The 111 Greatest Novel Series of All Time
Some great works of literature are known as well—or better—by the larger book series they are part of. This selection of works is is based on the same voluminous research that produced The Greatest Literature of All Time and all our other lists.
For this list, a series is defined as comprising at least three novels or novellas, although it may additionally include stories, poems or other literary works.
Note though, it is sometimes difficult to tell whether certain books represent a series of works or comprise a single work in multiple parts. Marcel Proust's Remembrance of Things Past and J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, for example, are each generally considered long novels published in several volumes and thus do not qualify as novel series.
An effort is also made to avoid the so-called series that is little more than the collected or selected works of an author. To be grouped as a true series, works are unified by other factors such as having common characters or a continued story line.
Latest update: Decembeer 14, 2024
1532–1564
The Life of Gargantua and Pantagruel
by François Rabelais, France
Novel series, originally Grands annales tresueritables des gestes merveilleux du grand Gargantua et Pantagruel, includes Pantagruel, Gargantua, The Third Book of Pantagruel, The Fourth Book of Pantagruel, and The Fifth Book of Pantagruel.
1855–1867
Chronicles of Barsetshire
by Anthony Trollope, England
Novel series includes The Warden, Barchester Towers, Doctor Thorne, The Last Chronicle of Barset, and others.
1872–1912
National Episodes
by Benito Pérez Galdós, Spain
Novel series, originally Episodios Nacionales, includes Trafalgar, Bailéri, Zaragoza, Gerona, Cádiz, The Battle of Salamanca, and others.
1888–1927
Sherlock Holmes
by Arthur Conan Doyle, England
Novel and story series includes A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of the Four, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Hound of the Baskervilles, and others.
1900–1903
Claudine
by Colette, France
Novel series includes Claudine at School; Claudine in Paris; Claudine Married; Claudine and Annie
1906–1921
The Forsyte Saga
by John Galsworthy, England
Novel series includes The Man of Property, In Chancery, To Let, and two interludes.
It is difficult to separate The Forsyte Saga from the justly acclaimed films and television series based on it. The adaptations have enchanted everyone who followed them, most of whom have likely never read the books. But.... Critique • Quotes • Buy
1908–1939
Anne of Green Gables
by L.M. Montgomery, Canada
Novel series includes Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island, Anne of Windy Poplars.
1912–1940
Tarzan
by Edgar Rice Burroughs, United States
Novel series includes Tarzan of the Apes, The Return of Tarzan, The Beasts of Tarzan, The Son of Tarzan, and others.
1917–1929
The Fortunes Of Richard Mahony
by Henry Handel Richardson, Australia
Novel series includes Australia Felix, The Way Home, Ultima Thule
1917–1941
Barsoom
by Edgar Rice Burroughs, United States
Novel series includes A Princess of Mars, The Gods of Mars, The Warlord of Mars, John Carter of Mars, and others.
1920–1922
Kristin Lavransdatter
by Sigrid Undset, Norway
Novel series includes The Wreath, The Wife, The Cross
1920–1975
Hercule Poirot
by Agatha Christie, England
Novel series includes The Mysterious Affair at Styles, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile, and others.
1923–1841
Leatherstocking Tales
by James Fenimore Cooper, United States
Novel series includes The Deerslayer, The Last of the Mohicans, The Pathfinder, The Pioneers, The Prairie
1926–1939
Alberta trilogy
by Cora Sandel, Norway
Novel series includes Alberta and Jacob, Alberta and Freedom, Alberta Alone
1930–1936
U.S.A.
by John Dos Passos, United States
Novel series includes The 42nd Parallel, 1919, The Big Money
1932–1935
Studs Lonigan
by James T. Farrell, United States
Novel series includes Young Lonigan, The Young Manhood of Studs Lonigan, Judgment Day
1932–1942
Josephus trilogy
by Lion Feuchtwanger, Germany
Novel series includes Josephus; The Jews of Rome; The Day Will Come, Josephus and the Emperor
1933–1973
Perry Mason mysteries
by Erle Stanley Gardner, United States
Novel series includes The Case of the Velvet Claws, …the Sulky Girl, ...the Lucky Legs, …the Howling Dog, and others.
