Ted Chiang Books in Order
Below you'll find the complete list of Ted Chiang books in publication order. This is generally the recommended reading order for the series.
Reading order verified: January 2026
Publication Order
Tower of Babylon
Buy on Amazon1990
Understand (in Asimov's)
Buy on Amazon1991
Story of Your Life (in Stories of Your Life and Others)
Buy on Amazon1998
Seventy-Two Letters (in Vanishing Acts)
Buy on Amazon2000
Hell Is the Absence of God
Buy on Amazon2001
The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate
Buy on Amazon2007
The Lifecycle of Software Objects
Buy on Amazon2010
The Truth of Fact, the Truth of Feeling
Buy on Amazon2013
The Great Silence
Buy on Amazon2015
Omphalos
Buy on Amazon2019
Anxiety Is the Dizziness of Freedom
Buy on Amazon2019
Stories of Your Life and Others / Arrival
Buy on Amazon2002
Exhalation
Buy on Amazon2019
Frequently Asked Questions
The recommended reading order for the Ted Chiang series is publication order: 1. Tower of Babylon (1990), 2. Understand (in Asimov's) (1991), 3. Story of Your Life (in Stories of Your Life and Others) (1998), 4. Seventy-Two Letters (in Vanishing Acts) (2000), 5. Hell Is the Absence of God (2001), and 8 more. This is generally the best way to experience the story as the author intended.
The Ted Chiang series by Ted Chiang contains 13 books. The series began in 1990 and continues to be a popular choice for readers.
The Ted Chiang series is written by Ted Chiang. You can find more books and series by this author on our website.
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