Order of Book Series
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James L. Nelson Books in Order

James L. Nelson has written 34 books, published between 1996 and 2026. The first book is By Force of Arms (1996) and the newest is Hispaniola Gold (2026). Publication order is the reading order below.

Books
34
Published
1996–2026
Pages on record
8,817 in 24 of 34 books
Reading time
147–220 hours

Reading time is an estimate, not a recorded figure: 8,817 pages at 300 words a page, read at 200–300 words a minute, covering the 24 of 34 titles with a page count on record.

See all 34 books in order Printable James L. Nelson checklist
Photo of James L. Nelson, author

Ships and sea warfare are James L. Nelson's material. Nelson writes naval historical fiction across the Isaac Biddlecomb novels of the American Revolution, the Thomas Marlowe books, the Samuel Bowater series, the Norsemen Saga and Blood, Steel, and Empire. Ship captains, naval operations and pirates recur throughout. Thirty-four catalogued titles run from By Force of Arms (1996) to Hispaniola Gold (2026).

How many James L. Nelson books are there?

James L. Nelson has 34 books, released between 1996 and 2026. They include 6 series and 7 titles listed outside any series.

James L. Nelson Books in Publication Order

The table lists all 34 James L. Nelson 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 By Force of Arms by James L. Nelson, book 1 of the Isaac Biddlecomb series (1996)
  2. Cover of The Maddest Idea by James L. Nelson, book 2 of the Isaac Biddlecomb series (1997)
  3. Cover of The Continental Risque by James L. Nelson, book 3 of the Isaac Biddlecomb series (1998)
  4. Cover of Lords of the Ocean by James L. Nelson, book 4 of the Isaac Biddlecomb series (1999)
  5. Cover of The Guardship by James L. Nelson, book 1 of the Thomas Marlowe series (2000)
  6. Cover of All the Brave Fellows by James L. Nelson, book 5 of the Isaac Biddlecomb series (2000)
  7. Cover of The Only Life That Mattered by James L. Nelson (2001)
  8. Cover of The Blackbirder by James L. Nelson, book 2 of the Thomas Marlowe series (2001)
  9. Cover of The Pirate Round by James L. Nelson, book 3 of the Thomas Marlowe series (2002)
  10. Cover of Reign of Iron by James L. Nelson (2004)
  11. Cover of Thieves of Mercy by James L. Nelson, book 2 of the Samuel Bowater series (2005)
  12. Cover of Benedict Arnold's Navy by James L. Nelson (2006)
  13. Cover of George Washington's Great Gamble by James L. Nelson (2010)
  14. Cover of With Fire and Sword by James L. Nelson (2011)
  15. Cover of Fin Gall by James L. Nelson, book 1 of the Norsemen Saga (2013)
  16. Cover of The French Prize by James L. Nelson (2015)
  17. Cover of The Lord of Vik-lo by James L. Nelson, book 3 of the Norsemen Saga (2015)
  18. Cover of Full Fathom Five by James L. Nelson, book 1 of the Caleb Hayes series (2016)
  19. Cover of Raider's Wake by James L. Nelson, book 6 of the Norsemen Saga (2017)
  20. Cover of A Vengeful Wind by James L. Nelson, book 8 of the Norsemen Saga (2018)
  21. Cover of Kings and Pawns by James L. Nelson, book 9 of the Norsemen Saga (2019)
  1. 1
    By Force of ArmsIsaac Biddlecomb #11996 · 324 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1996324
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  2. 2
    The Maddest IdeaIsaac Biddlecomb #21997 · 417 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1997417
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  3. 3
    The Continental RisqueIsaac Biddlecomb #31998 · 372 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1998372
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  4. 4
    Lords of the OceanIsaac Biddlecomb #41999 · 368 pages · confirmed 2/4
    1999368
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  5. 5
    The GuardshipThomas Marlowe #12000 · 372 pages · confirmed 2/4
    2000372
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  6. 6
    All the Brave FellowsIsaac Biddlecomb #52000 · 395 pages · confirmed 2/4
    2000395
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  7. 7
    The Only Life That Mattered2001 · 414 pages · confirmed 2/4
    2001414
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  8. 8
    The BlackbirderThomas Marlowe #22001 · 352 pages · confirmed 2/4
    2001352
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  9. 9
    The Pirate RoundThomas Marlowe #32002 · 384 pages · confirmed 2/4
    2002384
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  10. 10
    Glory in the NameSamuel Bowater #12003 · 420 pages · confirmed 2/4
    2003420
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  11. 11
    Reign of Iron2004 · 368 pages · confirmed 2/4
    2004368
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  12. 12
    Thieves of MercySamuel Bowater #22005 · 544 pages · confirmed 2/4
    2005544
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  13. 13
    Benedict Arnold's Navy2006 · 420 pages · confirmed 2/4
    2006420
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  14. 14
    George Washington's Secret Navy2008 · confirmed 2/4
    2008–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  15. 15
    George Washington's Great Gamble2010 · confirmed 2/4
    2010–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  16. 16
    With Fire and Sword2011 · 364 pages · confirmed 2/4
    2011364
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  17. 17
    Fin GallNorsemen Saga #12013 · 288 pages · confirmed 2/4
    2013288
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  18. 18
    Dubh-linnNorsemen Saga #22014 · 326 pages · confirmed 2/4
    2014326
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  19. 19
    The French Prize2015 · 336 pages · confirmed 2/4
    2015336
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  20. 20
    The Lord of Vik-loNorsemen Saga #32015 · 311 pages · confirmed 2/4
    2015311
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  21. 21
    Glendalough FairNorsemen Saga #42015 · confirmed 2/4
    2015–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  22. 22
    Full Fathom FiveCaleb Hayes #12016 · 312 pages · confirmed 2/4
    2016312
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  23. 23
    Night WolfNorsemen Saga #52016 · 320 pages · confirmed 2/4
    2016320
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  24. 24
    Raider's WakeNorsemen Saga #62017 · 342 pages · confirmed 2/4
    2017342
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  25. 25
    Loch GarmanNorsemen Saga #72017 · 356 pages · confirmed 2/4
    2017356
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  26. 26
    A Vengeful WindNorsemen Saga #82018 · 348 pages · confirmed 2/4
    2018348
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  27. 27
    Kings and PawnsNorsemen Saga #92019 · 364 pages · confirmed 2/4
    2019364
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  28. 28
    The Midgard SerpentNorsemen Saga #102020 · confirmed 2/4
    2020–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  29. 29
    The Buccaneer CoastBlood, Steel, and Empire #12021 · confirmed 2/4
    2021–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  30. 30
    The Falmouth FrigateIsaac Biddlecomb #62022 · confirmed 2/4
    2022–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  31. 31
    The Narrow SeasNorsemen Saga #112023 · confirmed 2/4
    2023–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  32. 32
    The Tortuga PlantationBlood, Steel, and Empire #22024 · confirmed 2/4
    2024–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  33. 33
    Land of the Wolf of the Viking AgeNorsemen Saga #122025 · confirmed 2/4
    2025–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  34. 34
    Hispaniola GoldBlood, Steel, and Empire #32026 · confirmed 2/4
    2026–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK

James L. Nelson books grouped by series

Each title below is a row in the publication-order table above. None of these groups has a reading-order page of its own on this site.

Norsemen Saga in order

12 books
  1. 1. Fin Gall
  2. 2. Dubh-linn
  3. 3. The Lord of Vik-lo
  4. 4. Glendalough Fair
  5. 5. Night Wolf
  6. 6. Raider's Wake
  7. 7. Loch Garman
  8. 8. A Vengeful Wind
  9. 9. Kings and Pawns
  10. 10. The Midgard Serpent
  11. 11. The Narrow Seas
  12. 12. Land of the Wolf of the Viking Age

Isaac Biddlecomb in order

6 books
  1. 1. By Force of Arms
  2. 2. The Maddest Idea
  3. 3. The Continental Risque
  4. 4. Lords of the Ocean
  5. 5. All the Brave Fellows
  6. 6. The Falmouth Frigate

Thomas Marlowe in order

3 books
  1. 1. The Guardship
  2. 2. The Blackbirder
  3. 3. The Pirate Round

Blood, Steel, and Empire in order

3 books
  1. 1. The Buccaneer Coast
  2. 2. The Tortuga Plantation
  3. 3. Hispaniola Gold

Samuel Bowater in order

2 books
  1. 1. Glory in the Name
  2. 2. Thieves of Mercy

Caleb Hayes in order

1 book
  1. 1. Full Fathom Five

Standalone books

7 books

7 James L. Nelson titles here are not listed as part of any series.

Do you have to read James L. Nelson books in order?

You only need to read James L. Nelson books in order within each series: the books listed here span 6 separate series, and each series has its own publication order.

Where to start with James L. Nelson

Start with By Force of Arms (1996), the earliest published title.

What is the newest James L. Nelson book?

Hispaniola Gold (2026) is the newest James L. Nelson book released so far.

Is there a new James L. Nelson book coming?

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

James L. Nelson at a glance

Still publishing
James L. Nelson published a book as recently as 2026.
Release pace
James L. Nelson books have appeared about one a year on average.
Length
8,817 pages across the 24 of 34 books with a recorded length, a median of 364 pages each.
Busiest decade
Most James L. Nelson books, 13 of 34, were published in the 2010s.

What the James L. Nelson books are about

17 of the 34 James L. Nelson books carry subject tags in Open Library's catalogue. The subjects below are the ones that recur across them, most frequent first: history is tagged on 12 of 17. The subjects are cataloguers’ headings, not a plot summary.