1934–1988
Mary Poppins
by P.L. Travers, England
Novel series
1937–1954
Lensman series
by E.E. (Doc) Smith, United States
Novel series includes Triplanetary, First Lensman, Galactic Patrol, Gray Lensman, and others.
1937–1967
Horatio Hornblower
by C.S. Forester, England
Novel series includes The Happy Return, A Ship of the Line, Flying Colours, The Commodore, Lord Hornblower, and others.
1938–1945
The Space Trilogy
by C.S. Lewis, England
Novel series includes Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, and That Hideous Strength.
1939–1943
Lark Rise to Candleford
by Flora Thompson, England
Novel series includes Lark Rise, Over to Candleford, and Candleford Green.
1939–1958
Philip Marlowe
by Raymond Chandler, United States
Novel series includes The Big Sleep; Farewell, My Lovely; The Lady in the Lake; The Long Goodbye; and others.
Critique • Quotes • At the movies • Buy
1945–1948
Pippi Longstocking
by Astrid Lindgren, Sweden
Novella series, originally Pippi Långstrump, includes Pippi Longstocking, Pippi Goes on Board, and Pippi in the South Seas.
1946–1959
Gormenghast trilogy
by Mervyn Peake, England
Novel series includes Titus Groan, Gormenghast, Titus Alone
1949–1959
The Emigrants
by Vilhelm Moberg, Sweden
Novel series, originally Utvandrarna, includes The Emigrants, Unto a Good Land, The Settlers and The Last Letter Home.
1949–1976
Lew Archer
by Ross Macdonald, United States
Novel series includes The Moving Target, The Drowning Pool, The Ivory Grin, The Galton Case, The Blue Hammer, and others.
1950–1956
The Chronicles of Narnia
by C.S. Lewis, England
Novel series includes The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; Prince Caspian; The Voyage of the Dawn Treader; and others.
Let's deal with the religious aspect of the Narnia works right off the top. The idea that The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950) and its successive novels present a Christian allegory is raised by both detractors and.... Critique • Quotes • Buy
1951–1953
The Trilogy
by Samuel Beckett, Ireland
Novel series includes Molloy, Malone Dies, The Unnamable
The Foundation Trilogy
by Isaac Asimov, United States
Novel series includes Foundation, Foundation and Empire, and Second Foundation.
In the 1980s Isaac Asimov reread the Foundation stories he had written in the 1940s and had compiled as a trilogy of books in the 1950s, and he was appalled. The stories had no action, no suspense, no romance—they were.... Critique • Quotes • Buy
1951–1975
A Dance to the Music of Time
by Anthony Powell, England
Novel series
1953–1966
James Bond
by Ian Fleming, England
Novel series includes Casino Royale, From Russia with Love,n Dr. No, Goldfinger, and others.
1955-1962
Cities in Flight
by James Blish, United States
Novel series includes They Shall Have Stars; A Life for the Stars; Earthman, Come Home; A Clash of Cymbals
1956–1957
Cairo trilogy
by Naguib Mahfouz, Egypt
Novel series includes Palace Walk, Palace of Desire, Sugar Street
1957–1960
The Alexandria Quartet
by Laurence Durrell, England
Novel series includes Justine, Balthazar, Mountolive and Clea.
1960–1964
The Country Girls
by Edna O'Brien, Ireland
Novel series includes The Country Girls, The Lonely Girl, Girls in Their Married Bliss
1960–1968
Stockholm
by Pers Ansers Fogelström, Sweden
Novel series includes City of My Dreams, Children of Their City, Remember the City, City Transformed, City in the World
1960–1990
Rabbit Angstrom series
by John Updike, United States
Novel series includes Rabbit, Run; Rabbit Redux; Rabbit Is Rich, and Rabbit at Rest.
