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Elizabeth Bear Books in Order

Browse the Elizabeth Bear books connected to Katherine Addison in order, with quick summaries, reading guidance, and background on their shared fantasy world.

Last updated: June 11, 2026

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Elizabeth Bear books in publication order

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66 books

Hammered

by Elizabeth Bear

2004

Fifty-year-old veteran Jenny Casey is hiding in Hartford while her cybernetic body fails. A government project, a crime lord, and a world sliding toward crisis drag her back into the fight.

Scardown

by Elizabeth Bear

2005

Jenny Casey returns to the Canadian military and accepts a rebuilt body for a mission tied to Earth's survival. Betrayals, starship plans, and old enemies make the cure as dangerous as the disease.

Worldwired

by Elizabeth Bear

2005

Aboard the starship Montreal, Jenny Casey and her allies face first contact and the consequences of the choices that got them into space. Humanity's future depends on trust across bodies, minds, and species.

Blood and Iron

by Elizabeth Bear

2006

Elaine Andraste serves the Queen of Faerie by hunting children with magical blood, while human Prometheans fight their own ruthless war. The first Promethean Age novel makes every side morally complicated.

Carnival

by Elizabeth Bear

2006

Diplomats Vincent and Michelangelo arrive on New Amazonia with hidden orders from a tightly controlled Old Earth. Their mission becomes a clash of gender politics, alien technology, ecological pressure, and old loyalties.

The Chains That You Refuse

by Elizabeth Bear

2006

Bear's early short fiction collection gathers science fiction, fantasy, horror, and mythic oddities. It is a useful snapshot of a writer already interested in damaged bodies, strange bargains, and survival.

A Companion to Wolves

by Elizabeth Bear

2007

Young nobleman Isolfr is chosen to become a wolfcarl, bonded to a giant telepathic wolf. That honor drags him into a brutal northern war, and forces him to rethink duty, love, and what kind of man he will be.

Dust / Pinion

by Elizabeth Bear

2007

Inside the damaged generation ship Jacob's Ladder, servant Rien frees noble captive Perceval and stumbles into a war over the ship's future. The star is dying, and old family loyalties may doom everyone aboard.

New Amsterdam

by Elizabeth Bear

2007

Forensic sorceress Abigail Irene Garrett and vampire detective Sebastien de Ulloa investigate supernatural crimes in an alternate New World. These linked stories mix gaslight mystery, empire, magic, and melancholy partnership.

Tideline

by Elizabeth Bear

2007

Chalcedony, a dying war machine, gathers beach trinkets to memorialize fallen comrades and befriends a feral boy. The Hugo-winning story turns a ruined future into a quiet act of remembrance.

Undertow

by Elizabeth Bear

2007

On Greene's World, assassin André Deschênes wants to leave killing behind and learn probability magic. One last job in a floating city exposes corporate exploitation, alien rights, and secrets that could change everything.

Whiskey and Water

by Elizabeth Bear

2007

Matthew the Magician is still recovering from war with Faerie when a murder in New York pulls him back into supernatural politics. Old bargains, wounded allies, and dangerous immortals crowd the case.

All the Windwracked Stars

by Elizabeth Bear

2008

Muire, the last Valkyrie, survives into the dying last city at the end of time. Haunted by Ragnarok and failure, she faces magic, technology, and one more chance to choose differently.

Hell and Earth

by Elizabeth Bear

2008

The Stratford Man story continues as Kit and Will face deeper plots linking England, Faerie, and the queen's survival. Love, loyalty, and language become weapons in a war of courts.

Ink and Steel

by Elizabeth Bear

2008

Kit Marley and Will Shakespeare are drawn into Faerie politics, espionage, theatre, and the dangerous court of Elizabeth I. This Promethean Age novel turns literary history into high-stakes magical intrigue.

METAtropolis

by Elizabeth Bear

2008

This shared-world anthology imagines future cities after old systems fail, with Elizabeth Bear among the contributors. The stories explore survival, reinvention, community, and the messy experiments that might follow collapse.

