Queen Of Dreams Books in Order

Peter F. Hamilton might be best known for his colossal, galaxy-spanning space operas, but with the Queen of Dreams series, he takes a delightful detour into fantasy for younger readers. Written originally for his own children—and even borrowing their names for the main characters—this trilogy trades starships and wormholes for magic spells and hidden realms. It offers a charming, whimsical adventure that retains the author’s knack for intricate world-building, only this time scaled down for a middle-grade audience.

The story centers on Taggie and her younger sister, Jemima. They expect nothing more than a typical, perhaps slightly boring, summer holiday staying with their father in the English countryside. Life is ordinary, consisting of strawberry picking and damp weather, until the impossible happens. A white squirrel wearing glasses appears, signaling that the barrier between their world and something far stranger is breaking down.

Before the girls can make sense of the oddity, their father is kidnapped by terrifying creatures and dragged into a parallel universe. Taggie and Jemima soon discover that their dad is not merely a mild-mannered farmer, but an exiled prince from the First Realm. His disappearance isn't random; it is a strike by the King of Night, a dark force intent on plunging the magical worlds into eternal darkness.

Suddenly, Taggie finds herself thrust into a role she never asked for. She is not just a schoolgirl looking for her dad—she is the heir to a magical throne.

The trilogy—comprising The Secret Throne, The Hunting of the Princes, and A Voyage Through the Air—follows the sisters as they navigate a multiverse of strange allies and dangerous enemies. They encounter everything from sky-ships and elves to the fearsome Karraks, invaders from a cold, lightless dimension. As the series progresses, the stakes rise from a simple rescue mission to a desperate battle to save multiple worlds from total conquest.

While the setting is pure fantasy, Hamilton grounds the magic in the very real bond between the sisters. Taggie’s journey is one of reluctant heroism, forcing her to find courage she didn't know she possessed.

This is a lighter, faster read than Hamilton’s adult novels, but it doesn't talk down to its audience. It blends the wonder of Alice in Wonderland with a modern action-adventure pacing. For readers used to the author’s science fiction, it’s a fascinating glimpse into a different side of his imagination, proving he can orchestrate a battle for a fairy kingdom just as deftly as a war between stars.