C. J. Cherryh's career began with publication of her first books in 1976, Gate of Ivrel and Brothers of Earth. She has been a prolific science fiction and fantasy author since then, publishing over 60 novels, short-story compilations, with continuing production as her blog attests. Ms. Cherryh has received the Hugo and Locus Awards for some of her novels.
Her novels are divided into various spheres, focusing mostly around the Alliance-Union universe, the Foreigner universe and her fantasy novels.
The Alliance-Union universe is a science fiction future history series, in which the development of political entities and cultures occurs over a long time period. Major characters in one work may be referenced or appear briefly in another.
According to the author, the novels in this universe, except Hellburner and Heavy Time (which were subsequently re-published in one volume entitled Devil to the Belt), can be read in any order.
Downbelow Station (1981) – Hugo winner, Locus SF Award nominee, 1982Merchanter's Luck (1982)also published in the Alliance Space (2008) omnibusRimrunners (1989) – Locus SF Award nominee, 1990Heavy Time (1991)Hellburner (1992)Devil to the Belt (2000) – single-volume edition of the above two booksTripoint (1994)Finity's End (1997) – Locus SF Award nominee, 1998Alliance Rising (forthcoming, 2018)Serpent's Reach (1980)also published in The Deep Beyond (2005) omnibusForty Thousand in Gehenna (1983)also published in the Alliance Space (2008) omnibusThe Scapegoat (1985) – novellaCyteen (1988) – Hugo and Locus SF Award winner, British Science Fiction Award nominee, 1989also published in a 3-volume edition as The Betrayal, The Rebirth and The Vindication, about which Cherryh has written, "There was a paperbound publication that split the novel into three parts, but this has ended: the current and, by my wishes, all future publications, will have Cyteen as one unified book."Regenesis (2009)The Pride of Chanur (1981) – Hugo and Locus SF Award nominee, 1983Chanur's Venture (1984) – Locus SF Award nominee, 1985The Kif Strike Back (1985)The Chanur Saga (2000) – single-volume edition of the above three booksChanur's Homecoming (1986)Chanur's Legacy (1992)Chanur's Endgame (2007) – single-volume edition of the above two booksThe Faded Sun: Kesrith (1978) – Hugo and Locus SF Award nominee, 1979; Nebula Award nominee, 1978 The Faded Sun: Shon'Jir (1978)The Faded Sun: Kutath (1979)The Faded Sun Trilogy (UK, 1987 and US, 2000) – single-volume edition of the above three booksAngel with the Sword (1985)Merovingen Nights – shared world series of anthologies (see "As Editor" below)These novels share a common theme, but are unrelated to each other and can be read in any order.
Port Eternity (1982)also published in the Alternate realities (2000) omnibusVoyager in Night (1984) – Philip K. Dick Award nominee, 1984 also published in the Alternate realities (2000) omnibusCuckoo's Egg (1985) – Hugo Award nominee, 1986also published in The Deep Beyond (2005) omnibusBrothers of Earth (1976)Hunter of Worlds (1977)At the Edge of Space (2003) – single-volume edition of the above two booksGate of Ivrel (1976)Well of Shiuan (1978)Fires of Azeroth (1979)Above three collected in the following editions:The Book of Morgaine (1979)The Chronicles of Morgaine (1989)The Morgaine Saga (2000)Exile's Gate (1988)Wave Without a Shore (1981)also published in the Alternate realities (2000) omnibusTrilogy arc 1Foreigner (1994) – Locus SF Award nominee, 1995Invader (1995) – Locus SF Award nominee, 1996Inheritor (1996)Trilogy arc 2Precursor (1999)Defender (2001) – Locus SF Award nominee, 2002Explorer (2003)Trilogy arc 3Destroyer (2005)Pretender (2006)Deliverer (2007)Trilogy arc 4Conspirator (2009)Deceiver (2010)Betrayer (2011)Trilogy arc 5Intruder (2012)Protector (2013)Peacemaker (2014)Trilogy arc 6Tracker (2015)Visitor (2016)Convergence (awaiting publication)Trilogy arc 7Emergence (in progress)Resurgence (forthcoming)Rider at the Gate (1995)Cloud's Rider (1996)Hammerfall (2001) – Campbell Award nominee, 2002Forge of Heaven (2004)"Cassandra" (1978) – short story, Hugo Award winner, 1979Hestia (1979)Fortress in the Eye of Time (1995) – Locus Fantasy Award nominee, 1996Fortress of Eagles (1998) – Locus Fantasy Award nominee, 1999Fortress of Owls (1999) – Locus Fantasy Award nominee, 2000Fortress