Shoggoths in Bloom and Other Stories

by Elizabeth Bear

2008

This collection includes Bear's Hugo-winning “Tideline” and “Shoggoths in Bloom,” alongside science fiction, horror, and fantasy stories about memory, sacrifice, monsters, and the difficult work of being human.

By the Mountain Bound

by Elizabeth Bear

2009

This prequel to The Edda of Burdens looks back before the world's ruin. Love, betrayal, gods, wolves, and sorcery set the old catastrophe in motion with tragic force.

Chill / Sanction

by Elizabeth Bear

2009

After catastrophe on Jacob's Ladder, Perceval must captain a divided and damaged ship toward survival. Rebellion, sabotage, and hidden threats make leadership feel nearly impossible.

Seven for a Secret

by Elizabeth Bear

2009

In occupied 1938 London, vampire detective Sebastien and aging sorceress Abigail confront a mystery shaped by fear, surveillance, and war. The case is intimate, mournful, and thick with alternate-history dread.

The Horrid Glory of Its Wings

by Elizabeth Bear

2009

Desiree, a girl shaped by illness and foster care, discovers a bronze-winged harpy living behind her building. Their uneasy connection becomes a dark, sharp story about hunger, help, and self-worth.

Bone and Jewel Creatures

by Elizabeth Bear

2010

Elderly artificer Bijou builds creatures from bone, jewels, and metal, but retirement will not leave her alone. A feral child, necromantic plague, and an old enemy pull her back into danger.

Destination: Future

by Elizabeth Bear

2010

This anthology gathers forward-looking science fiction from multiple writers, including Elizabeth Bear. It offers a range of future visions, from spacefaring adventure to quieter questions about technology, change, and human choices.

The Girl Who Sang Rose Madder

by Elizabeth Bear

2010

An aging rock star facing cancer is offered a supernatural way to keep going. The choice forces her to weigh survival against the fire, change, and mortality that shaped her art.

The White City

by Elizabeth Bear

2010

Sebastien de Ulloa enters a Moscow mystery of murder, vampires, and old political danger. This New Amsterdam novella brings Bear's occult detection into a colder, more haunted imperial city.

Grail / Cleave

by Elizabeth Bear

2011

Jacob's Ladder finally reaches the planet Fortune, but it is not empty and not ready to welcome the ship's altered survivors. Murder, diplomacy, and old shipboard divisions threaten the fragile chance at home.

Shadow Unit 3

by Elizabeth Bear

2011

When Chaz Villette disappears while visiting a house tied to his past, Shadow Unit faces its most personal case yet. The search becomes a brutal race against a gamma who knows exactly how to break people.

Shadow Unit 4

by Elizabeth Bear

2011

Season two opens with the unit still shaken by what happened to Chaz. New anomaly cases force everyone back to work before they have healed, and the return to the field proves almost as dangerous as the monsters.

Shadow Unit 5

by Elizabeth Bear

2011

Two linked cases push Shadow Unit close to collapse. Bad calls, lingering trauma, and Chaz's struggle with severe PTSD make this one less about catching monsters than surviving the cost of the job.

Shadow Unit 6

by Elizabeth Bear

2011

The team is splintered when fresh investigations and a shocking abduction force them to regroup. For once Stephen Reyes is not the one pulling strings, and that shift makes the whole unit feel newly exposed.

Shadow Unit 8

by Elizabeth Bear

2011

Fresh hunts collide with crucial backstory about the people who built Shadow Unit in the first place. Monsters still stalk the edges, but the deeper tension comes from history, loyalty, and what the job has already cost.

Shadow Unit 9

by Elizabeth Bear

2011

Each new anomaly case exposes another crack in the team. This installment keeps the investigations moving fast, while the emotional suspense comes from watching experienced agents edge closer to their limits.

Shadow Unit 10

by Elizabeth Bear

2011

The cases are deadly, but the bigger danger may be the wear and tear inside the unit itself. This volume digs into trust, damage, and what happens when impossible work becomes normal.

