Order of Book Series
0

David Drake Books in Order

David Drake has written 106 books, published between 1975 and 2021. The first book is The Barrow Troll (1975) and the newest is The Serpent (2021). Publication order is the reading order below.

Books
106
Published
1975–2021
Confirmed
6 of 106 titles
Pages on record
29,699 in 79 of 106 books
Reading time
495–742 hours

Reading time is an estimate, not a recorded figure: 29,699 pages at 300 words a page, read at 200–300 words a minute, covering the 79 of 106 titles with a page count on record.

See all 106 books in order Printable David Drake checklist

David A. Drake (1945-2023) wrote science fiction and fantasy. A Vietnam War veteran, Drake practised law before turning to military science fiction. The catalogue holds 106 books published between 1975 and 2021, from The Barrow Troll (1975) to The Serpent (2021). Series include Hammer's Slammers, the Lt. Leary / RCN novels featuring Daniel Leary and Adele Mundy, the Books of the Elements, Northworld, Reaches and Crown Of The Isles. Tony Daniel shares the credit on 2 titles and Eric Flint on 1. Subjects record space warfare, imaginary wars and battles, and epic fantasy.

How many David Drake books are there?

David Drake has 106 books, released between 1975 and 2021. They include 16 series and 29 titles listed outside any series.

David Drake Books in Publication Order

The table lists all 106 David Drake books in the order they were published, with the release year, the page count where one is on record, and how many independent book listings confirm each title. Catalogue data as of September 2026.

  1. Cover of Dragon Lord by David Drake (1979)
  2. Cover of Hammer's Slammers by David Drake, book 1 of the Hammer's Slammers series (1979)
  3. Cover of From the Heart of Darkness by David Drake (1983)
  4. Cover of The Forlorn Hope by David Drake, book 1 of the Hammerverse series (1984)
  5. Cover of Birds of Prey by David Drake (1984)
  6. Cover of Cross The Stars by David Drake, book 2 of the Hammerverse series (1984)
  7. Cover of At Any Price by David Drake, book 2 of the Hammer's Slammers series (1985)
  8. Cover of Active Measures by David Drake, book 4 of the Janet E. Morris Standalone Novels series (1985)
  9. Cover of Strangers and Lovers by David Drake (1985)
  10. Cover of Ranks of Bronze by David Drake, book 1 of the Ranks of Bronze series (1986)
  11. Cover of Bridgehead by David Drake (1986)
  12. Cover of Lacey and His Friends by David Drake (1986)
  13. Cover of Fortress by David Drake, book 2 of the Tom Kelly series (1987)
  14. Cover of Counting the Cost by David Drake, book 3 of the Hammer's Slammers series (1987)
  15. Cover of Kill Ratio, book 8 of the Janet E. Morris Standalone Novels series (1987)
  16. Cover of Counter Attack by David Drake, book 1 of the Fleet series (1988)
  17. Cover of Men Hunting Things by David Drake, book 1 of the Starhunters series (1988)
  18. Cover of The Sea Hag by David Drake, book 1 of the World Of Crystal Walls series (1988)
  19. Cover of Things Hunting Men by David Drake, book 2 of the Starhunters series (1988)
  20. Cover of Dagger by David Drake (1988)
  21. Cover of The War Machine by David Drake, book 3 of the Crisis Of Empire series (1989)
  22. Cover of Rolling Hot by David Drake, book 4 of the Hammer's Slammers series (1989)
  23. Cover of Vettius and His Friends by David Drake (1989)
  24. Cover of Target by David Drake, book 11 of the Janet E. Morris Standalone Novels series (1989)
  1. 1
    The Barrow Troll1975 · confirmed 2/4
    1975–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  2. 2
    Dragon Lord1979 · 320 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1979320
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  3. 3
    Hammer's SlammersHammer's Slammers #11979 · confirmed 2/4
    1979–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  4. 4
    Time Safari1982 · confirmed 2/4
    1982–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  5. 5
    SkyripperTom Kelly #11983 · confirmed 2/4
    1983–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  6. 6
    From the Heart of Darkness1983 · 320 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1983320
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  7. 7
    The Forlorn HopeHammerverse #11984 · 320 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1984320
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  8. 8
    Window of Opportunity1984 · confirmed 2/4
    1984–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  9. 9
    Birds of Prey1984 · 352 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1984352
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  10. 10
    Cross The StarsHammerverse #21984 · 320 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1984320
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  11. 11
    At Any PriceHammer's Slammers #21985 · 288 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1985288
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  12. 12
    Killer1985 · confirmed 2/4
    1985–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  13. 13
    Active MeasuresJanet E. Morris Standalone Novels #41985 · confirmed 2/4
    1985–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  14. 14
    Strangers and Lovers1985 · confirmed 2/4
    1985–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  15. 15
    Ranks of BronzeRanks of Bronze #11986 · 320 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1986320
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  16. 16
    Bridgehead1986 · 279 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1986279
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  17. 17
    Lacey and His Friends1986 · 320 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1986320
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  18. 18
    FortressTom Kelly #21987 · 320 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1987320
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  19. 19
    Counting the CostHammer's Slammers #31987 · 267 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1987267
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  20. 20
    Kill RatioJanet E. Morris Standalone Novels #81987 · confirmed 2/4
    1987–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  21. 21
    An Honorable DefenseCrisis Of Empire #11988 · 310 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1988310
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  22. 22
    Counter AttackFleet #11988 · 311 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1988311
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  23. 23
    Men Hunting ThingsStarhunters #11988 · 288 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1988288
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  24. 24
    The Sea HagWorld Of Crystal Walls #11988 · 334 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1988334
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  25. 25
    Things Hunting MenStarhunters #21988 · 320 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1988320
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  26. 26
    Dagger1988 · confirmed 2/4
    1988–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  27. 27
    BreakthroughFleet #21989 · 295 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1989295
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  28. 28
    The War MachineCrisis Of Empire #31989 · 352 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1989352
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  29. 29
    Rolling HotHammer's Slammers #41989 · 280 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1989280
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  30. 30
    Vettius and His Friends1989 · 320 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1989320
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK

David Drake characters in order

Each character linked below has its own reading-order page.

