Question about the timeline of the "Read or Die" manga from VIZ

[Dicrel Seijin]

When I got to the omake at the back of the manga, I was rather surprised to learn that there was also a novelization of R.O.D.

I'm curious as to what came first and what was based on what (the manga seems to pre-date <span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'>R.O.D. the TV series</span> and maybe even the <span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'>OVA</span>? Though I have no information at all about the <span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'>novelization</span>).

[Rhodes]

from what i understand the novel and manga are in different universes as is the ova and the tv... the tv sort of bridges the varies stories/characters together.

the manga takes place time wise... before the ova... tv series takes place about 5 years after the ova. as for the novel... not sure where that fits into it, I think the novel follows the lives of the paper sisters?

edit:
Yes the novel follows the lives of the paper sisters... in the novel yomiko is never mentioned and in the manga, the sisters dont ever appear. same or different universe is up to you to decide.

the tv show is the only thing that links both the manga and the novel together.

novel will take place after the ova and before the tv... novel i dont think is licensed.

[Argent]

[ QUOTE ]
Rhodes said:edit:
Yes the novel follows the lives of the paper sisters... in the novel yomiko is never mentioned and in the manga, the sisters dont ever appear. same or different universe is up to you to decide.

[/ QUOTE ]

The novels are mostly about Yomiko and Nenene, though Nancy does show up later in the series. The novel series is currently at 11 volumes and ongoing.

[Rhodes]

sorry meant read or dream... read or die is yomiko and in read or dream its the sisters. tv bridges both universes.

[Andrew Cunningham]

I don't know about a Read or Dream novel, but the Read or Die novels are not novelizations. They are the original, and the anime and manga grew out of it.
The first volume of the manga is the same as the first novel, roughly, but the later volumes seem to come after the novels and anime but before Read or Dream.