The Sea Thy Mistress

by Elizabeth Bear

2011

Fifty years after Muire walked into the sea carrying the burden of a reborn world, old powers stir again. This final Edda of Burdens novel asks what renewal costs after apocalypse.

The Tempering of Men

by Elizabeth Bear

2011

The troll war may be over, but peace does not last long in Iskryne. As Isolfr and the wolf pack build a new hall, rivalries, invading men, and changing loyalties threaten the fragile order they fought to win.

Ad Eternum

by Elizabeth Bear

2012

Vampire detective Sebastien returns to New Amsterdam looking for a new beginning. Old grief, sorcery, and the possibility of belonging make this a quieter but important turn in Bear's alternate-history mystery world.

And the Deep Blue Sea

by Elizabeth Bear

2012

Harrie rides as a motorcycle courier across a post-apocalyptic American wasteland where the mail still matters. A devilish bargain shadows the route, turning survival into a test of wording and nerve.

Faster Gun

by Elizabeth Bear

2012

Outside Tombstone, a ship impossibly huge and far from any ocean crashes with something alive inside. Doc Holliday and frontier legend collide with science-fiction strangeness in this weird western short story.

Garrett Investigates

by Elizabeth Bear

2012

Forensic sorceress Abigail Irene Garrett takes on more occult mysteries in Bear's alternate New Amsterdam. These linked cases emphasize sharp detection, magical evidence, and the practical courage of an aging investigator.

In the House of Aryaman, a Lonely Signal Burns

by Elizabeth Bear

2012

In future Bangalore, Sub-Inspector Ferron investigates a locked-room murder with a body transformed beyond recognition. The case involves advanced tech, complicated domestic lives, and one unforgettable parrot-cat witness.

Range of Ghosts

by Elizabeth Bear

2012

Temur survives a brutal succession war, then learns his lover Edene has been taken by blood ghosts. With the wizard Samarkar, he begins a dangerous journey across empires, assassins, and changing skies.

Book of Iron

by Elizabeth Bear

2013

A younger Bijou joins Kaulas the Necromancer and Prince Salih on a dangerous journey into old ruins. This prequel mixes bone-crafted creatures, rivalry, and lost magic from the world behind Bone and Jewel Creatures.

Shadow Unit 13

by Elizabeth Bear

2013

The pressure keeps climbing as Shadow Unit tackles cases that throw different members into the spotlight. Big consequences are brewing, but the series never loses sight of the smaller personal fractures underneath.

Shattered Pillars

by Elizabeth Bear

2013

Re-Temur, Samarkar, Hrahima, and Brother Hsiung push deeper into danger along the Celedon Road. Assassins, dark sorcery, and imperial ambition turn their rescue mission into a fight for whole kingdoms.

One-Eyed Jack

by Elizabeth Bear

2014

In a magical Las Vegas ruled by avatars, One-Eyed Jack and the Suicide King face a threat from Los Angeles powers. Ghosts, vampires, luck, and old myths collide in this offbeat Promethean Age novel.

Shadow Unit 14

by Elizabeth Bear

2014

Old enemies, bad memories, and fresh anomaly cases start converging at once. By this point the series feels like a long television season nearing its endgame, tense, messy, and very hard to put down.

Steles of the Sky

by Elizabeth Bear

2014

Temur raises his banner against the uncle who stole his future, while Samarkar and their allies face assassins, plague, and war. The Eternal Sky trilogy closes with empires burning and loyalties tested hard.

This Chance Planet

by Elizabeth Bear

2014

In near-future Moscow, waitress Petra dreams of becoming an engineer while her musician boyfriend pushes a risky scheme involving her body. The story mixes intimate frustration, biotechnology, and one very important dog.

An Apprentice to Elves

by Elizabeth Bear

2015

Alfgyfa has grown up in the Wolfhall, but Iskryne's rules leave little room for a girl like her. Sent to the elf matriarch Tin as apprentice and ambassador, she steps into a tense world of diplomacy, danger, and forbidden possibility.