David Drake books grouped by series

Each title below is a row in the publication-order table above. A group whose heading is a link has its own reading-order page; the other groups have no page of their own on this site.

Lt. Leary / RCN in order

14 books
  1. 1. With the Lightnings
  2. 2. Lt. Leary, Commanding
  3. 3. The Far Side of the Stars
  4. 4. The Way to Glory
  5. 5. Some Golden Harbor
  6. 6. When the Tide Rises
  7. 7. In the Stormy Red Sky
  8. 8. What Distant Deeps
  9. 9. The Road of Danger
  10. 10. The Sea Without a Shore
  11. 11. Death's Bright Day
  12. 12. Though Hell Should Bar the Way
  13. and 2 more in the table above

Hammer's Slammers in order

8 books
  1. 1. Hammer's Slammers
  2. 2. At Any Price
  3. 3. Counting the Cost
  4. 4. Rolling Hot
  5. 5. The Warrior
  6. 6. The Sharp End
  7. 7. The Tank Lords
  8. 8. Paying the Piper

Lord of the Isles books in order

6 books by David Drake
  1. 1. Lord of the Isles
  2. 2. Queen of Demons
  3. 3. Servant of the Dragon
  4. 4. Mistress of the Catacombs
  5. 5. Goddess of the Ice Realm
  6. 6. Master of the Cauldron

Fleet in order

5 books
  1. 1. Counter Attack
  2. 2. Breakthrough
  3. 3. Sworn Allies
  4. 4. Total War
  5. 5. Crisis

Books of the Elements in order

4 books
  1. 1. The Legions of Fire
  2. 2. Out of the Waters
  3. 3. Monsters of the Earth
  4. 4. Air and Darkness

Hammerverse in order

3 books
  1. 1. The Forlorn Hope
  2. 2. Cross The Stars
  3. 3. The Voyage

Starhunters in order

3 books
  1. 1. Men Hunting Things
  2. 2. Things Hunting Men
  3. 3. Bluebloods

Northworld in order

3 books
  1. 1. Northworld
  2. 2. Vengeance
  3. 3. Justice

Reaches in order

3 books
  1. 1. Igniting the Reaches
  2. 2. Through the Breach
  3. 3. Fireships

Crown Of The Isles in order

3 books
  1. 1. The Fortress of Glass
  2. 2. The Mirror of Worlds
  3. 3. The Gods Return

Time of Heroes in order

3 books
  1. 1. The Spark
  2. 2. The Storm
  3. 3. The Serpent

Janet E. Morris Standalone Novels

3 books

3 titles published under this heading without a numbered place in a series.

Raj Whitehall/The General in order

3 books
  1. 8. The Tyrant
  2. 9. The Heretic
  3. 10. The Savior

Tom Kelly in order

2 books
  1. 1. Skyripper
  2. 2. Fortress

Crisis Of Empire in order

2 books
  1. 1. An Honorable Defense
  2. 3. The War Machine

Seas of Venus in order

2 books
  1. 1. Surface Action
  2. 2. The Jungle

ARC Riders in order

2 books
  1. 1. ARC Riders
  2. 2. The Fourth Rome

Citizen in order

2 books
  1. 1. Into the Hinterlands
  2. 2. Into the Maelstrom

Ranks of Bronze in order

1 book
  1. 1. Ranks of Bronze

World Of Crystal Walls in order

1 book
  1. 1. The Sea Hag

Car Warriors in order

1 book
  1. 1. The Square Deal

War and Honor in order

1 book
  1. 1. Blood and War

Belisarius in order

1 book
  1. 1. An Oblique Approach

Heroes in Hell in order

1 book
  1. 12. Explorers in Hell

Standalone books

29 books

29 David Drake titles here are not listed as part of any series.

Do you have to read David Drake books in order?

You only need to read David Drake books in order within each series: the books listed here span 16 separate series, and each series has its own publication order.

Where to start with David Drake

Start with the first book of the David Drake series you want to read: Lt. Leary starts with With the Lightnings (1998), Hammer’s Slammers starts with Hammer's Slammers (1979) and Lord of the Isles starts with Lord of the Isles (1997). The earliest catalogued title overall is The Barrow Troll (1975).

What is the newest David Drake book?

The Serpent (2021) is the newest David Drake book released so far.

Is there a new David Drake book coming?

No next David Drake book is announced in the catalogue, which is a gap in the listings it merges rather than a sign that the run has ended.

Award nominations for David Drake

Wikidata records 3 nominations for David Drake. Each row states whether the title won or was shortlisted, and the year the award was given.

  • Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel1998Shortlistedfor Lord of the Isles
  • Locus Award for Best Short Story1981Shortlistedfor Men Like Us
  • World Fantasy Award for Best Short Fiction1976Shortlistedfor The Barrow Troll

David Drake at a glance

Paused
No new David Drake title has appeared for 5 years. The last was published in 2021.
Release pace
David Drake books have appeared more than one a year on average.
Length
29,699 pages across the 79 of 106 books with a recorded length, a median of 330 pages each.
Busiest decade
Most David Drake books, 36 of 106, were published in the 1990s.

What the David Drake books are about

92 of the 106 David Drake books carry subject tags in Open Library's catalogue. The subjects below are the ones that recur across them, most frequent first: science fiction is tagged on 47 of 92. The subjects are cataloguers’ headings, not a plot summary.