John Updike is most known for Rabbit, Run but it's not his best or best-reviewed novel. It's not even his best or best-reviewed novel in the book series it kicks off. That would be the sequel, Rabbit Redux, the one critics.... Critique • Quotes • Buy
1964–2000
The Hainish Cycle
by Ursula K. Le Guin, United States
Novel series includes Rocannon's World, The Left Hand of Darkness, The Word for World Is Forest, The Dispossessed, and others.
1965–1971
The Sea of Fertility
by Yukio Mishima, Japan
Novel series includes Spring Snow, Runaway Horses, The Temple of Dawn, The Decay of The Angel
1965–1975
Martin Beck novels
by Maj Sjöwall, Per Wahlöö, Sweden
Novel series includes Roseanna, The Man Who Went Up in Smoke, The Laughing Policeman; Murder at the Savoy, The Abominable Man, and others.
1965–1989
Lord Ramage
by Dudley Pope, England
Novel series
1965–1995
Dune
by Frank Herbert, United States
Novel series
Dune's timing was perfect. Launched in the mid-sixties around the beginning of the modern environmental movement, Frank Herbert's ecology-conscious science fiction novel and its many sequels and adaptation.... Critique • Quotes • At the movies • Buy
1965–2003
Alisa's Adventures
by Kir Bulychev, Russia
Novel series
1967–1970
Slaves trilogy
by Thorkild Hansen, Denmark
Novel series includes Coast of Slaves, Ships of Slaves, Islands of Slaves
1968–1978
The Dragon Riders of Pern
by Anne McCaffrey, United States
Novel series includes Dragonflight, Dragonquest, The White Dragon
1968–2001
The Earthsea Cycle
by Ursula K. Le Guin, United States
Novel series, also known as Earthsea or The Earthsea Trilogy, includes A Wizard of Earthsea, The Tombs of Atuan, The Farthest Shore, Tehanu, Tales from Earthsea, and The Other Wind.
The story of the sorcerer's apprentice is retold many times in mythology and fantasy. It goes like this: a seemingly ordinary young lad discovers he has an odd paranormal ability, becomes a novice wizard or magician.... Critique • Quotes • At the movies • Buy
1969–1999
Aubrey–Maturin series
by Patrick O'Brian, England
Novel series includes Master and Commander, Post Captain, HMS Surprise, The Mauritius Command, Desolation Island, and others.
1970–1975
The Deptford Trilogy
by Robertson Davies, Canada
Novel series includes Fifth Business, The Manticore, World of Wonders
1970–2004
Ringworld
by Larry Niven, United States
1970–2009
Dalziel and Pascoe series
by Reginald Hill, England
Novel series includes A Clubbable Woman; Deadheads; Under World; On Beulah Height; Good Morning, Midnight; and others.
1971–1983
Riverworld
by Philip José Farmer, United States
Novel series includes To Your Scattered Bodies Go, The Fabulous Riverboat, The Dark Design, and others.
It's difficult to say exactly what constitutes the essential Riverworld series. I started reading it when only the first two books of Philip José Farmer's projected trilogy existed: To Your Scattered Bodies Go and.... Critique • Quotes • At the movies • Buy
1973–2011
Spenser series
by Robert B. Parker, United States
Novel series includes The Godwulf Manuscript, God Save the Child, Promised Land, The Judas Goat, and others
1974–1979
Karla trilogy
by John le Carré, England
Novel series includes Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Honourable Schoolboy, Smiley's People
1975–2011
Bolitho novels
by Alexander Kent, England
Novel series
1976–1982
The Plantagenet Saga
by Jean Plaidy, England
Novel series includes The Plantagenet Prelude, The Revolt of the Eaglets, and others.
1977–1994
Cadfael Chronicles
by Ellis Peters, England
Novel series
1982–2004
The Dark Tower
by Stephen King, United States
Novel series includes The Gunslinger, The Drawing of the Three, The Waste Lands, Wizard and Glass, and others.
