Let us know which TJ Klune novels we missed
“We should always make time for the things we like. If we don’t, we might forget how to be happy.”
TJ Klune has become one of the most beloved authors in modern fantasy, blending magical worlds and supernatural characters with deeply human stories about love, family, friendships, and discovering where you belong. From cosy fantasy adventures to more emotional and thought-provoking tales, his books have garnered a devoted following for good reason. But if you’re new to Klune’s work, working out where to begin can be a little confusing. With several standalone novels, series, and interconnected stories to choose from, there isn’t always an obvious reading order. Today at What We Reading, we’re guiding you through the best TJ Klune books and how to read them in order. Whether it’s a cosy fantasy, heartwarming romance, or something darker and more fantastical you’re looking for, we’ll find you the best launchpad to begin your TJ Klune reading journey.
First up on our list of TJ Klune books in order is 2011’s Bear, Otter, and the Kid, the first entry in the American author’s The Seafare Chronicles series. Three years ago, Bear McKenna’s mother took off for parts unknown with her new boyfriend, leaving Bear to raise his six-year-old brother, Tyson, aka. The Kid. Somehow they’ve muddled through, but since he’s totally devoted to the Kid, Bear isn’t actually doing much living. With a few exceptions, he’s retreated from the world, and he’s mostly okay with that – until Otter comes home.
Otter is Bear’s best friend’s older brother, and as they’ve done for their whole lives, Bear and Otter crash and collide in ways neither expects. This time, though, there’s nowhere to run from the depth of emotion between them. Bear still believes his place is as the Kid’s guardian, but he can’t help thinking there may be something more for him in the world… something, or someone.
The Seafarer Chronicles Books in Order:
Paul Auster is thirty, slightly overweight, and his best features are his acerbic wit and colour commentary he provides as life passes him by. His closest friends are a two-legged dog named Wheels and a quasi-bipolar drag queen named Helena Handbasket. Enter Vince Taylor. Vince is everything Paul isn’t: sexy, confident, and dumber than a proverbial box of rocks. And for some reason, Vince pursues Paul relentlessly.
But when Paul hits Vince with his car, he’s forced to see Vince in a whole new light. The only thing stopping Paul from being in Vince is himself – and that is one obstacle Paul can’t seem to overcome. But when tragedy strikes Vince’s family, Paul must put aside any notions he has about himself and stand next to the man who thinks he’s perfect the way he is.
At First Sight Books in Order:
Once upon a time, in an alleyway in the slums of the City of Lockes, a young and somewhat lonely boy named Sam Haversford turns a group of teenagers into stone completely by accident. Of course, this catches the attention of a higher power, and Sam’s pulled from the only world he knows to become an apprentice to the King’s Wizard, Morgan of Shadows.
When Sam is fourteen, he enters the Dark Woods and returns with Gary, the hornless gay unicorn, and a half-giant named Tigger, earning the moniker Sam of Wilds. At fifteen, Sam learns what love truly is when a new knight arrives at the castle. Naturally, it all goes to hell through the years when Sir Ryan Foxheart dates the reprehensible Prince Justin. Sam can’t control his magic, a sexually aggressive dragon kidnaps the prince, and the King sends them on an epic quest to save Ryan’s boyfriend, all while Sam falls more in love with someone he can never have.
Tales from Verania Books in Order:
Gustavo Tiberius is not normal. He knows this. Everyone in Abbey, Oregon, knows this. He reads encyclopedias every night before bed, owns a pet ferret called Harry S. Truman, and owns a video rental store that no one goes to. His friends are a lady named Lottie with drag queen hair and a trio of elderly Vespa riders known as the We Three Queens. Gus is not normal. And he’s fine with that. All he wants is to be left alone.
Until Casey, an asexual stoner hipster and the newest employee at Lottie’s Lattes, enters his life. For some reason, Casey thinks Gus is the greatest thing ever. And maybe Gus is starting to think the same about Casey, even if Casey is obsessive about Instagramming his food. Suddenly wanting to be someone, Gus steps out of his comfort zone and plans to become the most normal person ever. What could possibly go wrong?
