The Obernewtyn Chronicles Books In Order

Publication Order of The Obernewtyn Chronicles Books

The “Obernewtyn Chronicles” series of novels are a set of works by popular science fiction and fantasy author Isobelle Carmody. The author has written a ton of novels over the years but she is best known as the author of the “Obernewtyn Chronicles.”

While she has written in several genres, she is mostly a fantasy author but has also been known to write science and horror fiction novels targeted at young adults. After winning a grant from the Australian Council, she went to the Paris based Keesing Writers’ Studio to hone her writing skills.

Over the years, she has won many awards, the most prestigious of which has been the Aurealis Award. She has also won the Ledger Award for her blockbuster graphic novel “Evermore.”

Isobelle went to the University of Queensland from where she got her Ph.D and now lives between Brisbane and Victoria, from where she writes her many novels.

Carmody was the first born of eight siblings in Wangaratta in 1958. As a child, all she dreamed of was one day growing up and becoming a notable scientist. As such, she spent much of her early teenage years with her bug catchers, Bunsen burners and magnets as her fellow students were thinking of boys.

She would embark on the writing of her blockbuster “Obernewtyn Chronicles” debut novel as a fourteen year old that was grieving the sudden death of her father in a tragic accident. She was then still in high school and writing the novel served to get her mind off the painful death of her father.

It was not long before Carmody discovered that math was not her thing and that she would make for a bad scientist. This necessitated a change of career to public relations and journalism.

Surprisingly, she continued writing her debut novel while working on her degree and later on while she was working a job following graduation. Some of her work has been compared to the “Chronicles of Narnia” and the “Wizard of Oz” stories.

The “Obernewtyn Chronicles” series by Isobelle Carmody are set in a future world ravaged by the Great White, a wide reaching nucelarhost. Following the catastrophe, the few survivors had banded together and elected the council to guide their new ways of living.

To eliminate mutants, the Council appointed the Herder faction, a fledgling religious order to kill and burn any humans and animals born with mutations. According to the Herders, the Great White was a punishment on humans for living a decadent and materialistic life.

As such, they set out to live a life with almost nothing as they also destroyed most artifacts that had been accumulated over the years. Anyone that conducted research on what life was like before the nuclear holocaust, the technology or disagreed with the Herders was declared a sedition and was burned alive.
Soon after the Herder Faction and Council Law became one and they depended on each other to maintain their power. Anyone accused by either wing would either be sent to work on the Council farms or be burned.

“Obernewtyn” the debut novel of the “Obernewtyn Chronicles” series opens to a future world where the earth has been devastated by a nuclear holocaust. Following the devastation and chaos that ensued, the only thing that was left untouched by the poison were the farmlands.

In time, the farmers had decided to band together to protect their farmlands from the refugees streaming in from the cities. Forming a governing body known as “The Council” they resolved that they would kill anyone that tried to impose their will on the land.

Acknowledging the power of religion, the Council works with a fledgling religion known as “The Herder Faction” to cement their power on the land and rule the survivors.

Since they believe the Great White was a punishment from God following increasing decadence of humans, the new religion bans most material things and forbids research into life before the holocaust and cracks down on any dissdence.

Elspeth Gordie’s parents are among the people that find themselves guilty of the new crimes leaving her and her brother living in an uncertain future as homeless orphans. But Elspeth soon discovers that she has mutant powers she could use against the Council and Herder Faction.

“The Farseekers” by Isobelle Carmody is the second of the “Obernewtyn Chronicles” series of novels. The story is set two years following the successful ouster of Alexi and Madam Varga from Obernewtyn after Espeth and Rushton left the lands under the control of the council. Rushton, her brother, is now the rightful ruler of the land.

Since they established themselves, the many misfits that have flocked to them have established guilds and embraced their mutant differences. The new settlement is now a refuge for haters of the Council.

Elspeth has established herself as the leader of the Farseeker Guild and in her role has convinced the Technoguild to go with her to find some Beforetime technologies and books that could help improve their situation and lives. It is going to be a perilous mission that will have them leave the safety of Obernewtyn.

They had slowly but surely set up a self sustaining settlement and they were making their dream of a home for misfits become true. But they never managed to totally vanquish the threat of an attack from the Council.

The only thing they can do is to prepare themselves mentally and physically so that they are ready when the Council finally attacks. But then Elspeth, their matriarch, is captured while on a mission and the fate of the fragile settlement is in doubt.

Isobelle Carmody’s third novel of the Obernewtyn Chronicles series is “Ashling.” At the opening of the novel, Elspeth has just come from rescuing a gypsy woman who had been captured by the Herders and was about to be executed. But it is this selfless act that sets off an exciting but unexpected series of events.

She takes the woman she had saved to their sanctuary on Obernewtyn, where she consults the fortune teller Maryon on her fate. According to the oracle, they would have to return the woman to her kin within a week or else something really bad would happen to them.
The matriarch heads south alongside other residents of Obernewtyn and on the way they learn about some gypsies that could have some connection to what the Misfits consider their ancient nemesis.

They eventually make their way to Sador as they seek alliances to take on the tyrannical Council that has been looking to expand in recent times. There are indications that Elspeth could become a Seeker and also indications of what could have caused the Nuclear Holocaust.