Series

The Chronicles of the Black Company series in reading order

There are 10 books in the The Chronicles of the Black Company series.

Published between 1984 and 2018. The publication order differs from the reading order — both are below.

A band of mercenaries takes service with an empire ruled by a sorceress risen from the grave. They fight her wars, bury their dead, and try not to think too hard about prophecy or the side they have chosen. Glen Cook's lean, cynical military fantasy — the book that invented grimdark.

8 of 10 books, in reading order

• 1. The Black Company (1984) — Glen Cook · 288 pages
• 1.5. Port of Shadows (2018) — Raymond Swanland / Glen Cook · 396 pages
• 2. Shadows Linger (1984) — Glen Cook / Keith Berdak · 320 pages
• 3. The White Rose (1985) — Keith Berdak / Glen Cook · 320 pages
• 4. Shadow Games (1989) — Glen Cook / Keith Berdak · 311 pages
• 5. Dreams of Steel (1990) — Glen Cook / Keith Berdak · 352 pages
• 8. She Is the Darkness (1997) — Glen Cook / Patrick Nielsen Hayden / Nicholas Jainschigg · 480 pages
• 9. Soldiers Live (2000) — Glen Cook / Nicholas Jainschigg · 566 pages

The Chronicles of the Black Company in publication order

1. The Black Company (1984) — Glen Cook
2. Shadows Linger (1984) — Glen Cook / Keith Berdak
3. The White Rose (1985) — Keith Berdak / Glen Cook
4. Shadow Games (1989) — Glen Cook / Keith Berdak
5. Dreams of Steel (1990) — Glen Cook / Keith Berdak
6. She Is the Darkness (1997) — Glen Cook / Patrick Nielsen Hayden / Nicholas Jainschigg
7. Soldiers Live (2000) — Glen Cook / Nicholas Jainschigg
8. Port of Shadows (2018) — Raymond Swanland / Glen Cook

The 8 books listed here total 3,033 pages.

The Books Oracle — track the series you are partway through, and see what to read next.