Reading Order
Canopus In Argosseries.seoTitleShort
Start with Re: Colonised Planet 5, Shikasta and continue through all 5 books in the listed reading order.
Start Here
Start with Re: Colonised Planet 5, Shikasta
Book 1 by Doris Lessing • Published 1979
Presented as reports and documents from a galactic civil service, this novel recounts Earth's history as a failed Canopean colony called Shikasta. Through cosmic case files and one agent's fieldwork, Lessing reframes...
Complete List
Canopus In Argos reading order
Ends with The Sentimental Agents in the Volyen Empire
- 1
Book 1:Re: Colonised Planet 5, Shikasta
Doris Lessing • 1979
Presented as reports and documents from a galactic civil service, this novel recounts Earth's history as a failed Canopean colony called Shikasta. Through cosmic case files and one agent's fieldwork, Lessing reframes...
- 2
Book 2:The Marriages Between Zones Three, Four, and Five
Doris Lessing • 1980
In a symbolic landscape of "Zones" encircling Earth, a serene matriarchal realm is ordered to unite with a harsher, warlike neighbour. The enforced marriage between Al Ith and Ben Ata becomes a fable about gender, pow...
- 3
Book 3:The Sirian Experiments
Doris Lessing • 1980
Told by Ambien II, a high ranking official from the Sirian Empire, this novel revisits Earth's history from a rival power's viewpoint. It examines colonial arrogance, bureaucratic blindness, and the uneasy awakening o...
- 4
Book 4:The Making of the Representative for Planet 8
Doris Lessing • 1982
On Planet 8, a peaceful world guided by Canopus, people are ordered to build a vast wall against an oncoming ice age. As temperatures plunge and hope of rescue fades, their leaders struggle to hold the community toget...
- 5
Book 5:The Sentimental Agents in the Volyen Empire
Doris Lessing • 1983
Set on a minor, unstable empire at the edge of the galaxy, this satirical novel follows Canopean observers watching politics crumble under the sway of overheated rhetoric. Speeches themselves become a kind of disease,...
Quick Answers
Canopus In Argos FAQ
What is the best order to read the Canopus In Argos series?
The recommended reading order is the numbered order shown on this page, starting with Re: Colonised Planet 5, Shikasta.
How many books are in the Canopus In Argos series?
There are 5 books currently listed in the Canopus In Argos series on GurusReads.
Where should I start with the Canopus In Argos series?
New readers should start with Re: Colonised Planet 5, Shikasta, the first book in the reading order.
Is the Canopus In Argos series complete?
Based on the publication years we have, the series appears likely complete and spans releases from 1979 to 1983.