1978–2014
Tales of the City
by Armistead Maupin, United States
Novel series includes Tales of the City, More Tales of the City, Further Tales of the City, Babycakes, and others.
1979–1992
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
by Douglas Adams, England
Novel series, includes The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, and others.
To get an idea of what the Hitchhiker's Trilogy is like, you have only to read the titles of the five novels that comprise it: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy; The Restaurant at the End of the Universe; Life, the Universe.... Critique • Quotes • At the movies • Buy
1980–1989
To the Ends of the Earth
by William Golding, England
Novel series
1982–1984
The Belgariad
by David Eddings, United States
Novel series
1982–1986
Memory of the Fire
by Eduardo Galeano, Uruguay
Novel series
1982–2004
The Dark Tower
by Stephen King, United States
Novel series includes The Gunslinger, The Drawing of the Three, The Waste Lands, and others
1982–2017
Alphabet Mystery series
by Sue Grafton, United States
Novel series includes "A" Is for Alibi, "B" Is for Burglar, "C" Is for Corpse,"Y" is for Yestereday, and others.
1983–2015
Discworld
by Terry Pratchett, England
Novel series includes The Color of Magic, The Light Fantastic, Equal Rites, Small Gods, Night Watch, Going Postal, I Shall Wear Midnight, and others.
1984–1986
The Fionavar Tapestry
by Guy Gavriel Kay, Canada
Novel series
1984–1988
Sprawl trilogy
by William Gibson, Canada
Novel series includes Neuromancer, Count Zero, Mona Lisa Overdrive
1984–2005
Love Medicine series
by Louise Erdrich, United States
Novel series includes Love Medecine, The Beet Queen, Tracks, The Bingo Palace, and others.
1985–1986
New York trilogy
by Paul Auster, United States
Novel series includes City of Glass, Ghosts, and The Locked Room
1985–2008
Ender series
by Orson Scott Card, United States
Novel series includes Ender's Game, Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, Children of the Mind, and others.
When I first finished Ender's Game, before starting the second book in the series, I wondered what all the fuss was about. Oh, I enjoyed Ender's Game. It was a real scifi page-turner. But I did not feel good about.... Critique • Quotes • At the movies • Buy
1986–1991
The Notebook Trilogy
by Ágota Kristof, Hungary
Novel series includes The Notebook, The Proof, and The Third Lie.
1986–2011
Redwall
by Brian Jacques, England
Novel series
1986–2018
The Vorkosigan Saga
by Lois McMaster Bujold, United States
Novel series includes Test of Honour, Dreamweaver's Dilemma, Shards of Honour, Barrayar and others.
1987–2012
Culture series
by Iain M. Banks, Scotland
Novel series includes Consider Phlebas, The Player of Games, Use of Weapons, The State of the Art, and others.
1989–1997
Hyperion Cantos
by Dan Simmons, United States
Novel series includes Hyperion, The Fall of Hyperion, Endymion, The Rise of Endymion, and stories
1990–2013
The Witcher Saga
by Andrzej Sapkowski, Poland
Novels and stories series includes The Witcher, Sword of Destiny, The Last Wish, Blood of Elves, Time of Contempt, and others.
The Wheel of Time
by Robert Jordan, United States
Novel series
1990–2021
Easy Rawlins mysteries
by Walter Mosley, United States
Novel series
1991–1993
Thrawn trilogy
by Timothy Zahn, United States
Novel series includes Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, The Last Command
1991–1995
The Regeneration Trilogy
by Pat Barker, England
Novel trilogy includes Regeneration, The Eye in the Door, and The Ghost Road.
It may seem odd an acclaimed series of novels near the end of the twentieth century should feature characters from the period of the First World War. Or that issues from that war time should continue to resonate with.... Critique • Quotes • Buy
1991–2021
Outlander series
by Diana Gabaldon, United States
Novel series includes Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, Drums of Autumn, and others.
