Hainish Cycle books in order A series by Ursula K. Le Guin
The Hainish Cycle series by Ursula K. Le Guin has 10 books (7 novels and 3 shorter works), from Rocannon's World (1966) to Four Ways to Forgiveness (1995). Read it in order, starting with Rocannon's World.
Reading order: 1 Rocannon's World (1966) · 2 Planet of Exile (1966) · 3 City of Illusions (1967) · 4 The Left Hand of Darkness (1969) · 5 The Dispossessed: An Ambiguous Utopia (1974) · 6 The Word for World Is Forest (1972) · 7 Five Complete Novels (1985) · 8 The Telling (2000) · 9 The Hainish Novels & Stories (2017) · Four Ways to Forgiveness (1995)
Updated September 2026
All 10 Hainish Cycle books in order
- 1.
Rocannon's World (1966)
- 2.
Planet of Exile (Oct 1966)
- 3.
City of Illusions (1967)
- 4.
The Left Hand of Darkness (Mar 1969)
- 5.
The Dispossessed: An Ambiguous Utopia (May 1974)
- 6.
The Word for World Is Forest (Mar 1972), also published as Three Hainish Novels
- 7.
Five Complete Novels (1985)
- 8.
The Telling (Sep 2000)
- 9.
The Hainish Novels & Stories (2017)
Four Ways to Forgiveness (1995)
Hainish Cycle FAQ
- How many Hainish Cycle books are there?
- There are 10 Hainish Cycle books, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read the Hainish Cycle books in?
- In publication order, starting with Rocannon's World (1966): 1 Rocannon's World (1966) · 2 Planet of Exile (1966) · 3 City of Illusions (1967) · 4 The Left Hand of Darkness (1969) · 5 The Dispossessed: An Ambiguous Utopia (1974) · 6 The Word for World Is Forest (1972) · … all 10 below.
- What is the first Hainish Cycle book?
- Rocannon's World (1966).
- What is the latest Hainish Cycle book?
- Four Ways to Forgiveness (1995).
- Is the Hainish Cycle series finished?
- There have been no new Hainish Cycle books since 1995; Ursula K. Le Guin died in 2018.
- Did Ursula K. Le Guin write other series?
- Yes: Earthsea, Catwings and Annals of the Western Shore.
More series by Ursula K. Le Guin
All Ursula K. Le Guin booksEarthsea
6 books
Catwings
4 books
Annals of the Western Shore
3 books
Sources: series order and dates from Wikidata and Open Library. Last updated September 2026.