Warrior’s Wings Books in Order

The Recommended Reading Order for Warrior’s Wings

The Warrior’s Wings series, widely known among science fiction readers as the Hayden War Cycle (or the On Silver Wings series), is best read in its original publication order. Written by Canadian author Evan Currie, the series presents a continuous, linear narrative that charts humanity's first hostile encounter with an alien coalition known as the Alliance. Because the technological developments, military strategies, and character relationships evolve significantly from one book to the next, reading them chronologically by release date is highly recommended.

Below is the complete sequence of the books, trace-charting the military career of Sergeant Sorilla Aida as she grows from a stranded survivor into a legendary special operations commander:

1. On Silver Wings (2011) – The novel that starts it all. When the human colony on Hayden's World suddenly goes silent, a special forces unit is deployed to investigate. Following a disastrous landing, Sergeant Sorilla Aida finds herself the sole survivor of her unit. Armed with a failing power suit and her tactical grit, she must lead the surviving colonists in a desperate guerrilla war against an unknown alien invader.
2. Valkyrie Rising (2011) – Picking up immediately where the first book left off, the conflict escalates. Human forces launch a counter-offensive to retake Hayden's World, transforming the local resistance into a planetary war. Aida’s combat prowess and leadership skills become central to the military's survival.
3. Valkyrie Burning (2012) – The war expands beyond the surface of Hayden's World. This installment introduces heavy space-fleet combat alongside ground operations, while shedding light on the mysterious motives and culture of the alien Alliance.
4. The Valhalla Call (2013) – As the war enters a new phase, Aida and her team face increasingly complex deployments. The story dives deeper into the operational logistics and high stakes of interstellar warfare, testing the limits of human technological adaptation.
5. By Other Means (2014) – With conventional military options stretched thin, this book focuses heavily on asymmetric warfare, special black-ops missions, and political maneuvering as Earth's Solar Command (SOLCOM) attempts to out-think the Alliance.
6. De Oppresso Liber (2016) – Drawing its title from the U.S. Army Special Forces motto ('To Liberate the Oppressed'), this entry highlights specialized operations aimed at breaking the Alliance's hold on disputed territories, pushing Aida into even more dangerous command roles.
7. Open Arms (2017) – The geopolitical landscape of the war shifts. The narrative balances frontline combat with diplomatic efforts, exploring whether coexistence with the Alliance is possible or if total destruction is the only outcome.
8. Border Wars (2020) – The conflict spreads to the outer reaches of colonized space. In this eighth volume, the skirmishes turn into a grueling war of attrition along the borders of human territory, setting the stage for a dramatic resolution.
9. Among Enemies (2021) – Seeking definitive answers to the origins of the war, Sorilla Aida embarks on a high-stakes mission deep behind enemy lines. The book serves as a major narrative milestone, resolving key plot threads about the Alliance's true leadership.
10. Storm Warning: Insurgent (2024) – The tenth book serves as a soft reboot or next-generation sequel. Set decades after the main events of the initial war, a fragile peace treaty exists between SOLCOM and the Alliance. However, new insurrections and unresolved grievances threaten to plunge the galaxy back into chaos. A seasoned Sorilla Aida must step back into the fray to handle these new insurgent threats.

Understanding the Chronological Flow and Cavats

For the Hayden War Cycle, chronological order is identical to publication order. The narrative moves forward step-by-step from the initial invasion in 2011's On Silver Wings through to the end of the main war in 2021's Among Enemies. The only minor caveat for readers is the timeline jump in the tenth book, Storm Warning: Insurgent. Because it takes place decades later, it functions as a fresh starting point for a new era in the universe, though having the context of the first nine books is crucial to understanding the political alliances, the history of the characters, and the weight of the lingering hostilities.

What to Know Before You Start

Evan Currie’s self-published success is rooted in his ability to write grounded, plausible military action. Before diving in, readers should know that the series focuses heavily on infantry tactics, power-armor logistics, and realistic space-combat physics. Rather than focusing on grand political melodrama, Currie keeps the camera closely trained on the soldiers on the ground and the captains in the sky. Sorilla Aida stands out as a gritty, highly competent protagonist whose growth from a lone survivalist to a high-ranking tactical advisor drives the emotional core of the series.

While Currie has written other popular military science fiction, such as the Odyssey One series and Archangel One, those exist in entirely separate universes. There is no crossover between those series and the Hayden War Cycle, meaning you can read the Warrior’s Wings books entirely as a standalone experience.