SOLEN Reading Order: The Mars Colony Book Series in Order
Four novels and four novellas so far (two more coming soon), one century-spanning saga, and a clear path through it. The full numbered reading order is below, with a one-line premise for each book and where the novellas fit. No spoilers.
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The SOLEN Reading Order, Numbered
SOLEN: The Eden Archive is a hard science fiction Mars colony book series by Warren Pulley. It follows one colony at Hellas Planitia for a hundred years, from two founders in 2054 to a civilization, with the mission AI SOLEN keeping the record. Eight titles are published (four novels and four companion novellas), and two more novellas are in production. This is the order we recommend for a first read.
Book 1 · Main storyNovaSeed: Eden Rising
Two were selected from eight billion. One mission, one planet, no way back. Carter and Alina leave an Earth drowning in its own complexity in 2054 to found the first colony on Mars.
Novella 1.1 · Companion, optionalCarter: The First Record
He spent fifteen years learning to listen to broken things: Carter's story before the NovaSeed mission.
Novella 1.2 · Companion, optionalAlina: Before the Selection
Before Mars, there was Manila: how Alina Vasquez became the biologist who found life on Mars.
Novella 1.3 · Companion, optionalSOLEN: The First Record
At 06:00:11 on March 14, 2054, SOLEN spoke for the first time: the first thirty-one sols on Mars, told in the mission AI's voice.
Novella 1.4 · Companion, optionalCarter & Alina: The Bond
He knew since Reykjavik. She found the word in Manila. The complete love story of Carter and Alina.
Book 2 · Main storyChildren of Dust
On Sol 441, Nova Donnelly-Vasquez became the first human born on Mars. The colony grows, spanning Years Two through Ten.
Book 3 · Main storyThe Red Dominion
In Year Twenty-Two the colony was forty-seven people. By Year Fifty-Two it was a civilization, and it has to decide what it is.
Book 4 · Main story, final volumeFinal Ascent
Year Ninety-Five: a sky that might one day be called blue. The final volume, covering Years Fifty-Two to One Hundred.
- Novella 1.5 · Companion, coming soon
All the Names I Gave You
Alina's private record.
- Novella 1.6 · Companion, coming soon
The Wall That Held
Carter's private record.
Where the novellas fit
The four novels (Books 1 to 4) are the main story and are complete on their own. The companion novellas are numbered 1.1 to 1.4 because they belong with Book 1: read them after NovaSeed: Eden Rising and before Children of Dust. Carter: The First Record and Alina: Before the Selection go back to the lives Carter and Alina led before the mission. SOLEN: The First Record retells the first thirty-one sols on Mars from the mission AI's point of view. Carter & Alina: The Bond is the full story of their relationship. All four are optional; they add depth and emotional context rather than plot you need for Book 2.
Novellas 1.5 (All the Names I Gave You, Alina's private record) and 1.6 (The Wall That Held, Carter's private record) are in production with no release date announced. This page will be updated when they are published.
Two ways to read the series
Main story only (4 books): NovaSeed: Eden Rising, Children of Dust, The Red Dominion, Final Ascent. The century from the founding to Year One Hundred.
Complete (8 books): Eden Rising, then novellas 1.1 to 1.4, then Books 2, 3 and 4, in the numbered order above.
Release status at a glance
| # | Title | Series number | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NovaSeed: Eden Rising | Book 1 | 2026 | Published |
| 2 | Carter: The First Record | Novella 1.1 | 2026 | Published |
| 3 | Alina: Before the Selection | Novella 1.2 | 2026 | Published |
| 4 | SOLEN: The First Record | Novella 1.3 | 2026 | Published |
| 5 | Carter & Alina: The Bond | Novella 1.4 | 2026 | Published |
| 6 | Children of Dust | Book 2 | 2026 | Published |
| 7 | The Red Dominion | Book 3 | 2026 | Published |
| 8 | Final Ascent | Book 4 | 2026 | Published |
| 9 | All the Names I Gave You | Novella 1.5 | TBA | In production |
| 10 | The Wall That Held | Novella 1.6 | TBA | In production |
Publication dates are from Amazon. Every published title is available on Kindle; Eden Rising, Carter: The First Record, SOLEN: The First Record and Final Ascent are also in paperback. Availability can change, so check the retailer.
More Reader Resources
Quick links for getting deeper into the Archive.
Reading guides
Prefer a one-page list? See the SOLEN books in order, with every title and its Amazon link. Looking for more books like these? Try books like The Martian, books like Project Hail Mary, books like The Expanse, Mars colonisation novels, sci-fi with an AI narrator and the full hard sci-fi reading list. The science behind the series is collected in the Mars Science hub.