Civil War Chronicles Books in Order

Recommended Reading Order

For the best reading experience, it is highly recommended to follow the main novels in publication order, inserting the novellas at their respective chronological placements or reading them as supplemental backstory. Here is the complete order of the Captain Stryker adventures:

1. Traitor's Blood (2010) — The first novel, introducing Stryker at the outbreak of the war.
2. Devil's Charge (2011) — The second novel, set during the fierce campaigns of 1643.
3. Hunter's Rage (2012) — The third novel, tracking Stryker into a brutal winter campaign on Dartmoor.
4. Stryker and the Angels of Death (2013) — A prequel novella set in 1630 during the Thirty Years' War.
5. Assassin's Reign (2013) — The fourth novel, centering on Royalist conspiracies in London and Oxford.
6. The Prince's Gambit (2015) — A novella focusing on the relief of Newark in March 1644.
7. Warlord's Gold (2014) — The fifth novel, set in the spring of 1644 leading up to the war's turning point.
8. Marston Moor (2015) — The sixth novel, covering the pivotal battle of Marston Moor in July 1644.

Where to Start

Newcomers should start with Traitor's Blood. While Stryker and the Angels of Death is chronologically the earliest story, it was written as a prequel after the third novel. Starting with the first full-length novel establishes Stryker's character, his scars, and his motivations during the English Civil War before diving back into his mercenary past.

Chronological Order vs. Publication Order

If you prefer to read the series in strict chronological order, you will make two main adjustments to the publication sequence:

• Stryker and the Angels of Death: Read this first. It takes place in the autumn of 1630, featuring a young Stryker serving as a mercenary in continental Europe during the Thirty Years' War.
• The Prince's Gambit: Read this between Assassin's Reign and Warlord's Gold (or right after Warlord's Gold). The events are set during the relief of Newark in March 1644, serving as a bridge to the climactic clash at Marston Moor in July 1644.

The Future of the Series

For years, the series remained on hold after Marston Moor due to the conclusion of the author's contract with his original publisher, despite a completed seventh manuscript. However, in 2026, independent publisher Pellerin Books acquired the rights to the Captain Stryker series. They are republishing the original works and releasing two brand-new novels, beginning with The King's Renegade in January 2027, which picks up with Stryker imprisoned in the aftermath of Marston Moor.