Karen Memory

by Elizabeth Bear

2015

Karen Memery works at Madame Damnable's respectable bordello in steampunk Rapid City. When an injured girl seeks shelter, Karen is drawn into a fight involving missing women, political corruption, mad science, and a very dangerous killer.

The Stone in the Skull

by Elizabeth Bear

2017

The Gage, a brass automaton with a human heart, and the Dead Man carry a message into the Lotus Kingdoms. Their mission drops them into dynastic tension, dangerous mountains, and a war waiting to ignite.

Stone Mad

by Elizabeth Bear

2018

Karen and Priya hoped for a quieter trip, but Rapid City's spiritualists, magicians, con artists, and an angry tommy-knocker have other plans. This shorter adventure keeps Karen's voice sharp and the trouble wonderfully strange.

The Cobbler's Boy

by Elizabeth Bear

2018

Fifteen-year-old Christopher Marlowe wants a scholarship that will get him away from his brutal father. When the man who could help him is murdered, Kit is pulled into a fast-moving historical mystery of secrets, danger, and first love.

We Have Always Died In The Castle

by Elizabeth Bear

2018

Bear and artist Melissa Gay imagine a near future where immersive virtual reality is used for empathy and social change. The result is a gothic-tinged novella about technology, feeling, and consequence.

Ancestral Night

by Elizabeth Bear

2019

Salvager Haimey Dz and pilot Connla Kurucz find a discovery near a failed White Transition that could change interstellar politics. Pirates, memory, and alien secrets turn one job into a fight over freedom itself.

Deriving Life

by Elizabeth Bear

2019

Marq Tames is a mathematician in a future with more options for identity, love, and embodiment than we have now. The story asks what life means when survival still has limits.

The Red-Stained Wings

by Elizabeth Bear

2019

War spreads through the Lotus Kingdoms as Gage heads into the desert and the Dead Man is pulled toward a desperate defense. Captivity, riddles, and rival rulers make every alliance feel temporary.

A Blessing of Unicorns

by Elizabeth Bear

2020

Sub-Inspector Ferron investigates when a public figure predicts her own disappearance, then vanishes from her apartment. Future Bangalore, social media, and tiny unicorns make the mystery strange without dulling its bite.

Machine

by Elizabeth Bear

2020

Rescue specialist Dr. Brookllyn Jens boards an ancient generation ship and brings more than patients back to Core General. A medical emergency becomes a station-wide crisis involving frozen survivors, artificial intelligence, and a dangerous infection of ideas.

On Safari in R'lyeh and Carcosa with Gun and Camera: A Tor.com Original

by Elizabeth Bear

2020

A scholar's casual DNA test opens the door to impossible ancestry, strange travel, and Lovecraftian landscapes. Bear turns cosmic horror toward curiosity, fieldwork, and a surprising sense of possibility.

The Best of Elizabeth Bear

by Elizabeth Bear

2020

This career-spanning collection gathers many of Bear's strongest short works, including science fiction, fantasy, horror, and mythic stories. It is a smart sampler for readers who want her range in one place.

The Red Mother

by Elizabeth Bear

2021

Sorcerer Auga follows his brother's fate-thread to a volcano-shadowed village and a truth its people fear. This dark fantasy novella has the shape of an old tale and the bite of grief.

The Origin of Storms

by Elizabeth Bear

2022

The Lotus Kingdoms are torn between rival claimants, armies, and old magic as the struggle for the Alchemical Emperor's throne reaches its crisis. Gage, the Dead Man, and the queens must choose what survival will cost.

Angel Maker

by Elizabeth Bear

2025

Karen and Priya join a Western film company in Rapid City, where stunt work turns deadly. A mechanical named Cowboy, a wild horse, and two murders put Karen back in investigative trouble.

The Folded Sky

by Elizabeth Bear

2025

Archinformist Sunya Song travels across the galaxy to preserve data from the ancient Baomind before its star dies. Pirates attack the isolated station, leaving Sunya's family and a priceless alien mind in danger.

The Witch and the Wyrm

by Elizabeth Bear

2025

Hacksilver saved the family farm and learned how to raise the dead, but winter brings the cost home. Dragons, grief, and walking corpses make this folktale-shaped fantasy both eerie and tender.

