Hawk and Fisher Books in Order

The Recommended Reading Order for Hawk & Fisher

If you want the absolute best experience reading Simon R. Green’s Hawk & Fisher series, you shouldn't just read the main books. Because these characters have a secret history that ties directly into Green’s epic Forest Kingdom series, the optimal reading path blends both series together. This structure allows you to witness their origin, follow their gritty street-level detective work, and see their ultimate fate play out.

The Integrated World Reading Path

1. Blue Moon Rising (1991) – Forest Kingdom Book 1. Read this first. Although published slightly after the first Hawk & Fisher novel, this book provides the chronological backstory and introduces Prince Rupert and Princess Julia, who later assume the aliases of Hawk and Fisher.
2. Hawk & Fisher / No Haven for the Guilty (1990) – Hawk & Fisher Book 1. The introduction to Haven and the duo's gritty guard duties.
3. Winner Takes All / Devil Take the Hindmost (1991) – Hawk & Fisher Book 2. A deadly election campaign overrun by dark magic and assassins.
4. The God Killer (1991) – Hawk & Fisher Book 3. The duo investigates divine murders on the Street of Gods.
5. Wolf in the Fold / Vengeance for a Lonely Man (1991) – Hawk & Fisher Book 4. Undercover work inside a noble house to root out a spy.
6. Guard Against Dishonor (1991) – Hawk & Fisher Book 5. A struggle against corruption inside the City Guard itself.
7. The Bones of Haven / Two Kings in Haven (1992) – Hawk & Fisher Book 6. The original Haven finale where the city faces a catastrophic threat.
8. Beyond the Blue Moon (2000) – Forest Kingdom Book 4 / Hawk & Fisher Book 8. This crossover novel brings the characters back into the Forest Kingdom to resolve their long-running arcs.
9. Once in a Blue Moon (2014) – Forest Kingdom Book 5. The final chapter in the Forest Kingdom saga, featuring the characters' legacy.

Note that other Forest Kingdom books like Blood and Honor (1992) and Down Among the Dead Men (1993) take place in the same universe during the timeframe of the Hawk & Fisher stories, but they do not feature the main couple. You can read them between the core novels or skip them entirely if you are only interested in Hawk and Fisher's personal journey.

Hawk & Fisher Publication Order

If you prefer to experience the books exactly as they were released in the 1990s, you can stick strictly to the publication order. Green wrote the first six books in a rapid burst of productivity between 1990 and 1992, creating a highly episodic, procedural feel before returning to the characters years later.

• Hawk & Fisher (1990) – US Title. Released in the UK as No Haven for the Guilty.
• Winner Takes All (1991) – US Title. Released in the UK as Devil Take the Hindmost.
• The God Killer (1991) – Published globally under this title.
• Wolf in the Fold (1991) – US Title. Released in the UK as Vengeance for a Lonely Man.
• Guard Against Dishonor (1991) – Published globally under this title.
• The Bones of Haven (1992) – US Title. Released in the UK as Two Kings in Haven.
• Haven of Lost Souls (1999) – A UK omnibus edition collecting the first three novels.
• Beyond the Blue Moon (2000) – The epic continuation linking Hawk & Fisher back to the Forest Kingdom.

Chronological Caveats & The Forest Kingdom Connection

While the six original Hawk & Fisher books are written as standalone fantasy-noir procedurals, they contain subtle clues about the couple's true identity. If you read the Hawk & Fisher books first, you will encounter them as world-weary, highly competent, and deeply married City Guard captains who refuse to speak about their past. It is only in Beyond the Blue Moon that their history is explicitly laid bare.

Chronologically, the timeline is as follows:

1. Blue Moon Rising (The origin of Rupert and Julia, their fall from grace, and their escape from the Forest Kingdom).
2. The six Haven-based Hawk & Fisher novels (Their years spent working as captains of the guard in the corrupt city-state of Haven).
3. Beyond the Blue Moon (The return of Rupert and Julia to their homeland after decades away).
4. Once in a Blue Moon (The final resolution of their lives and legacy).

This means that starting with Blue Moon Rising is technically a spoiler for the mystery of Hawk and Fisher's origins. However, most fans agree that knowing their identities actually enhances the reading experience, as you can spot the hidden references to their royal past, their magical items, and the reasons they are so fiercely protective of each other.

The Haven Chronicles: Book-by-Book Overview

The core Hawk & Fisher books are unique because they merge Agatha Christie-style whodunits and locked-room mysteries with swords, sorcery, demons, and vampires. Here is a brief look at each case the couple tackles in Haven:

Hawk & Fisher (No Haven for the Guilty)

The debut novel introduces the dark, muddy streets of Haven. The plot is a classic locked-room mystery: a wealthy and powerful sorcerer is murdered inside his highly secured mansion, and Hawk and Fisher must find the killer before a demonic entity consumes everyone inside. It establishes their signature weapons (Hawk's massive battle-axe and Fisher's swift daggers) and their status as the only unbribable cops in the city.

Winner Takes All (Devil Take the Hindmost)

Haven is holding an election, and a rare honest reformer is running for office. Hawk and Fisher are assigned as bodyguards, forcing them to protect a politician from street gangs, dark magical pacts, and ruthless assassins hired by the ruling class who want to maintain the corrupt status quo.

The God Killer

Haven features a famous neighborhood known as the Street of Gods, where deities of all shapes and sizes set up shops to recruit followers. When someone starts systematically murdering these physical gods, Hawk and Fisher are called in to solve the divine crime, navigating a labyrinth of holy corruption and cosmic danger.

Wolf in the Fold (Vengeance for a Lonely Man)

In a change of pace, the couple goes undercover in the high-society household of a powerful noble family. A spy is selling military secrets to Haven's enemies, but the investigation quickly turns bloody as a shapeshifting horror begins picking off the family members one by one.

Guard Against Dishonor

Corruption is normal in Haven, but when the City Guard itself is completely bought out by a new criminal mastermind, Hawk and Fisher find themselves hunted by their own colleagues. Outnumbered and declared outlaws, they must wage a guerilla war against their fellow guards to restore a shred of justice.

The Bones of Haven (Two Kings in Haven)

The original series finale. The city of Haven is on the brink of collapse due to a magical plague and political unrest. Hawk and Fisher must recover a stolen fortune of black-market magical items while facing down the ghosts of their past and the corrupt leaders who want them dead.

What to Know Before You Start

Before diving into Simon R. Green's work, here are a few practical tips to help you navigate the books:

• The Alternate Titles: Because the books were published with different titles in the US and UK, it is easy to accidentally buy the same book twice. Keep the alternate title list handy when browsing used bookstores.
• The Omnibus Collections: Finding individual paperbacks of the original books can be difficult today. Fortunately, they are collected in two digital omnibuses: Swords of Haven (contains books 1–3) and Guards of Haven (contains books 4–6). The UK also saw the release of Haven of Lost Souls in 1999, which contains the first three books.
• Standalone Friendly: If you don't want to commit to a massive multi-series journey, you can read any of the first six Hawk & Fisher books as completely standalone mysteries. They require almost no prior knowledge to enjoy. However, Beyond the Blue Moon should only be read after you have finished both the Forest Kingdom and the core Haven books.
• Tone and Style: Expect a fast-paced, action-heavy, and deeply cynical tone balanced by the genuine love between the two protagonists. Green's prose is highly entertaining, filled with dark humor, gory action, and memorable, larger-than-life villains.