Eisenhorn

[Paceyjg]

Just a quick one about reading order. I'm listening to the Eisenhorn audio books (I read the novels a number of years ago). Where should The Magos fit in, with the reading order? Before or after Ravenor/The Bequin novels?

[Sothalor]

Chronologically, it occurs after the conclusion of the Ravenor trilogy and before the Bequin novels. After the Perihelion short story, as well, if you're going to go through all the stories.

 

However, I would personally recommend reading the latter three works in terms of publication order: Pariah, The Magos, and then Penitent.

[DarkChaplain]

The Magos has a timeline at the back which fits the short stories and The Magos in along with the Eisenhorn, Ravenor and Bequin novel.

 

Ideally, read the short stories either chronologically, or close to their respective trilogies if they're prequels (like Regia Occulta or Master Imus's Transgression, Playing Patience and such). The prequels I'd read sometime after the first book of the trilogy at least, since the novels introduce things and cast, whereas the shorts give further background. If the short story is set between novels of a trilogy, read it then.

 

Some stories in the anthology also introduce the protagonist of The Magos. Chronologically, they'd be set very early, but in terms of relevance to the story, I'd read them just before diving into The Magos.

 

Technically, The Magos was published after Pariah, but chronologically, it happens before. You can read these two novels in either order - depending on what you're looking for.

 

The mystery of Pariah is MUCH stronger if you haven't read The Magos first - but The Magos recontextualizes Pariah in a way that makes you appreciate certain aspects more by virtue of having some idea of what's going on. The question to ask yourself comes down to whether you want a stronger mystery aspect at the cost of potential confusion (which is very much in keeping with the protagonist's own situation!) or want a headstart on piecing the overall mystery together.

 

So, looking at the list of shorts from the Casebook, I'd suggest this order:

 

Eisenhorn: Xenos

Master Imus' Transgression

Regia Occulta

Missing in Action

Eisenhorn: Malleus

Backcloth for a Crown Additional

Eisenhorn: Hereticus

The Strange Demise of Titus Endor

 

Ravenor

Playing Patience

Thorn Wishes Talon

Ravenor Rogue

Ravenor Returned

 

Pariah (or after The Magos)

 

Pestilence

The Curiosity

Gardens of Tycho

The Magos

The Keeler Image

Perihelion

 

 

Penitent

(Pandaemonium)

 

Additionally, Born Unto Us is another micro-short that isn't included with the Casebook. It's also not particularly relevant, just a brief snippet of an Eisenhorn+Nayl adventure.

 

So if you're going through the audiobooks, check which chapter is what in The Magos, and hop back and forth between the novels and the shorts included there. It's a bit annoying (especially with the Audible release), but it'll serve you better than listening to the entire Magos release in one solid block.