Where to start with Elizabeth Bear

For cyberpunk and military SF: HammeredScardownWorldwired.
For big secondary-world fantasy: Range of GhostsShattered PillarsSteles of the Sky.
For approachable steampunk adventure: Karen MemoryStone MadAngel Maker.
For far-future space opera: Ancestral NightMachineThe Folded Sky.
For short fiction: Shoggoths in Bloom and Other StoriesThe Best of Elizabeth Bear.

Bone and Jewel Creatures books in order

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  1. Book cover for "Bone and Jewel Creatures"

    Bone and Jewel Creatures

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2010Bone and Jewel Creatures, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Book of Iron"

    Book of Iron

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2013Bone and Jewel Creatures, Book 2

Bone and Jewel Creatures books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "Bone and Jewel Creatures"

    Bone and Jewel Creatures

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2010Bone and Jewel Creatures, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Book of Iron"

    Book of Iron

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2013Bone and Jewel Creatures, Book 2

Eternal Sky books in order

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  1. Book cover for "Range of Ghosts"

    Range of Ghosts

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2012Eternal Sky, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Shattered Pillars"

    Shattered Pillars

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2013Eternal Sky, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "Steles of the Sky"

    Steles of the Sky

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2014Eternal Sky, Book 3

Eternal Sky books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "Range of Ghosts"

    Range of Ghosts

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2012Eternal Sky, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Shattered Pillars"

    Shattered Pillars

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2013Eternal Sky, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "Steles of the Sky"

    Steles of the Sky

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2014Eternal Sky, Book 3

Iskryne World (Elizabeth Bear) books in order

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  1. Book cover for "A Companion to Wolves"

    A Companion to Wolves

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2007Iskryne World, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "The Tempering of Men"

    The Tempering of Men

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2011Iskryne World, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "An Apprentice to Elves"

    An Apprentice to Elves

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2015Iskryne World, Book 3

Iskryne World (Elizabeth Bear) books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "A Companion to Wolves"

    A Companion to Wolves

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2007Iskryne World, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "The Tempering of Men"

    The Tempering of Men

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2011Iskryne World, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "An Apprentice to Elves"

    An Apprentice to Elves

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2015Iskryne World, Book 3

Jacob's Ladder books in order

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  1. Book cover for "Dust / Pinion"

    Dust / Pinion

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2007Jacob's Ladder, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Chill / Sanction"

    Chill / Sanction

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2009Jacob's Ladder, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "Grail / Cleave"

    Grail / Cleave

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2011Jacob's Ladder, Book 3

Jacob's Ladder books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "Dust / Pinion"

    Dust / Pinion

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2007Jacob's Ladder, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Chill / Sanction"

    Chill / Sanction

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2009Jacob's Ladder, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "Grail / Cleave"

    Grail / Cleave

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2011Jacob's Ladder, Book 3

Jenny Casey books in order

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  1. Book cover for "Hammered"

    Hammered

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2004Jenny Casey, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Scardown"

    Scardown

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2005Jenny Casey, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "Worldwired"

    Worldwired

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2005Jenny Casey, Book 3

Jenny Casey books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "Hammered"

    Hammered

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2004Jenny Casey, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Scardown"

    Scardown

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2005Jenny Casey, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "Worldwired"

    Worldwired

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2005Jenny Casey, Book 3

Karen Memory books in order

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  1. Book cover for "Karen Memory"

    Karen Memory

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2015Karen Memory, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Stone Mad"

    Stone Mad

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2018Karen Memory, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "Angel Maker"

    Angel Maker

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2025Karen Memory, Book 3

Karen Memory books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "Karen Memory"

    Karen Memory

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2015Karen Memory, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Stone Mad"

    Stone Mad

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2018Karen Memory, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "Angel Maker"

    Angel Maker

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2025Karen Memory, Book 3

Lotus Kingdoms books in order

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  1. Book cover for "The Stone in the Skull"

    The Stone in the Skull

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2017Lotus Kingdoms, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "The Red-Stained Wings"