1992–1996
Mars trilogy
by Kim Stanley Robinson, United States
Novel series includes Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars
1995–1997
The Warlord Chronicles
by Bernard Cornwell, United States
Novel series includes The Winter King, Enemy of God, Excalibur
Farseer trilogy
by Robin Hobb, United States
Novel series includes Assassin's Apprentice, Royal Assassin and Assassin's Quest.
1995–2000
His Dark Materials
by Philip Pullman, England
Novel series includes Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass
1995–2003
The Old Kingdom
by Garth Nix, Australia
Novel series includes Sabriel; Lirael; Abhorsen; Clariel; Goldenhand; Terciel and Elinor
1996–2023
A Song of Ice and Fire
by George R.R. Martin, United States
Novel series includes A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, A Dance with Cragons, and others.
1997–2007
Harry Potter
by J.K. Rowling, England
Novel series includes Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone; ...and the Chamber of Secrets; ...and the Prisoner of Azkaban; and others.
1998–2018
Fandorin
by Boris Akunin, Russia
Novel series includes The Winter Queen, The Turkish Gambit, Murder on the Leviathan, The Death of Achilles, and others.
1998–2022
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
by Alexander McCall Smith, Scotland
Novel series includes The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency; Tears of the Giraffe; Morality for Beautiful Girls, and others.
1999–2006
A Series of Unfortunate Events
by Lemony Snicket, United States
Novel series
2001–2005
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
by Ann Brashares, United States
Novel series includes The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, The Second Summer of the Sisterhood, Girls in Pants, Forever in Blue, and others.
2003–2004
The Baroque Cycle
by Neal Stephenson, United States
Novel series
2003–2013
Emperor
by Conn Iggulden, England
Novel series
2005–2007
Millennium trilogy
by Stieg Larsson, Sweden
Novel series includes The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.
Nordic noir had been around before the The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and its sequels made it a worldwide fad. For at least a decade earlier, Scandinavian crime writers, like Henning Mankell, had been winning.... Critique • Quotes • Buy
2005–2008
The Twilight Saga
by Stephenie Meyer, United States
Novel series includes Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn
2005–2009
Percy Jackson and the Olympians
by Rick Riordan, United States
Novel series includes The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, The Titan's Curse, The Battle of the Labyrinth, The Last Olympian, and others.
2006–2008
Mistborn: Era One
by Brandon Sanderson, United States
Novel series includes The Final Empire,The Well of Ascension, The Hero of Ages
2007–2011
Conqueror
by Conn Iggulden, England
Novel series
2011–2016
Dublin Murder Squad
by Tana French, Ireland
Novel series includes In the Woods, The Likeness, Faithful Place, The Trespasser, and others.
2007–2017
The Adventures of Hector Lynch
by Tim Severin, England
Novel series
2008–2010
Remembrance of Earth's Past
by Liu Cixin, China
Novel series includes The Three-Body Problem, The Dark Forest, Death's End
2010–2024
The Stormlight Archives
by Brandon Sanderson, United States
Novel series includes The Way of Kings, Words of Radiance, Oathbringer, Rhythm of War
The Hunger Games
by Suzanne Collins, United States
Novel series includes The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay.
2015–2017
Broken Earth trilogy
by N.K. Jemisin, United States
Novel series includes The Fifth Season, The Obelisk Gate, The Stone Sky
2015–2018
Sands of the Emperor
by Mia Couto, Mozambique
Novel series includes Woman of the Ashes, The Sword and the Spear, The Drinker of Horizons
Binti trilogy
by Nnedi Okorafor, United States
Novella series includes Binti, Binti: Home, Binti: The Night Masquerade
2017–2019
The Loyal League
by Alyssa Cole, United States
Novel series includes An Extraordinary Union, A Hope Divided, An Unconditional Freedom
2017–2021
The Murderbot Diaries
by Martha Wells, United States
Novella series includes All Systems Red, Artificial Condition, Rogue Protocol, Exit Strategy, and others.
