What Is The Correct Lonesome Dove Series Reading Order?

If you want a single, straight-forward tragedy then reading ‘Dead Man’s Walk’ first, followed by ‘Comanche Moon’ then ‘Lonesome Dove’ and finally ‘Streets of Laredo’ is the way to go. It’s a straight-line story that follows the main character from his worst days as a young man to his more mature years as a mythic-like figure and, in old age, to his wizened, somewhat bitter days. By reading the books in chronological order, Lonesome Dove becomes just another chapter in a long downhill slide. But by reading them in publication order, the epic masterpiece comes first, then the heart-wrenching sequel, and then the brutal prequels that turn everything you thought you knew about the characters before Lonesome Dove inside out. The emotional impact is very different.

Read Lonesome Dove first, then read Streets of Laredo. The prequels are later optional reading for more background information on the characters. But reading them in chronological order would ruin the big surprises in Lonesome Dove and dilute the impact of the rest of the book and the emotional payoff of the ending. It is a simple book and overcomplicating it ruins it.

If you want to feel the same emotional connection that readers do, read the first three books first. That way you’ll have a good sense of the characters’ core motivations before you watch the show. And then you’ll be able to see how the emotional through-line of the books translates to the show’s slightly warmer and more dramatic take on the sense of community and resilience that is at the books’ core. The individual cases will differ, but Olivia cares about her cases for the same reasons and Grace is just as resilient.

The main books of the End Times Series were written to be published in the intended chronological order of the story. The main books are: Left Behind, Tribulation Force, Nicolae, Soul Harvest, Apollyon, Assassins, The Indwelling, The Mark, Desecration, The Remnant, Armageddon, and then Glorious Appearing. All the other books in the End Times Series are prequels, sequels, or spin-off books and were written after the main books. However, some of the prequels were written after the main books.

This also brings up the rest of the characters’ development. While in ‘The Big Bang Theory’ we only get to know Sheldon’s family through his stories and occasional visits from them in ‘Young Sheldon’ we get to know the rest of the family so well as they are the main characters. Therefore if you watch ‘Young Sheldon’ before ‘The Big Bang Theory’ then every time Sheldon is talking about his family in ‘TBBT’ you get to understand so much more than you would have otherwise. It’s really fun to watch the original series once you have witnessed the ‘reality’ first and can therefore compare Sheldon’s memory/perception to that. It adds so much more subtext to his stories.

These three novels by Giles Blount (published in sequence 2013-2014) form a superb thriller series for people who like their stories to be set in distinctive locations and to develop strongly in sequence. All three Novels are set in Promise Falls which goes from being a somewhat troubled town to a full-blown disaster area as the Novels progress. So, a keen reader should read them in sequence to get the full ‘atmos’ of this great series by Lincolnshire born author, PJ Barclay.

I've got a neat way to lay this out that kept my weekend binging from turning into a confused mess. If you want the definitive reading order for 'Dross', start with the main run in publication order — that usually means issue #1, #2, and so on — because the creative team builds character beats and reveals across issues. If 'Dross' is collected into trade paperbacks or volumes, those are often arranged by story arc and are the easiest entry points: read volume 1, then volume 2, etc. When a crossover or mini-series pops up, treat it like a detour: read the issues that directly tie into the plot immediately after the main-issue breakpoint that references them, but don’t worry about variant covers or reprints — they rarely change narrative order. If you run into single-issue one-shots, origin stories, or specials labeled as 'annuals' or 'extras', check whether they’re listed as prequels or side-stories. These are best enjoyed after you know the characters — unless the special is explicitly called 'prelude' or 'origin', then feel free to read it first for context. I also use fan-made reading guides and the publisher’s official order (if available) to double-check. Digital storefronts sometimes mis-sort issues; always verify issue numbers and publication dates. Personally, I like alternating between trades and single issues depending on my patience level: trades for lazy Sundays, single issues to savor cliffhangers. Above all, follow the numbering and publisher notes — they’re there to save you from narrative whiplash — and enjoy the art, because in 'Dross' the visual pacing is half the story. I still get a kick out of spotting tiny details on my second read.

To properly understand the rules of this world and the dangers contained within, one must read the stories of “The Ladies of Grace Adieu”. To gain the most from “Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell” read the stories first. My definitive reading order for this material is 1) Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, 2) The Ladies of Grace Adieu.

Read the Scythe trilogy in the following order: Scythe, Thunderhead, The Toll. After finishing the trilogy, read Gleanings. The anthology contains many backstory and “sidestories” that are far more enjoyable after you have finished reading the main characters and the ultimate fate of our world. Reading it in the middle of the trilogy would stifle much of the momentum that Mr. Shusterman has created for the three novels.

(This is a lengthy post – after reading through it three times, I’ve put together an optimal story-flow order for reading Knights of the Old Republic stories, balancing narrative coherence with switching between different media). 1. Read 'Tales of the Jedi: Golden Age of the Sith' & 'Fall of the Sith Empire' (comics). 2. Read 'Knights of the Old Republic' comics Vol. 1-4. It continues to follow some of the most fantastic new characters to have been introduced in the Mandalorian War era. 3. Play through the video game 'Knights of the Old Republic I' or watch a full story recap of it. 4. Play/Watch 'Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords'. 5. Read 'The Old Republic: Revan' novel. This is the direct sequel to the video games for the story. 6. Read 'The Old Republic: Deceived'. Reads as a great post-war story to the rest of the comics and books. 7. Watch 'The Old Republic: Return' & 'Hope' CGI Trailers. 8. Read The Old Republic: Fatal Alliance & The Old Republic: Annihilation ( novels set during the Cold War). By watching the videos in this order, you will get to experience each story with minimal whiplash, while having plenty of time to soak up each tale between videos.