of Dragons (2000)Fortress of Ice (2006)Ealdwood (1981 novellette)The Dreamstone (1983 novel) – includes material from Cherryh's short story "The Dreamstone" (1979) and the novelette Ealdwood (1981)The Tree of Swords and Jewels (1983 novel)Arafel's Saga (1983) – single-volume edition of The Dreamstone (1983) and The Tree of Swords and Jewels (1983)Ealdwood (1991) – single-volume edition of The Dreamstone (1983) and The Tree of Swords and Jewels (1983) with revisions and a new endingThe Dreaming Tree (1997) – single-volume edition of The Dreamstone (1983) and The Tree of Swords and Jewels (1983) with the Ealdwood (1991) revisionsRusalka (1989) – Locus Fantasy Award nominee, 1990Rusalka (2010) – revised ebook editionChernevog (1990)Chernevog (2012) – revised ebook edition, credited to C. J. Cherryh and Jane FancherYvgenie (1991)Yvgenie (2012) – revised ebook editionThe Gates of Hell (1986), novel with Janet MorrisKings in Hell (1986), novel with Janet MorrisLegions of Hell (1987)The Brothers (1986) – novellaThe Paladin (1988) – Locus Fantasy Award nominee, 1989The Goblin Mirror (1992)Faery in Shadow (1993)Faery Moon (2009) – revised ebook edition of Faery in Shadow, plus its prequel, The BrothersLois & Clark: A Superman Novel (1996)The Book of Morgaine (1979) – Gate of Ivrel (1976), Well of Shiuan (1978) and Fires of Azeroth (1979)Arafel's Saga (1983) – The Dreamstone (1983) and The Tree of Swords and Jewels (1983)The Chronicles of Morgaine (1989) – Gate of Ivrel (1976), Well of Shiuan (1978) and Fires of Azeroth (1979)Ealdwood (1991) – The Dreamstone (1983) and The Tree of Swords and Jewels (1983) with revisions and a new endingThe Dreaming Tree (1997) – The Dreamstone (1983) and The Tree of Swords and Jewels (1983) with revisions and a new endingThe Morgaine Saga (2000) – Gate of Ivrel (1976), Well of Shiuan (1978) and Fires of Azeroth (1979)The Faded Sun Trilogy (2000) – Kesrith (1978), Shon'Jir (1978) and Kutath (1979)The Chanur Saga (2000) – The Pride of Chanur (1981), Chanur's Venture (1984) and The Kif Strike Back (1985)Devil to the Belt (2000) – Heavy Time (1991) and Hellburner (1992)Alternate Realities (2000) – Wave Without a Shore (1981), Port Eternity (1982) and Voyager in Night (1984)At the Edge of Space (2003) – Brothers of Earth (1976) and Hunter of Worlds (1977)The Deep Beyond (2005) – Serpent's Reach (1980) and Cuckoo's Egg (1985)Chanur's Endgame (2007) – Chanur's Homecoming (1986) and Chanur's Legacy (1992)Alliance Space (2008) – Merchanter's Luck (1982) and Forty Thousand in Gehenna (1983)Sunfall (1981) – short stories and novelettesVisible Light (1986) – short stories, novelettes and novellasGlass and Amber (1987) – short stories and essaysThe Collected Short Fiction of C. J. Cherryh (2004) – short stories, novelettes and novellas, including those in Sunfall, Visible LightAltered States: a cyberpunk sci-fi anthology (2014) – "Mech" (1992)The Merovingen Nights shared-world anthologies are set on the world of Merovin in Cherryh's Alliance-Union universe. They are collections of interrelated short stories written by Cherryh and others. Cherryh's novel Angel with the Sword precedes book #1 in this series.
Festival Moon (1987) – Merovingen Nights #1Fever Season (1987) – Merovingen Nights #2Troubled Waters (1988) – Merovingen Nights #3Smuggler's Gold (1988) – Merovingen Nights #4Divine Right (1989) – Merovingen Nights #5Flood Tide (1990) – Merovingen Nights #6Endgame (1991) – Merovingen Nights #7From French to English:
The Green Gods (1980), by N. C. Henneberg (Nathalie and Charles Henneberg)Stellar Crusade (1980), by Pierre BarbetThe Book of Shai (1982), by Daniel WaltherShai's Destiny (1985), by Daniel WaltherCherryh did not write the three novels in the Sword of Knowledge series, but received co-author's credit because she penned a foreword to each. The publisher removed Cherryh's introductions from most or all editions of these works.
A Dirge for Sabis (1989), by Cherryh and Leslie FishWizard Spawn (1989), by Cherryh and Nancy AsireReap the Whirlwind (1989), by Cherryh and Mercedes LackeyThe Sword of Knowledge (1995) – compilation of the three titles in a single volumeWorks about C. J. Cherryh written by others.
The Cherryh Odyssey (2004), by Edward Carmien – a collection of essays by academics, critics and authors about C. J. Cherryh