Author Guide | BookFairy
π About Lavie Tidhar
Lavie Tidhar is an award-winning author whose work spans science fiction, fantasy, alternative history, crime fiction, graphic novels and literary fiction. Born in Israel in 1976, he grew up on a kibbutz and later travelled extensively, living in several countries, including South Africa, Vanuatu and the United Kingdom.
His writing is difficult to place within a single genre, and that is one of its most distinctive qualities. Tidhar frequently combines historical events with speculative ideas, reimagines familiar literary characters and explores how politics, culture, memory and identity shape the stories we tell about the world.
He is particularly well known for Osama, which won the World Fantasy Award, and Central Station, an imaginative science-fiction novel that received the John W. Campbell Memorial Award. His other major works include The Violent Century, A Man Lies Dreaming, Unholy Land, The Escapement and The Circumference of the World.
Alongside his speculative fiction, Tidhar has developed an important body of historical and literary fiction, particularly through the Maror Trilogy. He has also written children’s books, novellas, short stories and comics, demonstrating an extraordinary willingness to experiment with different forms of storytelling.
His contribution to speculative fiction extends beyond his own writing. As an editor, he has helped introduce readers to international science fiction and fantasy through The Apex Book of World SF and The Best of World SF anthologies.
On BookFairy, I explore Lavie Tidhar’s books and graphic novels through personal reviews, reading orders and recommendations. His work offers an intriguing combination of historical imagination, literary references and unconventional storytelling.
π Why I Read Lavie Tidhar
One of the things that attracts me to speculative fiction is its ability to take something familiar and transform it into something completely unexpected.
Lavie Tidhar is particularly interesting in this respect. His stories move between science fiction, fantasy and alternative history, frequently borrowing characters, ideas and settings from existing literature before taking them in entirely new directions.
That imaginative freedom is exactly what caught my attention when I discovered Adler.
The idea of bringing Irene Adler, Jane Eyre, Miss Havisham, Ayesha and Carmilla together in an alternative version of early twentieth-century London was simply too entertaining to resist.
I enjoy stories that play with established fictional worlds, particularly when the author understands the original material well enough to do something genuinely creative with it.
What I appreciate about this approach is that familiar characters are no longer restricted to the roles their original authors gave them. They can become adventurers, inventors, political figures or something entirely unexpected.
Tidhar’s interest in alternative history also appeals to my love of science fiction and fantasy. His work demonstrates how speculative storytelling can challenge our assumptions about history, society and identity while still delivering imaginative adventures.
I’m looking forward to exploring more of his fiction, particularly Central Station and the different ways he combines science fiction with cultural and historical themes.
π Books Reviewed on BookFairy
Explore my BookFairy reviews of Lavie Tidhar’s work, including graphic novels, alternative history and speculative fiction.
Each review reflects my personal reading experience, with observations about the story, characters, worldbuilding and the ideas behind the book.
Adler β Lavie Tidhar & Paul McCaffrey
Adler is an alternative-history graphic novel that brings together some of the most memorable characters from Victorian and Gothic literature.
Set in a reimagined London, the story follows Irene Adler alongside an extraordinary cast that includes Jane Eyre, Miss Havisham, Ayesha and Carmilla.
I particularly enjoyed the imaginative premise, the literary references and Paul McCaffrey’s artwork.
The series consists of five issues, collected into one complete volume.
π Adler by Lavie Tidhar & Paul McCaffrey β BookFairy Review
π Reading Order
Lavie Tidhar has written several independent novels and interconnected series.
Unlike authors whose books belong to one enormous fictional universe, Tidhar moves between distinct settings, genres and historical periods.
For readers interested in his series, publication order is generally the best approach.
π© The Bookman Histories β Complete Reading Order
This steampunk trilogy reimagines Victorian history and literature through a world of political conspiracies, strange technology and fantastical adventure.
| Book | Year | Original Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2010 | The Bookman |
| 2 | 2011 | Camera Obscura |
| 3 | 2012 | The Great Game |
Recommended reading order: Publication order.
The three novels form a completed trilogy.
