The Recommended Reading Order for the Templar Chronicles
For the best reading experience, we recommend starting with the first full-length novel, The Heretic, to properly establish the characters, stakes, and the hidden supernatural world. While there are prequels and short stories set earlier in the timeline, starting with the first published novel is the standard entry point. After getting your bearings, you can choose to read in publication order or integrate the Templar Chronicles Missions novellas chronologically between the main books.
The Hybrid Chronological and Publication Order
If you want to read the main novels alongside the side missions in their logical narrative sequence, follow this hybrid reading order:
- The Heretic (Book 1) - 2005
- This Cleansing Fire (Prequel Novella / Book 0.5) - 2011/2020
- The Hungry Dark (Mission Novella #1.5) - 2014
- A Scream of Angels (Book 2) - 2010
- Tooth and Claw (Mission Novella #2.5) - 2017
- A Tear in the Sky (Book 3) - 2010
- Flesh and Bone (Mission Novella #3.5) - 2018
- Infernal Games (Book 4) - 2014
- Judgement Day (Book 5) - 2014
- Fall of Night (Book 6) - 2015
- Darkness Reigns (Book 7) - 2018
- Nephilim's Rise (Book 8) - 2021
Note on Shades of Blood: Often designated as Templar Chronicles Missions Book 1, this story takes place in the early days of the Echo Team and can be read either as a prequel before The Heretic or saved for after Book 3 to see how the team originally formed.
Publication Order of the Main Series
If you prefer to stick strictly to the core novels as they were written and published, follow this order. This sequence allows you to experience the evolution of Cade Williams' journey exactly as the author developed it:
- The Heretic (2005) - Introduces Cade Williams and the Echo Team as they combat a dangerous cabal of necromancers.
- A Scream of Angels (2010) - The team is sent to a secret research facility in the desert to investigate reports of demonic infestation.
- A Tear in the Sky (2010) - Cade risks everything, including his own soul, by stepping into the limbo realm known as the Beyond.
- Infernal Games (2014) - The war against the dark forces intensifies as the adversaries launch a coordinated offensive.
- Judgement Day (2014) - High-stakes action as the secrets of the Templar Order are threatened with exposure.
- Fall of Night (2015) - Cade deals with the emotional fallout of Gabrielle's return and the lingering scars of his battles.
- Darkness Reigns (2018) - Ancient enemies resurface, forcing the Echo Team to deploy their most lethal tactics.
- Nephilim's Rise (2021) - The explosive eighth novel where Cade and Gabrielle face their ultimate confrontation with the forces of the Adversary.
The Templar Chronicles Missions (Novellas)
The companion series, known as the Templar Chronicles Missions, consists of shorter novellas focusing on self-contained tactical missions. While they are not mandatory to follow the main plot of the novels, they are highly recommended for fans who want more of the military-supernatural action and deeper team dynamics:
- Shades of Blood (2014) - Explores the early, defining moments of the Echo Team.
- The Hungry Dark (2014) - Follows the team on a quick, terrifying search-and-rescue operation.
- Tooth and Claw (2017) - Pits the modern Templar knights against classic shape-shifting threats.
- Flesh and Bone (2018) - A gritty tactical mission dealing with undead forces in tight quarters.
What to Know Before You Start
The Templar Chronicles is set in a modern world where the legendary Knights Templar never truly vanished. Instead, they evolved into a clandestine military division of the Vatican, tasked with protecting humanity from supernatural threats that the public cannot be allowed to know about. The series is heavily character-driven, focusing on Cade Williams, a former Boston SWAT officer who leads the elite Echo Team. Cade is known as 'The Heretic' within the Order due to his unique psychic ability to speak with the dead—a gift he received after surviving a brutal encounter with a fallen angel known as the Adversary, which claimed the life of his wife, Gabrielle.
In terms of tone, expect a fast-paced blend of tactical military fiction, urban fantasy, and cosmic horror. Nassise utilizes his background in horror to make the demons, ghouls, and necromancers genuinely menacing rather than romanticized. The Templars themselves are equipped with a unique mix of high-tech tactical gear and blessed relics, making the combat scenes feel grounded yet magical.
For readers who enjoy this universe, Joseph Nassise's Jeremiah Hunt Chronicles (beginning with Eyes to See) is set within the same dark urban fantasy universe. While the series does not feature direct crossover storylines, they share the same gritty atmosphere and thematic focus on supernatural battles, redemption, and personal sacrifice.
Practical Reader Advice
Are the books standalone? No. While individual missions or cases are resolved in each installment, the overarching story of Cade Williams, his battle with the Adversary, and his quest to save his wife's soul runs continuously through the main novels. Reading them out of order will lead to major spoilers and confusion regarding the status of key characters.
Do the novellas matter? The Missions novellas are fun additions that flesh out side characters and show more of the day-to-day work of the Echo Team, but they are not required to understand the plot of the main series. If you are short on time, you can skip the novellas and read only the eight main novels without missing critical plot points.