Series
Metal Trilogy
John Varley · 3 novels · 1 novella · 1 short story · 1992–2018
John Varley's loosely linked trilogy follows different characters through the same far-future setting across three novels published decades apart: Steel Beach (1992), The Golden Globe (1998, set several years after the first), and Irontown Blues (2018). Each book stands largely on its own, sharing a setting and continuity rather than one continuous plot.
Summary by Loreful, from public sources
Reading order
The order the books came out.
Best read in the order they were published.
Map
Metal Trilogy at the centre, its books fanned around what holds them. Pick anything for its details, and zoom out for similar series in orbit — the reading order above lists the same books as text.
Stats
By decade
- 1990s4
- 2000s0
- 2010s1
Shape
3 novels · 1 novella · 1 short story
1 author · completed series
reads like:science fictionartificial intelligencethe moonfar futurereflectiveadult
Mood
Grim and intense: 25% of this series' placed works, the catalog's 46%.
this series · the catalog · one dot = one book4 of 5 works carry a tone
Edges of the map
- Irontown Bluesdarkest
- The Golden Globebrightest · most intense
- Steel Beachcalmest