π Central Station Universe β Reading Order
Set in a futuristic Middle East, the Central Station universe explores the connections between humans, artificial intelligence, technology and cultural identity.
| Book | Year | Original Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016 | Central Station |
| 2 | 2022 | Neom |
Central Station introduces a future Tel Aviv where different communities live beneath an enormous interplanetary transport hub.
Neom is a companion novel set within the same wider universe, exploring another technologically advanced city near the Red Sea.
Recommended reading order: Central Station, followed by Neom.
βοΈ Anti-Matter of Britain β Reading Order
This alternative-history fantasy sequence reimagines British legends through dark humour, political satire and unconventional storytelling.
| Book | Year | Original Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2020 | By Force Alone |
| 2 | 2021 | The Hood |
By Force Alone offers a provocative reinterpretation of Arthurian mythology, while The Hood turns its attention towards the legend of Robin Hood.
The sequence was conceived on a larger scale, but these are the published novels included here.
π΅οΈ The Maror Trilogy β Complete Reading Order
The Maror Trilogy is an ambitious work of historical and literary crime fiction exploring violence, politics and the changing identity of Israel across different generations.
| Book | Year | Original Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2022 | Maror |
| 2 | 2023 | Adama |
| 3 | 2025 | Golgotha |
Recommended reading order: Publication order.
The trilogy is complete.
π§ Judge Dee Mysteries β Reading Order
The Judge Dee stories follow a vampire investigator travelling through medieval Europe, solving supernatural mysteries while navigating the rules governing vampire society.
The published stories include:
- Judge Dee and the Limits of the Law (2020)
- Judge Dee and the Three Deaths of Count Werdenfels (2021)
- Judge Dee and the Poisoner of Montmartre (2021)
- Seven Vampires (2022)
- Judge Dee and the Mystery of the Missing Manuscript (2022)
- The Locked Coffin (2023)
- Judge Dee and the Executioner of Γpinal (2024)
The stories were subsequently collected in The Three Coffin Problem (2026).
Recommended reading order: Original publication order.
ποΈ Gorel of Goliris β Reading Order
This sequence combines sword-and-sorcery fantasy with Tidhar’s characteristic interest in mythology and pulp storytelling.
- Gorel and the Pot-Bellied God (2011) β novella
- Black Gods Kiss (2015) β collection of interconnected fiction
The second publication is a collection rather than a conventional novel-length sequel.
π·π΄ Romanian Editions
Lavie Tidhar’s work has also appeared in Romanian translation.
π StaΘia CentralΔ β Central Station
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Original title | Central Station |
| Original publication | 2016 |
| Romanian title | StaΘia CentralΔ |
| Romanian publisher | Editura Nemira |
| Collection | Nautilus |
| Romanian publication | 2018 |
| Translators | Alina Bilciurescu and Mihai-Dan Pavelescu |
StaΘia CentralΔ introduces Romanian readers to a richly imagined future in which different cultures, technologies and forms of consciousness coexist beneath an enormous space station.
The novel explores questions of humanity, belonging, family and identity through a series of interconnected lives.
Other Romanian translations will be included when their bibliographic details can be reliably confirmed.
π Other Books by Lavie Tidhar
Beyond his major series, Lavie Tidhar has written numerous standalone novels, novellas, short-story collections, graphic novels and books for younger readers.
π Standalone Novels
| Year | Original Title | Genre |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | The Tel Aviv Dossier β with Nir Yaniv | Speculative fiction / horror |
| 2011 | Osama | Alternative history / mystery |
| 2013 | The Violent Century | Alternative history / science fiction |
| 2014 | A Man Lies Dreaming | Alternative history / noir |
| 2018 | Unholy Land | Alternative history |
| 2021 | The Escapement | Fantasy |
| 2023 | The Circumference of the World | Science fiction |
| 2024 | Six Lives | Historical / literary fiction |
Osama (2011)
An alternative-history mystery exploring terrorism, reality and the relationship between fiction and historical events.
The novel won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel.
The Violent Century (2013)
A speculative reinterpretation of the twentieth century, imagining how the existence of extraordinary individuals might have influenced historical conflicts and political events.
A Man Lies Dreaming (2014)
A disturbing alternative-history noir novel examining fascism, antisemitism and the power of historical narratives.
