Books On Board

Jack Lark Books in Order

  • 14 Books
  • 2013 – 2023 Published

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Reading order
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Where to Start Reading the Jack Lark Series

For readers looking to dive into Jack Lark’s grit-soaked world, there are two primary entry points: publication order or chronological order. Both approaches offer unique advantages depending on how you prefer to experience character development and backstory.

The Publication Path (Recommended): Starting with The Scarlet Thief (2013) is the most popular route. This allows you to experience the series exactly as author Paul Fraser Collard developed the character. You are introduced to Jack Lark as a desperate soldier in the Crimea who makes the split-second decision to steal a dead officer's uniform. Starting here preserves the mystery of Jack's origins and mirrors the confusion, paranoia, and thrill of his early double life. You can read the prequel novellas later to fill in his childhood and training years.

The Chronological Path: If you prefer to watch a character grow from the very beginning, start with the prequel novellas collected in The Jack Lark Library. Beginning with Rascal and moving through Rogue, Recruit, and Redcoat establishes Jack's childhood in London's East End, his time in the criminal underworld, his escape into the army, and his brutal training under a sadistic sergeant. This path makes his transformation into the "Scarlet Thief" feel earned and deeply tragic, though it removes some of the initial mystery of the first novel.

Jack Lark Books in Publication Order

Below is the complete list of Jack Lark novels and novellas in the order they were published. Reading in this order helps you appreciate the evolution of Collard's writing style and historical settings.

  • The Scarlet Thief (2013): The novel that started it all. Set during the Crimean War (1854), Jack Lark, a low-born London orderly, takes a dead officer's uniform to survive the bloody Battle of the Alma, beginning his life as an imposter.
  • The Maharajah's General (2013): Jack travels to India posing as Captain Arthur Wellesley. He is tasked with training a native army, but gets caught in a web of betrayal.
  • Rogue (2014): A prequel novella focusing on Jack's early days in London's criminal underworld as a young thief.
  • The Devil's Assassin (2015): Set in Bombay in 1856, Jack is recruited as a spy by the intelligence officer Major John Ballard, finding himself in the middle of a conspiracy that leads to Persia.
  • Recruit (2015): A prequel novella that shows Jack enlisting in the British Army to flee a dangerous situation in London.
  • Redcoat (2015): A prequel novella showing Jack's early military career four years after enlisting, as he strives to rise above his rank and clashes with a cruel sergeant.
  • The Lone Warrior (2015): Set during the Indian Rebellion of 1857, Jack is trapped inside the Siege of Delhi, fighting a desperate battle for survival against overwhelming odds.
  • The Last Legionnaire / The Forgotten Son (2016): Struggling to adjust to civilian life in London, Jack is sent undercover into the French Foreign Legion during the Second Italian War of Independence, culminating in the bloody Battle of Solferino (1859).
  • The True Soldier (2017): Jack crosses the Atlantic to Boston just as the American Civil War erupts in 1861, enlisting in the Union Army and fighting at the First Battle of Bull Run.
  • Rascal (2017): The earliest prequel novella, depicting Jack's childhood in the slums of London's East End, published as part of the Jack Lark Library.
  • The Rebel Killer (2018): Jack continues his fight in the American Civil War, witnessing the horrific brutality of the conflict from both the Union and Confederate sides.
  • The Lost Outlaw (2019): In the aftermath of the Civil War, Jack finds himself on the Texas-Mexico border, tasked with guarding a valuable cotton caravan from ruthless outlaws.
  • Fugitive (2020): Jack flees back to London but must quickly run again, joining the British Expedition to Abyssinia (1868) to rescue hostages held by Emperor Tewodros.
  • Commander (2021): In 1869, Jack is recruited in Cairo to protect Samuel Baker's expedition down the Nile, battling hostile tribes and lawless slave traders.
  • Diamond Hunter (2022): Jack and his companion Anna Baker travel to South Africa in 1871, seeking their fortune in the Cape Colony diamond fields, only to get caught in a violent turf war.