    The Red-Stained Wings

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2019Lotus Kingdoms, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "The Origin of Storms"

    The Origin of Storms

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2022Lotus Kingdoms, Book 3

Lotus Kingdoms books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "The Stone in the Skull"

    The Stone in the Skull

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2017Lotus Kingdoms, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "The Red-Stained Wings"

    The Red-Stained Wings

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2019Lotus Kingdoms, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "The Origin of Storms"

    The Origin of Storms

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2022Lotus Kingdoms, Book 3

METAtropolis books in order

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  1. Book cover for "METAtropolis"

    METAtropolis

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2008METAtropolis, Book 1

METAtropolis books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "METAtropolis"

    METAtropolis

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2008METAtropolis, Book 1

New Amsterdam books in order

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  1. Book cover for "New Amsterdam"

    New Amsterdam

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2007New Amsterdam, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Seven for a Secret"

    Seven for a Secret

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2009New Amsterdam, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "The White City"

    The White City

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2010New Amsterdam, Book 3
  4. Book cover for "Ad Eternum"

    Ad Eternum

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2012New Amsterdam, Book 4
  5. Book cover for "Garrett Investigates"

    Garrett Investigates

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2012New Amsterdam, Book 5

New Amsterdam books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "New Amsterdam"

    New Amsterdam

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2007New Amsterdam, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Seven for a Secret"

    Seven for a Secret

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2009New Amsterdam, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "The White City"

    The White City

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2010New Amsterdam, Book 3
  4. Book cover for "Ad Eternum"

    Ad Eternum

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2012New Amsterdam, Book 4
  5. Book cover for "Garrett Investigates"

    Garrett Investigates

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2012New Amsterdam, Book 5

Promethean Age books in order

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  1. Book cover for "Blood and Iron"

    Blood and Iron

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2006Promethean Age, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Whiskey and Water"

    Whiskey and Water

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2007Promethean Age, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "Hell and Earth"

    Hell and Earth

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2008Promethean Age, Book 4
  4. Book cover for "Ink and Steel"

    Ink and Steel

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2008Promethean Age, Book 3
  5. Book cover for "One-Eyed Jack"

    One-Eyed Jack

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2014Promethean Age, Book 5

Promethean Age books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "Blood and Iron"

    Blood and Iron

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2006Promethean Age, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Whiskey and Water"

    Whiskey and Water

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2007Promethean Age, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "Ink and Steel"

    Ink and Steel

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2008Promethean Age, Book 3
  4. Book cover for "Hell and Earth"

    Hell and Earth

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2008Promethean Age, Book 4
  5. Book cover for "One-Eyed Jack"

    One-Eyed Jack

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2014Promethean Age, Book 5

Shadow Unit (Elizabeth Bear) books in order

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  1. Book cover for "Shadow Unit 3"

    Shadow Unit 3

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2011Shadow Unit, Book 3
  2. Book cover for "Shadow Unit 4"

    Shadow Unit 4

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2011Shadow Unit, Book 4
  3. Book cover for "Shadow Unit 5"

    Shadow Unit 5

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2011Shadow Unit, Book 5
  4. Book cover for "Shadow Unit 6"

    Shadow Unit 6

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2011Shadow Unit, Book 6
  5. Book cover for "Shadow Unit 8"

    Shadow Unit 8

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2011Shadow Unit, Book 8
  6. Book cover for "Shadow Unit 9"

    Shadow Unit 9

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2011Shadow Unit, Book 9
  7. Book cover for "Shadow Unit 10"

    Shadow Unit 10

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2011Shadow Unit, Book 10
  8. Book cover for "Shadow Unit 13"

    Shadow Unit 13

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2013Shadow Unit, Book 13
  9. Book cover for "Shadow Unit 14"

    Shadow Unit 14

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2014Shadow Unit, Book 14

Shadow Unit (Elizabeth Bear) books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "Shadow Unit 3"

    Shadow Unit 3

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2011Shadow Unit, Book 3
  2. Book cover for "Shadow Unit 4"

