what order should the lonesome dove series be read in

The most common reading order is publication order : Lonesome Dove , Streets of Laredo , Dead Man’s Walk , then Comanche Moon. Many readers still prefer starting with Lonesome Dove because it stands on its own and is widely recommended as the best entry point.

Recommended order

Order| Book| Why
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1| Lonesome Dove| Original novel and the best starting point 12.
2| Streets of Laredo| Sequel, so it works well after the original 25.
3| Dead Man’s Walk| Prequel, often read after the main story 23.
4| Comanche Moon| Another prequel, usually read last in publication order 23.

Best approach

If you want the smoothest first read, go with publication order. If you care more about the internal timeline, use chronological order : Dead Man’s Walk , Comanche Moon , Lonesome Dove , Streets of Laredo.

TL;DR

Start with Lonesome Dove , then continue in publication order unless you specifically want the story’s historical timeline.