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, 1982
Merchanter's Luck (1982)
also published in the Alliance Space (2008) omnibus
Rimrunners (1989) – Locus SF Award nominee, 1990
Heavy Time (1991)
Hellburner (1992)
Devil to the Belt (2000) – single-volume edition of the above two books
Tripoint (1994)
Finity's End (1997) – Locus SF Award nominee, 1998
Alliance Rising (forthcoming, 2018)
Serpent's Reach (1980)
also published in The Deep Beyond (2005) omnibus
Forty Thousand in Gehenna (1983)
also published in the Alliance Space (2008) omnibus
The Scapegoat (1985) – novella
Cyteen (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, 1983
Chanur's Venture (1984) – Locus SF Award nominee, 1985
The Kif Strike Back (1985)
The Chanur Saga (2000) – single-volume edition of the above three books
Chanur's Homecoming (1986)
Chanur's Legacy (1992)
Chanur's Endgame (2007) – single-volume edition of the above two books
The 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 books
Angel 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) omnibus
Voyager in Night (1984) – Philip K. Dick Award nominee, 1984 also published in the Alternate realities (2000) omnibus
Cuckoo's Egg (1985) – Hugo Award nominee, 1986also published in The Deep Beyond (2005) omnibus
Brothers of Earth (1976)
Hunter of Worlds (1977)
At the Edge of Space (2003) – single-volume edition of the above two books
Gate 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) omnibus
Trilogy arc 1
Foreigner (1994) – Locus SF Award nominee, 1995
Invader (1995) – Locus SF Award nominee, 1996
Inheritor (1996)
Trilogy arc 2
Precursor (1999)
Defender (2001) – Locus SF Award nominee, 2002
Explorer (2003)
Trilogy arc 3
Destroyer (2005)
Pretender (2006)
Deliverer (2007)
Trilogy arc 4
Conspirator (2009)
Deceiver (2010)
Betrayer (2011)
Trilogy arc 5
Intruder (2012)
Protector (2013)
Peacemaker (2014)
Trilogy arc 6
Tracker (2015)
Visitor (2016)
Convergence (awaiting publication)
Trilogy arc 7
Emergence (in progress)
Resurgence (forthcoming)
Rider at the Gate (1995)
Cloud's Rider (1996)
Hammerfall (2001) – Campbell Award nominee, 2002
Forge of Heaven (2004)
"Cassandra" (1978) – short story, Hugo Award winner, 1979
Hestia (1979)
Fortress in the Eye of Time (1995) – Locus Fantasy Award nominee, 1996
Fortress of Eagles (1998) – Locus Fantasy Award nominee, 1999
Fortress of Owls (1999) – Locus Fantasy Award nominee, 2000
Fortress 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 ending
The Dreaming Tree (1997) – single-volume edition of The Dreamstone (1983) and The Tree of Swords and Jewels (1983) with the Ealdwood (1991) revisions
Rusalka (1989) – Locus Fantasy Award nominee, 1990Rusalka (2010) – revised ebook edition
Chernevog (1990)
Chernevog (2012) – revised ebook edition, credited to C. J. Cherryh and Jane Fancher
Yvgenie (1991)
Yvgenie (2012) – revised ebook edition
The Gates of Hell (1986), novel with Janet Morris
Kings in Hell (1986), novel with Janet Morris
Legions of Hell (1987)
The Brothers (1986) – novella
The Paladin (1988) – Locus Fantasy Award nominee, 1989
The Goblin Mirror (1992)
Faery in Shadow (1993)
Faery Moon (2009) – revised ebook edition of Faery in Shadow, plus its prequel, The Brothers
Lois & 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 ending
The Dreaming Tree (1997) – The Dreamstone (1983) and The Tree of Swords and Jewels (1983) with revisions and a new ending
The 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 novelettes
Visible Light (1986) – short stories, novelettes and novellas
Glass and Amber (1987) – short stories and essays
The Collected Short Fiction of C. J. Cherryh (2004) – short stories, novelettes and novellas, including those in Sunfall, Visible Light
Altered 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 #1
Fever Season (1987) – Merovingen Nights #2
Troubled Waters (1988) – Merovingen Nights #3
Smuggler's Gold (1988) – Merovingen Nights #4
Divine Right (1989) – Merovingen Nights #5
Flood Tide (1990) – Merovingen Nights #6
Endgame (1991) – Merovingen Nights #7
From French to English:
The Green Gods (1980), by N. C. Henneberg (Nathalie and Charles Henneberg)
Stellar Crusade (1980), by Pierre Barbet
The Book of Shai (1982), by Daniel Walther
Shai's Destiny (1985), by Daniel Walther
Cherryh 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 Fish
Wizard Spawn (1989), by Cherryh and Nancy Asire
Reap the Whirlwind (1989), by Cherryh and Mercedes Lackey
The Sword of Knowledge (1995) – compilation of the three titles in a single volume
Works 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
