Ghosts Books in Order

The Recommended Reading Path: Where to Start

For readers diving into Jonathan Moeller's dark, action-packed fantasy universe, the best starting point is clear: you should start with the first novel, Child of the Ghosts. This book introduces Caina Amalas as a young girl who loses everything to a tragic betrayal and dark sorcery. She is subsequently taken in and trained by the Ghosts, the Emperor of Nighmar's elite, secretive circle of spies, assassins, and nightfighters. Starting here provides crucial context for her skills, her trauma, and the complex magic system of the empire.

While the author originally drafted and released some of the later adventures first in his early writing career, he officially recommends reading the series in chronological order beginning with Caina's origin story. This allows her character arc to unfold naturally as she grows from a scarred, desperate survivor into one of the most feared operatives in the empire.

The Core Ghosts Series Order

The original saga of Caina Amalas consists of nine main novels. While various online databases and local publisher listings sometimes display differing publication years due to reprint editions and omnibus releases, the chronological order of the core novels remains constant:

1. Child of the Ghosts (Book 1)
2. Ghost in the Flames (Book 2)
3. Ghost in the Blood (Book 3)
4. Ghost in the Storm (Book 4)
5. Ghost in the Stone (Book 5)
6. Ghost in the Forge (Book 6)
7. Ghost in the Ashes (Book 7)
8. Ghost in the Mask (Book 8)
9. Ghost in the Surge (Book 9)

Integrating the Novellas and Short Stories

In addition to the main novels, Moeller has penned numerous companion stories and novellas that flesh out side missions, historical lore, and minor characters. While you can read the main nine novels straight through without missing key plot points, completionists can weave in these stories as follows:

• Ghost Aria: A short story best read after Child of the Ghosts.
• Ghost Dagger: A novella set between Ghost in the Flames and Ghost in the Blood.
• Ghost Claws and Ghost Omens: Companion stories detailing Caina's assignments that take place alongside the middle volumes of the series.
• Ghost Thorns and Ghost Undying: Additional novellas that expand on secondary character perspectives and localized threats.
• Champion of the Ghosts: A convenient collection compiled by the author that gathers several of these essential side stories (including Ghost Aria, Ghost Dagger, Ghost Claws, and Ghost Thorns) into a single volume.
• Blade of the Ghosts: A supplementary novel containing standalone adventures and expanded lore.

The Sequel Series: Caina's Journey Continues

Caina's adventures do not end with the conclusion of the original nine-book arc. Jonathan Moeller has expanded the universe with three consecutive sequel series that follow Caina's evolving role in the world. To maintain the overarching narrative continuity, you should read these series in the following order:

1. Ghost Exile

Picking up after the events of the core series, this nine-book sequel arc follows Caina as she navigates political banishment and battles new magical threats across the sea. The books should be read in this sequence:

1. Ghost in the Cowl
2. Ghost in the Maze
3. Ghost in the Hunt
4. Ghost in the Razor
5. Ghost in the Inferno
6. Ghost in the Seal
7. Ghost in the Throne
8. Ghost in the Pact
9. Ghost in the Winds

2. Ghost Night

Following her exile, Caina's story continues in this ten-book series, focusing on a new dark conspiracy that threatens to plunge the world into eternal night:

1. Ghost in the Ring
2. Ghost in the Glass
3. Ghost in the Amulet
4. Ghost in the Tower
5. Ghost in the Vault
6. Ghost in the Council
7. Ghost in the Vision
8. Ghost in the Talisman
9. Ghost in the Lore
10. Ghost in the Sun

3. Ghost Armor

The fourth and concluding arc in Caina's long saga is the seven-part Ghost Armor series. It wraps up the major lingering threads of the universe:

1. Ghost Crown (Prequel novella)
2. Ghost in the Serpent
3. Ghost in the Veils
4. Ghost in the Tombs
5. Ghost in the Assembly
6. Ghost in the Corruption
7. Ghost in the Siege

What to Know Before You Start

The Ghosts series blends classic high-fantasy magic with gritty espionage and political thriller elements. Readers who enjoy fast-paced sword-and-sorcery, moral ambiguity, and strong female protagonists will find a lot to love. While the companion novellas can be skipped or read later, the main novels in each subseries form a single continuous narrative thread, meaning they cannot easily be read as standalones without losing track of the main plot. If you want to experience the complete evolution of the Empire of Nighmar, plan to commit to the subseries in their entirety.