What order should I read David Drake's books in?

Read each series in its own order: start Lord of the Isles with Queen of Demons. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.

What is David Drake's last book?

To Clear Away the Shadows (RCN) (2019).

What is David Drake's most famous book?

With the Lightnings (1998) is David Drake's most widely read book.

Are David Drake's books connected?

2 books belong to 1 series (Lord of the Isles); the other 84 books stand alone.

David Drake books in order

American author of science fiction and fantasy literature

Lived: 1945–2023
Country: United States
Books: 86
Series: 1

David Drake published 81 novels, 1 novella, 2 short story collections, 1 non-fiction book and 1 other book, beginning with Counting the Cost (1987). The series is Lord of the Isles (2 books, starting with Queen of Demons). 7 feature Adele Mundy. The best-known is With the Lightnings (1998).

Updated September 2026

Lord of the Isles books in order (2)

Reading order: 2 Queen of Demons (1998) · 3 Servant of the Dragon (1999)

2.
Queen of Demons (Jan 1998)
576 pages
Buy
3.
Servant of the Dragon (Aug 1999)
479 pages
Buy

Books featuring Adele Mundy (7)

With the Lightnings (1998)
330 pages★ 3.6 (5 ratings)
Buy
Lt Leary Commanding (2000)
494 pages★ 3.4 (5 ratings)
Buy
The Far Side of the Stars (2003)
436 pages
Buy
Some Golden Harbor (RCN - Lt. Leary, Book 5) (2006)
373 pages
Buy
When the Tide Rises (2008)
356 pages
Buy
What Distant Deeps (2010)
370 pages
Buy
The Road of Danger (2012)
349 pages
Buy

Where to start with David Drake

Start here
With the Lightnings
David Drake's most-read book.

Standalone novels in order

The Lincoln Hunters (1958)
200 pages
Buy
Hammer's Slammers (1979)
296 pages
Buy
The Dragon Lord (1979)
303 pages
Buy
Time Safari (1982)
258 pages
Buy
Skyripper (1983)
352 pages
Buy
Birds of Prey (1984)
352 pages
Buy
Cross The Stars (Hammer Universe) (1984)
352 pages
Buy
At Any Price (1985)
288 pages
Buy
Killer (1985)
288 pages
Buy
Bridgehead (1986)
288 pages
Buy
Ranks of Bronze (May 1986)
320 pages
Buy
Kill Ratio (1987)
Buy
An Honorable Defense (1988)
310 pages
Buy
Dagger (Thieves World Novel, No 5) (1988)
Buy
Fortress (Tom Kelly) (1988)
320 pages
Buy
The Forlorn Hope (1988)
320 pages
Buy
A Separate Star (1989)
288 pages
Buy
Cluster Command (1989)
276 pages
Buy
Harold Coyle's Team Yankee (1989)
174 pages
Buy
Target (1989)
312 pages
Buy
Vettius and His Friends (1989)
320 pages
Buy
The War Machine (Nov 1989)
352 pages
Buy
Bluebloods (1990)
Buy
Northworld (1990)
293 pages
Buy
ROLLING HOT (David Drake Hammer's Slammers) (1990)
280 pages
Buy
Undesired Princess and the Enchanted Bunny (1990)
288 pages
Buy
Military Dimension (1991)
288 pages
Buy
The Forge (1991)
336 pages
Buy
The Jungle (1991)
285 pages
Buy
The Warrior (1991)
275 pages
Buy
Battlestation (1992)
272 pages
Buy
Justice (Northworld, 3) (1992)
Buy
Starliner (1992)
320 pages
Buy
The Hammer (1992)
320 pages
Buy
The Anvil (The Raj Whitehall Series: The General, Book 3) (1993)
Buy
The Sharp End (1993)
377 pages
Buy
The Steel (The Raj Whitehall Series: The General, Book 4) (1993)
320 pages
Buy
The Voyage (1994)
415 pages
Buy
Arc Riders (1995)
320 pages
Buy
The Sword (1995)
352 pages
Buy
All the Way to the Gallows (1996)
304 pages
Buy
Fireships (1996)
326 pages
Buy
Patriots (1996)
278 pages
Buy
Redliners (1996)
374 pages
Buy
The Chosen (The Raj Whitehall Series, Book 6) (1996)
480 pages
Buy
Through the Breach (1996)
327 pages
Buy
An Oblique Approach (1998)
480 pages
Buy
Caught In The Crossfire (1998)
400 pages
Buy
The Butcher's Bill (1998)
409 pages
Buy
Lord Of The Isles (Lord of the Isles 1) (1999)
736 pages
Buy
Foreign Legions (2001)
308 pages
Buy
Mistress of the Catacombs (Sep 2001)
Buy
Paying the Piper (2002)
358 pages
Buy
The Tide of Victory (2002)
576 pages
Buy
Grimmer Than Hell (2003)
373 pages
Buy
The Reaches (2004)
874 pages
Buy
Complete Hammer's Slammers Volume 1 (2005)
500 pages
Buy
Other Times Than Peace (2006)
400 pages
Buy
The Fortress of Glass (2006)
400 pages
Buy
The Mirror of Worlds (2007)
336 pages
Buy
The Way to Glory (RCN) (2007)
544 pages
Buy
The Gods Return (2008)
398 pages
Buy
In the Stormy Red Sky (2009)
Buy
The Heretic (2013)
383 pages
Buy
Dinosaurs & a Dirigible (2014)
401 pages
Buy
Hope Renewed (The General) (2014)
752 pages
Buy
The Sea Without A Shore (2014)
Buy
Into the Maelstrom (2015)
430 pages
Buy
Death's Bright Day (2016)
307 pages
Buy
The Spark (2017)
432 pages
Buy
Though Hell Should Bar the Way (2018)
402 pages
Buy
To Clear Away the Shadows (RCN) (2019)
256 pages
Buy

Novellas in order

Counting the Cost (1987)
139 pages
Buy

Short story collections in order

More Than Honor (Jan 1998), with David Weber and S. M. Stirling
344 pages
Buy
Balefires (2007)
336 pages
Buy

Non-fiction in order

Sartre (Life & Times) (2005)
194 pages
Buy

Other books in order

Tsimshian Trips (1970)
Buy

About David Drake

David A. Drake was an American author of science fiction and fantasy literature. A Vietnam War veteran, he worked as a lawyer before becoming a writer in the military science fiction genre.

Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.

David Drake FAQ

How many books has David Drake written?: David Drake published 81 novels, 1 novella, 2 short story collections, 1 non-fiction book and 1 other book that we list, as of September 2026.
What order should I read David Drake's books in?: Read each series in its own order: start Lord of the Isles with Queen of Demons. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
What is David Drake's last book?: To Clear Away the Shadows (RCN) (2019).
What is David Drake's most famous book?: With the Lightnings (1998) is David Drake's most widely read book.
Are David Drake's books connected?: 2 books belong to 1 series (Lord of the Isles); the other 84 books stand alone.