The Chronicles of Tornor
#5923.70 of 664 ranked universes · full ranking
Books 3 books Status Complete 1979–1980 Reading commitment Low Elizabeth A. Lynn Last reviewed 2026-08-25
Overview
The Chronicles of Tornor is a loosely connected trilogy set generations apart in the same secondary world, each novel following different societies and characters within it. Watchtower (1979) won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel; its same-year sequel The Dancers of Arun (1979) was a finalist for the same award; the trilogy concludes with The Northern Girl (1980).
The books were notable on release for their matter-of-fact treatment of same-sex relationships among their protagonists, unusual for genre fantasy of their era, yet the trilogy has largely fallen out of mainstream fantasy conversation since.
Sword & sorcery · For Adult
Core Canon: Reading Order (3 works) counts toward ranking
The Chronicles of Tornor Elizabeth A. Lynn
| Work | Year | Internal chron. | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Watchtower | 1979 | 1 | core | 3.56 (1,060 ratings) |
 | The Dancers of Arun | 1979 | 2 | core | 3.79 (633 ratings) |
 | The Northern Girl | 1980 | 3 | core | 3.89 (483 ratings) |
A loosely connected trilogy set generations apart in the same world, exploring different societies and, notably for its time, matter-of-fact same-sex relationships among its protagonists.
Quick answers
- How many books are in The Chronicles of Tornor? The Chronicles of Tornor's Core Canon is 3 books.
- What is the reading order for The Chronicles of Tornor? Publication order, starting with Watchtower. Full list and years in the Core Canon table above.
- Is The Chronicles of Tornor finished? Complete (1979–1980).
- How much reading does The Chronicles of Tornor take? Low reading commitment (estimated from 3 Core Canon books · ~965 pages).
- How is The Chronicles of Tornor ranked? #592 of 664 ranked universes on this site, based on 2,176 reader ratings across 3 Core Canon books. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #592?
Ranked #592 of 664 ranked universes.
- Average reader rating of 3.70 across 3 core books.
- A smaller readership (2,176 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- Less than 0.01 behind #591, The Cardinal's Blades (a finer tie-break level decides the order).
- Below the top-10 average of 4.45.
Why explore this universe?
Modestly rated · 3 books · Complete · 2k ratings · Ranks #592 overall
Good choice if you want a quick, low-commitment sword-and-sorcery universe that's already finished, so there's no wait for the next book.
Reading order
Publication order (3 Core Canon books)
- The Dancers of Arun (1979)
- Watchtower (1979)
- The Northern Girl (1980)
Documented internal/story order
- Watchtower (1979)
- The Dancers of Arun (1979)
- The Northern Girl (1980)
Awards (verified)
- No awards found for this universe.
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Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 3.70 across 2,176 ratings on 3 Core Canon books. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.
How do we know this?
Admission: Admit The Chronicles of Tornor (Elizabeth A. Lynn) accepted 2026-08-25
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
Last reviewed: 2026-08-26
Rule: Core Canon is all three novels of the trilogy.