Jack Lark Books in Chronological Order

For readers who want to follow Jack Lark's life in linear sequence, here is the exact chronological order of his adventures, including the historical years in which they are set:

  1. Rascal (Novella) – Set in London's East End during Jack's childhood.
  2. Rogue (Novella) – Set in the London slums, tracking Jack's teenage criminal exploits.
  3. Recruit (Novella) – Set in 1851, detailing Jack enlisting in the army to escape London.
  4. Redcoat (Novella) – Set in 1855, tracking Jack's training and early soldiering days under Sergeant Slater.
  5. The Scarlet Thief (Book 1) – Set in 1854 during the Crimean War.
  6. The Maharajah's General (Book 2) – Set in 1854–1855, following Jack's journey to India.
  7. The Devil's Assassin (Book 3) – Set in 1856 in Bombay and Persia.
  8. The Lone Warrior (Book 4) – Set in 1857 during the Indian Rebellion / Siege of Delhi.
  9. The Last Legionnaire / The Forgotten Son (Book 5) – Set in 1859 in London, Algeria, and Italy (Battle of Solferino).
  10. The True Soldier (Book 6) – Set in 1861 at the outbreak of the American Civil War.
  11. The Rebel Killer (Book 7) – Set in 1861–1862, continuing Jack's Civil War campaign.
  12. The Lost Outlaw (Book 8) – Set in the mid-1860s on the Texas-Mexico border.
  13. Fugitive (Book 9) – Set in 1867–1868 during the British Expedition to Abyssinia.
  14. Commander (Book 10) – Set in 1869 during Samuel Baker's Nile Expedition in Sudan.
  15. Diamond Hunter (Book 11) – Set in 1871 in the South African diamond fields.

What to Know Before You Start

The Jack Lark series is a masterclass in historical military fiction, but it differs from classic soldier stories in several key ways. Understanding these elements will enhance your appreciation of Jack's journey:

The Imposter Dynamic: Unlike Bernard Cornwell's Richard Sharpe, who rises from the ranks due to merit and battlefield promotions, Jack Lark is a fraud. Born into poverty, he assumes the identity of dead officers to escape his station. This means that throughout the series, Jack is fighting two battles: the literal military conflict in front of him, and the psychological battle to keep his identity hidden from his comrades and superiors. The constant dread of exposure adds a thriller-like tension to the historical military action.

A Moral Spectrum: Jack Lark is not a traditional hero. He is a survivor. While he possesses courage and a rough sense of justice, he is also capable of ruthless, self-serving actions. He steals, lies, and kills to preserve his secret and his life. Collard does not romanticize the Victorian era or British imperialism; the series depicts the brutality, chaos, and pointlessness of war with unflinching realism.

Global Scope: While the series begins with the British Army, Jack's adventures quickly expand. Because he is a man without a true country or identity, he goes where the fighting is. He serves in the British Army, the French Foreign Legion, the Union Army during the American Civil War, and eventually becomes a mercenary and explorer. This allows Collard to explore diverse historical events and theatres of war that are rarely featured in mainstream Victorian military fiction.

Frequently Asked

Can you read the Jack Lark books as standalones?

While each novel features a self-contained military campaign or mission, it is highly recommended to read them in order. Jack Lark’s character arc, his relationships, and the ongoing threat of his imposter status being discovered build continuously from book to book.

Who is the real Jack Lark?

Jack Lark was born a low-born Londoner in the slums of the East End. His real name is not Jack Lark, but he assumes this name and several officer identities—most notably Lieutenant Arthur Fenris—to escape poverty and fight in the Victorian era's greatest conflicts.

Is there a difference between The Last Legionnaire and The Forgotten Son?

Yes, they are the same book. The fifth novel was published under the title The Last Legionnaire in some markets and as The Forgotten Son in others. Both follow Jack's adventures in the French Foreign Legion during the Battle of Solferino.

How historically accurate is the Jack Lark series?

Paul Fraser Collard is renowned for his meticulous historical research. The battles, weapons, uniforms, and military tactics—from the Crimean War to the Nile Expedition—are depicted with high accuracy, often highlighting lesser-known details of Victorian military history.

Is the Jack Lark series finished?

As of the publication of Diamond Hunter (2022), the series stands at 11 novels and 4 novellas. While the main narrative arc has reached a stable point, the author has left the door open for future adventures in Jack's globe-trotting life.