Where to Start Reading Benedict Jacka
If you are new to Benedict Jacka's work, you have two primary entry points depending on whether you want to dive into a completed epic or start a fresh, ongoing urban fantasy adventure. The author's works are highly structured, meaning you should generally stick to their publication sequences.
Option 1: The Alex Verus Series (Recommended Start)
For most readers, the best place to begin is with Fated, the opening novel of the 12-book Alex Verus series. This series is fully completed, providing a satisfying, self-contained narrative arc that takes place in a gritty, magic-infused modern London. Starting here allows you to experience the intricate worldbuilding and character growth that established Jacka as a major voice in modern urban fantasy.
Option 2: The Inheritance of Magic Series
If you prefer starting with a newer magic system and a younger protagonist, you can begin with An Inheritance of Magic, published in 2023. This series is set in a separate universe from Alex Verus and focuses on corporate-style magical dynasties, offering a fresh start with fewer books to catch up on.
Alex Verus Series Reading Order
The Alex Verus series follows a Camden-based diviner who uses probability and foresight to survive in a hostile magical underworld populated by powerful Light and Dark mages. The main novels should be read in strict publication order, as they follow a continuous, chronological timeline where events in earlier books directly influence later plotlines. The series also features two key novellas that expand the world.
- Fated (2012) – Book 1. Alex is introduced as a Camden magic shop owner who gets caught up in a race for a powerful ancient relic.
- Cursed (2012) – Book 2. Alex deals with a curse and the dangerous political machinations of the Light Council.
- Taken (2012) – Book 3. Apprentices are disappearing in London, forcing Alex to investigate a highly dangerous tournament.
- Chosen (2013) – Book 4. Alex's dark past under his former master, Richard Drake, begins to catch up with him.
- Hidden (2014) – Book 5. Alex tries to protect his friend Anne from factions that view her life-and-death magic as a threat.
- Veiled (2015) – Book 6. Alex takes a job with the Keepers to keep an eye on the Council's internal power struggles.
- Favours (2021) – Novella (Book 6.5). A side-story focusing on the time mage Sonder as he conducts an investigation.
- Burned (2016) – Book 7. The consequences of Alex's past decisions catch up to him, making him a target for both Light and Dark mages.
- Bound (2017) – Book 8. Forced into a corner, Alex must work with the Dark mages who once hunted him.
- Marked (2018) – Book 9. Political tensions boil over as Alex struggles to protect his allies from the Keeper Order.
- Fallen (2019) – Book 10. Alex goes on the offensive in a desperate bid to save those he cares about.
- Forged (2020) – Book 11. The penultimate book sees the stakes rise to an all-time high in London's magic war.
- Risen (2021) – Book 12. The final confrontation and epic conclusion to the Alex Verus main storyline.
- Gardens (2022) – Novella (Book 12.5). An epilogue taking place four months after the events of Risen, focusing on a new group of characters.
Chronological vs. Publication Order Caveats
The main novels in the Alex Verus series align perfectly with their publication dates, but the placement of the two novellas requires a decision from the reader. The author wrote and published these novellas long after the books in which they are chronologically set.
Favours (Book 6.5) was published in 2021, but chronologically takes place between Veiled (Book 6) and Burned (Book 7). If you read it in chronological order, it provides excellent background context on Sonder and Caldera before the high-stakes events of the later books. However, reading it in publication order (after Book 11 or 12) works fine as a nostalgic flashback.
Gardens (Book 12.5) was published in 2022 and takes place four months after the events of Risen (Book 12). It should absolutely be read after finishing the main series. Written in the third person rather than Alex's first-person perspective, it follows a fresh cast of characters—Daniel, Jess, and Emmanuel—on a dangerous job in Romania, though it features notable cameos from main-series characters.
Inheritance of Magic Series Order
Benedict Jacka's second major urban fantasy series takes place in a brand new universe. In this world, magic is controlled by wealthy, corporate-like dynasties, and the plot follows Stephen Oakwood, a young man from a modest background who must teach himself magic to survive. This series should be read in publication order:
- An Inheritance of Magic (2023) – Book 1
- An Instruction in Shadow (2024) – Book 2
- A Judgement of Powers (2025) – Book 3
The Early Ninja Books
Before finding major success with urban fantasy, Benedict Jacka wrote children's fantasy novels. His first published works follow siblings Ignis and Allandra as they escape their father and train at a secret ninjutsu school in Wales. These books are unrelated to his adult urban fantasy universes and can be read independently, though they are best read in order:
- Ninja: The Beginning (2005) – Originally published under the title To Be A Ninja.
- Ninja: The Battle (2007) – The second installment.
What to Know Before You Start
Unlike many urban fantasy protagonists who wield explosive elemental forces, Alex Verus is a diviner. His magic allows him to look seconds or minutes into the future to see the outcomes of different choices. Because of this, the action in the series is highly tactical and strategic, relying on evasion, planning, and intellect rather than raw power. The tone of the series starts as a lighter detective-style mystery but gradually matures into a darker, high-stakes conflict involving complex ethical dilemmas. There are no co-authored books or external spin-offs outside of the core novellas, making the reading order straightforward for newcomers.