    Shadow Unit 4

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2011Shadow Unit, Book 4
  3. Book cover for "Shadow Unit 5"

    Shadow Unit 5

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2011Shadow Unit, Book 5
  4. Book cover for "Shadow Unit 6"

    Shadow Unit 6

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2011Shadow Unit, Book 6
  5. Book cover for "Shadow Unit 8"

    Shadow Unit 8

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2011Shadow Unit, Book 8
  6. Book cover for "Shadow Unit 9"

    Shadow Unit 9

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2011Shadow Unit, Book 9
  7. Book cover for "Shadow Unit 10"

    Shadow Unit 10

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2011Shadow Unit, Book 10
  8. Book cover for "Shadow Unit 13"

    Shadow Unit 13

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2013Shadow Unit, Book 13
  9. Book cover for "Shadow Unit 14"

    Shadow Unit 14

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2014Shadow Unit, Book 14

Sub-Inspector Ferron books in order

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  1. Book cover for "In the House of Aryaman, a Lonely Signal Burns"

    In the House of Aryaman, a Lonely Signal Burns

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2012Sub-Inspector Ferron, Book 1

Sub-Inspector Ferron books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "In the House of Aryaman, a Lonely Signal Burns"

    In the House of Aryaman, a Lonely Signal Burns

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2012Sub-Inspector Ferron, Book 1

Sub-Inspector Ferron Mysteries books in order

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  1. Book cover for "A Blessing of Unicorns"

    A Blessing of Unicorns

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2020Sub-Inspector Ferron Mysteries, Book 1

Sub-Inspector Ferron Mysteries books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "A Blessing of Unicorns"

    A Blessing of Unicorns

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2020Sub-Inspector Ferron Mysteries, Book 1

The Edda of Burdens books in order

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  1. Book cover for "All the Windwracked Stars"

    All the Windwracked Stars

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2008The Edda of Burdens, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "By the Mountain Bound"

    By the Mountain Bound

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2009The Edda of Burdens, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "The Sea Thy Mistress"

    The Sea Thy Mistress

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2011The Edda of Burdens, Book 3

The Edda of Burdens books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "All the Windwracked Stars"

    All the Windwracked Stars

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2008The Edda of Burdens, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "By the Mountain Bound"

    By the Mountain Bound

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2009The Edda of Burdens, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "The Sea Thy Mistress"

    The Sea Thy Mistress

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2011The Edda of Burdens, Book 3

The Red Mother books in order

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  1. Book cover for "The Witch and the Wyrm"

    The Witch and the Wyrm

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2025The Red Mother, Book 1

The Red Mother books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "The Witch and the Wyrm"

    The Witch and the Wyrm

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2025The Red Mother, Book 1

White Space books in order

Explore this series
  1. Book cover for "Ancestral Night"

    Ancestral Night

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2019White Space, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Machine"

    Machine

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2020White Space, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "The Folded Sky"

    The Folded Sky

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2025White Space, Book 3

White Space books in chronological order

  1. Book cover for "Ancestral Night"

    Ancestral Night

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2019White Space, Book 1
  2. Book cover for "Machine"

    Machine

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2020White Space, Book 2
  3. Book cover for "The Folded Sky"

    The Folded Sky

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2025White Space, Book 3

Elizabeth Bear collections, short stories, and related book types

Short Stories/Novellas

  1. Book cover for "The Chains That You Refuse"

    The Chains That You Refuse

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2006
  2. Book cover for "Tideline"

    Tideline

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2007
  3. Book cover for "Shoggoths in Bloom and Other Stories"

    Shoggoths in Bloom and Other Stories

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2008
  4. Book cover for "The Horrid Glory of Its Wings"

    The Horrid Glory of Its Wings

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2009
  5. Book cover for "Destination: Future"

    Destination: Future

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2010
  6. Book cover for "The Girl Who Sang Rose Madder"

    The Girl Who Sang Rose Madder

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2010
  7. Book cover for "Faster Gun"

    Faster Gun

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2012
  8. Book cover for "And the Deep Blue Sea"