Unholy Land (2018)
An alternative-history novel imagining a different geographical and political history for the Jewish people.
The Escapement (2021)
A surreal fantasy combining the imagery of Western adventures with an unusual landscape shaped by memory, imagination and personal loss.
The Circumference of the World (2023)
A science-fiction novel exploring the relationship between literature, obsession and reality.
Six Lives (2024)
A standalone literary novel connecting different lives across generations and historical periods.
π Novellas and Short Fiction
Tidhar’s shorter works include:
- An Occupation of Angels (2005)
- Cloud Permutations (2010)
- Gorel and the Pot-Bellied God (2011)
- Jesus and the Eightfold Path (2011)
- Martian Sands (2013)
- The Vanishing Kind (2016)
- New Atlantis (2019)
- The Big Blind (2020)
- Joiner and Rust (2026)
His shorter fiction frequently experiments with the same ideas that appear in his novels: alternative realities, historical reinterpretation, mythology and unusual combinations of literary genres.
π¨ Graphic Novels
Adler (2020)
Written by Lavie Tidhar and illustrated by Paul McCaffrey, Adler is a five-issue steampunk adventure published by Titan Comics.
The story transforms familiar characters from Victorian and Gothic literature into an extraordinary ensemble of adventurers, inventors and political figures.
The collected edition contains all five issues.
π¬ Children’s Books
Candy (2018)
A humorous mystery novel for younger readers.
Published in the United States in 2020 under the title The Candy Mafia, this is the same work under a different title.
The Children’s Book of the Future (2024)
An illustrated nonfiction book exploring possible futures, created with Richard Watson.
π Anthologies and Editorial Work
Lavie Tidhar is also recognised for his contribution to international speculative fiction.
The Apex Book of World SF
- The Apex Book of World SF (2009)
- The Apex Book of World SF 2 (2012)
- The Apex Book of World SF 3 (2014)
Tidhar subsequently continued his involvement with the project in a series-editor role.
The Best of World SF
- The Best of World SF: Volume 1 (2021)
- The Best of World SF: Volume 2 (2022)
- The Best of World SF: Volume 3 (2023)
These collections introduce English-language readers to speculative fiction from different countries and literary traditions.
β Where Should You Start?
New to Lavie Tidhar?
There are several possible starting points, depending on your reading preferences.
For science-fiction readers, I would suggest Central Station. Its futuristic setting and interconnected characters offer an introduction to Tidhar’s interest in technology, humanity and cultural identity.
Readers who enjoy alternative history might prefer The Violent Century or Unholy Land, while those interested in dark fantasy and reimagined legends could begin with By Force Alone.
For readers who enjoy graphic novels, literary references and steampunk adventures, Adler is an entertaining introduction to his imaginative style.
Personally, I find the variety of his work particularly appealing. There is no single route through his bibliography, and discovering how differently he approaches each genre is part of the attraction.
π My Favourite Lavie Tidhar Book
Of the Lavie Tidhar works I’ve reviewed on BookFairy so far, Adler is the one that stands out.
What I enjoyed most was the sheer imagination behind its premise.
Taking characters such as Irene Adler, Jane Eyre, Miss Havisham, Ayesha and Carmilla and placing them in the same alternative-history adventure could easily have become overwhelming.
Instead, the story embraces its unusual combination of literary references, steampunk technology and Gothic atmosphere.
I particularly loved seeing Irene Adler given an adventure of her own, independent of Sherlock Holmes.
Paul McCaffrey’s artwork also plays an important role in bringing the story to life, creating a London that feels simultaneously familiar and wonderfully strange.
My main disappointment was simply that the story ended after five issues. The concept seemed large enough to support many more adventures, and I would happily have spent more time exploring this reimagined literary world.
For me, Adler demonstrates exactly why alternative history and speculative fiction can be so entertaining: they allow familiar stories to become something entirely new.
π Complete Lavie Tidhar Bibliography
Explore the complete bibliography of Lavie Tidhar, covering his novels, short stories, novellas, collections, anthologies, graphic novels, collaborations and other published works.
The bibliography includes publication dates, chronological reading orders, major series, Romanian translations and relevant BookFairy reviews.