5 Alvin Journeyman (1995) · 6 Heartfire (1998) · 7 The Crystal City (2003) · 8 Master Alvin (2026)
- 1.
"Prentice Alvin and the No-Good Plow" (1989)
- 2.
Seventh Son (Jul 1987)
- 3.
Red Prophet (Jan 1988)
- 4.
Prentice Alvin (Feb 1989)
- 5.
Alvin Journeyman (Sep 1995)
- 6.
Heartfire (Aug 1998)
- 7.
The Crystal City (Nov 2003)
- 8.
Master Alvin (2026)
Homecoming Saga books in order (5)Series page
Reading order: 1 The Memory of Earth (1992) · 2 The Call of Earth (1993) · 3 The Ships of Earth (1994) · 4 Earthfall (1995) · 5 Earthborn (1995)
- 1.
The Memory of Earth (Mar 1992)
- 2.
The Call of Earth (Jan 1993)
- 3.
The Ships of Earth (1994)
- 4.
Earthfall (1995)
- 5.
Earthborn (1995)
The Worthing books in order (4)Series page
Reading order: 1 Capitol (1979) · 2 Hot Sleep (1979) · 3 The Worthing Chronicle (1983) · 4 The Worthing Saga (1990)
- 1.
Capitol (1979)
- 2.
Hot Sleep (1979)
- 3.
The Worthing Chronicle (1983)
- 4.
The Worthing Saga (1990)
The Empire books in order (3)Series page
Reading order: 1 Empire (2006) · 2 Shadow Complex (2009) · 3 Hidden Empire (2009)
- 1.
Empire (2006)
- 2.
Shadow Complex (2009)
- 3.
Hidden Empire (Dec 2009)
The Pathfinder trilogy books in order (3)Series page
Reading order: 1 Pathfinder (2010) · 2 Ruins (2012) · 3 Visitors (2014)
- 1.
Pathfinder (2010)
- 2.
Ruins (2012)
- 3.
Visitors (Nov 2014)
Mithermages books in order (3)Series page
Reading order: 1 The Lost Gate (2011) · 2 The Gate Thief (2013) · 3 Gatefather (2015)
- 1.
The Lost Gate (Jan 2011)
- 2.
The Gate Thief (Mar 2013)
- 3.
Gatefather (2015)
Where to start with Orson Scott Card
Start here
Earth Unaware
Book 1 of Ender's Saga, the series that includes Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card's most-read book.
Highest rated
Ender's Game
Rated 4.3 out of 5 by 417 readers.
Shortest way in
A War of Gifts: An Ender Story
One of the most-read, at about 128 pages.
Standalone novels in order
Chrysalis 4 (1979)
A Planet Called Treason (Jul 1979)
Dragons of Light (1980)
New Dimensions (1980)
Songmaster (Jul 1980)
Dragons of Darkness (1981)
Saintspeak (1981)
Hart's Hope (Feb 1983)
Saints (1984)
Cardography (1987)
Hatrack River (1987)
Nebula Awards 21 (1987)
The Year's Best Science Fiction (1987)
Wyrms (1987)
Characters and Point of View (1988)
Characters and Viewpoint (1988)
Treason (1988)
The Abyss (1989)
Flux (1990)
How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy: A Bestselling Science Fiction/Fantasy Writer Shares (1990)
Nebula Awards 25 (1991)
Lost Boys (Nov 1992)
Washed by a Wave of Wind (1993)
Homecoming (1994)
Lovelock (1994)
Pastwatch: The Redemption of Christopher Columbus (1996)
Treasure Box (1996)
Visions of Wonder (1996)
Stone Tables (1997)
Homebody (Apr 1998)
Magic Mirror (1999)
Enchantment (Apr 1999)
Sarah (2000)
Masterpieces (2001)
Rebekah (2001)
Robota (2003)
Science Fiction (2003)
The Phobos Science Fiction Anthology Volume 2 (2003)
First Meetings in Ender's Universe (2004)
Rachel and Leah (2004)
Magic Street (2005)
Posing as People (2005)
Tar Heel Dead (2005)
The Internet (2005)
Invasive Procedures (2007)
Dragon Age Origins [graphic Novel] (2011)
Laddertop (2011)
Seventh Son and Red Prophet (2016)
First Formic War: (Earth Unaware, Earth Afire, Earth Awakens) (2017)
Lost and Found (2019)
Extinct (2020)
Wakers (2022)
Novellas in order
Eye for Eye (Mar 1987)
How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy (1990)
Stonefather (2008)
Short story collections in order
Unaccompanied Sonata and Other Stories (1980)
Donald A. Wollheim Presents the 1988 Annual World's Best Sf (1988)
The Folk of the Fringe (1989)
Maps in a Mirror (1990)
Future on Fire (1991)
Cruel Miracles (1992)
The Changed Man (1992)
Monkey Sonatas (1993)
Turning Hearts (1994)
Future on Ice (1998)
Far Horizons (1999)
Legends II (2003), with George R. R. Martin and Neil Gaiman
New Skies (2003)
Flights (2005)
InterGalactic Medicine Show (2008)
Keeper of Dreams (2008)
Non-fiction in order
A Storyteller in Zion (1993)
The Great Snape Debate (2007)
Children's books in order
Ender's War (1986)
Other books in order
Internet Piracy (2004)
A Town Divided by Christmas (2018)
Film and TV adaptations
- Ender's Game (2013)Film · from Ender's Game
- Ender's Game (2013)Film · from Ender's Shadow
About Orson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card is an American writer known best for his science fiction works. As of 2024, he is the only person to have won a Hugo Award and a Nebula Award in consecutive years, winning both awards for his novel Ender's Game (1985) and its sequel Speaker for the Dead (1986). A feature film adaptation of Ender's Game, which Card coproduced, was released in 2013. Card also wrote the Locus Fantasy Award-winning series The Tales of Alvin Maker (1987–2026). Card's fiction often features characters with exceptional gifts who make difficult choices with high stakes. Card has also written political, religious, and social commentary in his columns and other writing; he has provoked controversy and criticism for his public opposition to homosexuality.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Orson Scott Card FAQ
- How many books has Orson Scott Card written?
- Orson Scott Card has published 94 novels, 4 novellas, 19 short story collections, 2 non-fiction books, 1 children's book and 2 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Orson Scott Card's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start Ender's Saga with Earth Unaware, The Tales of Alvin Maker with "Prentice Alvin and the No-Good Plow" and Homecoming Saga with The Memory of Earth. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is Orson Scott Card's latest book?
- Master Alvin (2026).
- What is Orson Scott Card's most famous book?
- Ender's Game (1985) is Orson Scott Card's most widely read book.
- Are Orson Scott Card's books connected?
- 46 books belong to 7 series (Ender's Saga, The Tales of Alvin Maker, Homecoming Saga and The Worthing); the other 76 books stand alone.
- Does Orson Scott Card write under a pen name?
- Yes: Orson Scott Card has also published as Brian Green, Bryan Green, Byron Walley and Frederick Bliss.
- Which Orson Scott Card books have been adapted?
- 2 books have been adapted for film or TV, including Ender's Game (film, 2013) and Ender's Shadow (as Ender's Game, film, 2013).
Authors like Orson Scott Card
Stephen King
Also writes fantasy and science fiction
George R. R. Martin
Also writes science fiction and fantasy
Ray Bradbury
Also wrote science fiction and fantasy
Neil Gaiman
Also writes fantasy and science fiction
Ursula K. Le Guin
Also wrote science fiction and fantasy
Octavia E. Butler
Also wrote science fiction and fantasy
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.