Empress Irene Books in Order

This reading order guide provides the complete list of Empress Irene books in order, from the very first to the latest, so you won’t miss anything!

About the Empress Irene Series

The Empress Irene Series by A. Bertram Chandler – a real blast of a journey through the stars, and one that will have you hooked from the word go if you’re the kind of reader who loves a classic space adventure with a bit of an edge. Set in a universe where the old, dusty legends of Mars still whisper through the cosmos and the struggle for power is a galaxy-wide game, this series is all about mixing high-octane action with the deeper, more emotional stuff: the what-ifs, the whys and the ‘how-the-hell-do-we-get-out-of-this-one’ moments. At the beating heart of it all is Irene – a galactic empress turned mercenary warrior, her former life as a ruler now a distant memory as she fights alongside her ex-airforce husband for something that really matters – a cause that’s bigger than them both: fighting against the wrongs of the universe. Their missions are never straightforward : getting life-saving meds into the right hands in the face of all-out hostility, avoiding the law and dodging species with customs that’ll make your head spin – and intentions that’ll make your blood run cold.

What sets this series apart is that it seamlessly blends scathing social commentary with seriously thrilling space sci-fi. It’s not just about battles between the stars (although, let’s be honest, there are plenty of those!); it’s also about what it means to stand up for what’s right in a universe that’s just not that bothered whether you do or don’t. A. Bertram Chandler’s writing has all the old-school charm you’d expect from the sci-fi masters – but then he goes and does something utterly unexpected with his writing, challenging you to think about some really big questions too – like how we should treat the very idea of advanced medicine, or why some super-ancient worlds deep in the heart of Mars still refuse to let go.

If you’re in the market for a science fiction series with all the classic space-adventure stuff, plus a healthy dose of originality and a whole lot of intergalactic politics and drama thrown in for good measure (with a dash of ingenious space queens and some really tough as nails ethical dilemmas ) then this is totally the series for you – so make a beeline for the nearest bookstore and add it to that ever-growing TBR pile of yours