How to Be Books in Order:
Once upon a time, humanity could no longer contain the rage that swelled within, and the world ended in a wave of fire. One hundred years later, in the wasteland formerly known as America, a broken man who goes only by the name of Cavalo survives. Purposefully cutting himself off from what remains of civilisation, Cavalo resides in the crumbling ruins of the North Idaho Correctional Institution. A mutt called Bad Dog and a robot on the verge of insanity compromise his only companions. Cavalo himself is deteriorating, his memories rising like ghosts and haunting the prison cells.
It’s not until he makes the dangerous choice of crossing into the irradiated Deadlands that Cavalo comes into contact with a mute psychopath, one who belongs to the murderous group of people known as the Dead Rabbits. Taking the man prisoner, Cavalo is forced to not only face the horrors of his past, but the ramifications of the choices made for his stark present.
Immemorial Year Books in Order:
The Bennett family has a secret: They’re not just a family; they’re a pack. Oxnard Matheson was twelve when his father taught him that Ox wasn’t worth anything and people would never understand him. Then his father left. Ox was sixteen when the energetic Bennett family moved in next door, harbouring a secret that would change him forever. The Bennetts are shapeshifters. They can transform into wolves at will.
Ox was twenty-three when murder came to town and tore a hole in his heart. Violence flared; tragedy split the pack. Three years on, Joe Bennett is back in town. Except now, he’s a man – charming, handsome, but haunted – and Ox can no longer ignore the song that howls between them.
Green Creek Books in Order:
Linus Baker lives a quiet, solitary life. As a caseworker at the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages. When Linus is summoned by Extremely Upper Management, he’s given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.
But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home, or watch the world burn.
Cerulean Chronicles Books in Order:
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Nick Bell? Not extraordinary. But being the most popular fanfiction writer in the Extraordinaries fandom is a superpower, right? After a chance encounter with Shadow Star, Nova City’s mightiest hero (and Nick’s biggest crush), Nick sets out to make himself extraordinary. And he’ll do it with or without the reluctant help of Seth Gray, Nick’s best friend (and potentially the love of his life).
The Extraordinaries Books in Order:
In the spring of 1995, Nate Cartwright has lost everything: his parents are dead, his older brother wants nothing to do with him, and he’s been fired from his job as a journalist. With nothing left to lose, he returns to his family’s summer cabin outside the small mountain town of Roseland, Oregon. The cabin should be empty. It’s not. Inside is a man named Alex. And with him is an extraordinary little girl who calls herself Artemis Darth Vader. Artemis, who isn’t exactly as she appears.
Soon it becomes clear that Nate must make a choice: let himself drown in the memories of his past, or fight for a future he never thought possible. Because the girl is special. And forces are descending upon them who want nothing more than to control her.
When a reaper comes to collect Wallace from his own funeral, Wallace begins to suspect he may be dead. And when Hugo, the owner of a peculiar tea shop, promises to help him cross over, Wallace decides he’s definitely dead.
But even in death he’s not ready to abandon the life he barely lived, so when Wallace is given one week to cross over, he sets about living a lifetime in seven days. One of the best standalone TJ Klune books, Under the Whispering Door is an uplifting story about a life spent at the office and a death spent building a home.
In a strange little home built into the branches of a grove of trees, live three robots. Victor Lawson, a human, lives there too. They’re a family, hidden and safe. The day Vic salvages and repairs an unfamiliar android labelled “HAP”, he learns of a shared dark past within his family. When Hap unwittingly alerts robots of their whereabouts, the family is no longer hidden and safe.
So together, the rest of Vic’s assembled family must journey across an unforgiving and otherworldly country on a daring rescue mission. Along the way, amid conflicted feelings of betrayal and affection for Hap, Vic must decide for himself: Can he accept love with strings attached?
Check Out Our Guide To The Cosy Fantasy Genre
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
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