What’s the basis for this?
-FrL-
The fact that “The Dreaming City” was the first Elric story published – yet occurs somewhere in the middle of the Elric saga. The next stories out, IIRC, basically cover the end of the Elric saga. Subsequent stories filled in earlier details.
When they were collected by DAW, everything was re-ordered to the internal chronology. And those books are generally considered the “definitive” set. I’m not even sure it’s possible to read the stories in the published order, without some research on publication dates – “The Dreaming City” ended up in a book sandwiched between stories that came much later in publication.
Although it’s been a while since I could stand reading Moocock; it might be that reading the later full novels – Fortress of the Pearl, and the Rose one – would be better in publication order.
Maybe it’s no longer possible to read them in order easily, but that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t have been better to read them in order.
Is the current order considered definitive because it’s better that way, or is it considered definitive just because that’s how the publisher put them together when it put them out in a single volume?
It may be, though, that Moorcock wrote them in a different order than he originally published. Who knows?
-FrL-
I’m surprised no one posted this:
Terry has written more than twenty books, three-quarters of which tie into one another in various ways. It can be confusing, as a new reader, to know what order to read the books in without spoiling the adventure.
Here are two different lists—one for new readers just beginning and another for readers who are revisiting the series.
Note: If as a new reader you read the novels in chronological order, you will be significantly spoiling your foray through Terry’s work.
NEW READERS - Terry’s Suggested Reading Order
The Original Shannara Trilogy
The Sword of Shannara
The Elfstones of Shannara
The Wishsong of Shannara
A Shannara Short Story
Indomitable – An epilogue to The Wishsong of Shannara
A Shannara Graphic Novel
Dark Wraith of Shannara
The Heritage of Shannara
The Scions of Shannara
The Druid of Shannara
The Elf Queen of Shannara
The Talismans of Shannara
A Shannara Prequel
First King of Shannara
The Word/Void Trilogy
Running with the Demon
A Knight of the Word
Angel Fire East
The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara
Ilse Witch
Antrax
Morgawr
High Druid of Shannara
Jarka Ruus
Tanequil
Straken
Genesis of Shannara Trilogy
Armageddon’s Children
The Elves of Cintra
The Gypsy Morph
REVISITING READERS - Terry’s Chronological Order
The Word/Void Trilogy
Running with the Demon
A Knight of the Word
Angel Fire East
Genesis of Shannara Trilogy
Armageddon’s Children
The Elves of Cintra
The Gypsy Morph
A Shannara Prequel
First King of Shannara
The Original Shannara Trilogy
The Sword of Shannara
The Elfstones of Shannara
The Wishsong of Shannara
A Shannara Short Story
Indomitable – An epilogue to The Wishsong of Shannara
A Shannara Graphic Novel
Dark Wraith of Shannara
The Heritage of Shannara
The Scions of Shannara
The Druid of Shannara
The Elf Queen of Shannara
The Talismans of Shannara
The Voyage of the Jerle Shannara
Ilse Witch
Antrax
Morgawr
High Druid of Shannara
Jarka Ruus
Tanequil
Straken