    And the Deep Blue Sea

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2012
  9. Book cover for "This Chance Planet"

    This Chance Planet

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2014
  10. Book cover for "We Have Always Died In The Castle"

    We Have Always Died In The Castle

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2018
  11. Book cover for "Deriving Life"

    Deriving Life

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2019
  12. Book cover for "On Safari in R'lyeh and Carcosa with Gun and Camera: A Tor.com Original"

    On Safari in R'lyeh and Carcosa with Gun and Camera: A Tor.com Original

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2020
  13. Book cover for "The Red Mother"

    The Red Mother

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2021

Short Story Collections

  1. Book cover for "Shoggoths in Bloom and Other Stories"

    Shoggoths in Bloom and Other Stories

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2008
  2. Book cover for "The Best of Elizabeth Bear"

    The Best of Elizabeth Bear

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2020

Standalone Elizabeth Bear books

  1. Book cover for "Carnival"

    Carnival

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2006
  2. Book cover for "Undertow"

    Undertow

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2007
  3. Book cover for "The Cobbler's Boy"

    The Cobbler's Boy

    by Elizabeth Bear

    2018

Author bio

Elizabeth Bear was born Sarah Bear Elizabeth Wishnevsky in Hartford, Connecticut, and grew up mostly in central Connecticut, with a couple of years in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom. A favorite bit of trivia is that she shares a birthday with Frodo and Bilbo Baggins. That feels about right for a writer who has spent so much of her career moving between hard science fiction, old myth, and stranger kinds of fantasy.

Before books became the day job, Bear studied English and anthropology at the University of Connecticut. She did not graduate, but the mix of language, culture, and systems thinking stayed with her work. She also worked as a technical writer, reporter, stable hand, and in office jobs, which is a very Bear-shaped résumé. Practical, odd, and useful later.

She sold a few stories in the 1990s, then began writing seriously in 2001. Her first novel, Hammered, arrived in 2005 and introduced Jenny Casey, an aging former Canadian special forces soldier with a damaged cybernetic body and more enemies than she can safely count. Scardown and Worldwired followed the same year.

That trilogy put her on the map fast.

The Jenny Casey books are tough, political science fiction with soldiers, artificial intelligence, climate pressure, and a lot of bodily wear and tear. Readers who like Bear often point to that blend, big systems seen through people who are tired, angry, funny, and still trying to do the right thing.

Bear did not stay in one lane. The Promethean Age books mix Faerie, Elizabethan theater, and modern fantasy politics. The Edda of Burdens novels build a science-fantasy world out of Norse myth and ruin. The Eternal Sky trilogy, beginning with Range of Ghosts, turns Central Asian and Silk Road textures into broad epic fantasy, while the Lotus Kingdoms books move into a warmer, more southern part of that same world.

Then there are the books that are simply fun to hand to new readers. Karen Memory is steampunk adventure with brothels, airships, mechanical trouble, and a narrator who talks like she is sitting across the table from you. Ancestral Night and Machine move into far-future space opera, with alien civilizations, rescue medicine, and questions about freedom, consent, and how a society decides what counts as healthy.

Her short fiction matters just as much as the novels. “Tideline” won both the Hugo Award and the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award, and “Shoggoths in Bloom” won the Hugo for Best Novelette. Collections like Shoggoths in Bloom and Other Stories and The Best of Elizabeth Bear show how easily she moves from robots and monsters to grief, comedy, and myth.

She also likes company. Bear co-wrote the Iskryne books with Sarah Monette, and she was one of the writers behind the shared-world project Shadow Unit. These collaborations make sense beside her solo work, because so many of her stories care about teams, chosen families, and the strange ways people keep each other alive.

Bear now lives in the Happy Valley of Massachusetts with her spouse, writer Scott Lynch. She is still writing novels and short fiction, and she has also spoken as a futurist in places far outside the usual book-convention circuit. The range is wide, but the center holds: people under pressure, systems under strain, and the small acts of loyalty that keep the lights on.

Edited by

Richard Reis

Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.

Anurag Ramdasan

Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.

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