Blaze Ward Books in Order

Where Should You Start Reading Blaze Ward?

Blaze Ward is a highly prolific indie author known for writing at "pulp speed"—often producing a new book or novella every single month. Because his bibliography spans hundreds of works across multiple science fiction, fantasy, and adventure series, readers often wonder where they should begin. Fortunately, his major science fiction works are organized around clear starting points.

We highly recommend starting with one of his two flagship pathways, both set within his expansive Alexandria Station shared universe:

• Path A: The Science Officer (Season 1): Best for readers who enjoy fast-paced, character-driven adventures with a rogue-ish, witty hero. Starting with the novella The Science Officer introduces you to the space pirate Javier Aritza and the sentient AI Suvi.
• Path B: The Jessica Keller Chronicles: Best for fans of grand space opera, military fleet tactics, and political intrigue. This follows a maverick commander climbing the ranks and fighting massive space battles, beginning with the novel Auberon.

If you prefer fantasy or detective stories, you can jump straight to his standalone series like the occult detective series Augustus Derlyth or his post-apocalyptic space western Last Stand, as they do not require any prior knowledge of his sci-fi books.

The Alexandria Station Universe Reading Order

The Alexandria Station universe is Ward's signature science fiction setting. In this timeline, humanity has explored the stars but has never encountered any organic alien species—only mysterious, ancient, and highly dangerous sentient warships. While many series in this setting can be read independently, they share historical events, background lore, and characters.

1. The Science Officer (Javier Aritza Stories)

This series is published in a "seasonal" format, resembling television episodes. Season One contains eight novellas, while Season Two shifts to longer, novel-length adventures. They should be read in publication order:

• Season One:
  1. The Science Officer (2014)
  2. The Mind Field (2015)
  3. The Gilded Cage (2015)
  4. The Pleasure Dome (2017)
  5. The Doomsday Vault (2017)
  6. The Last Flagship (2017)
  7. The Hammerfield Gambit (2017)
  8. The Hammerfield Payoff (2017)
• Season Two:
  1. The Bryce Connection (2020)
  2. Alien Seas (2020)
  3. Buried Among the Stars (2021)
  4. Captain Navarre (2022)
  5. Dragoon's Honor (2023)

2. The Jessica Keller Chronicles & CS-405 (Chronological Interleaved Order)

For the ultimate experience of the military side of Alexandria Station, the author recommends interleaving the core Jessica Keller novels with specific spin-off titles and side stories (such as the CS-405 series and standalone novellas featuring side characters like Yan and Vo Arlo). This order ensures you see the timeline unfold seamlessly:

1. Auberon (Jessica Keller Book 1) (2015)
2. Queen of the Pirates (Jessica Keller Book 2) (2015)
3. Last of the Immortals (Jessica Keller Book 3) (2015)
4. Siren (Vo Arlo Book 1) (2016)
5. Goddess of War (Jessica Keller Book 4) (2016)
6. Flight of the Blackbird (Jessica Keller Book 5) (2017)
7. The Red Admiral (Jessica Keller Book 6) (2018)
8. St. Legier (Jessica Keller Book 7) (2018)
9. Two Bottles of Wine with a War God (Yan Standalone) (2019)
10. Queen Anne's Revenge (CS-405 Book 1) (2019)
11. Packmule (CS-405 Book 2) (2019)
12. Persephone (CS-405 Book 3) (2019)
13. Winterhome (Jessica Keller Book 8) (2019)
14. Petron (Jessica Keller Book 9) (2019)

3. First Centurion Kosnett (The Sequel Arc)

Following the events of the Jessica Keller Chronicles, this direct sequel series follows First Centurion Kosnett through political and military engagements in the same universe. It should be read in direct order:

1. Encounter at Vilahana (2021)
2. Consensus at Aditi (2021)
3. Hegemony at Dalou (2022)
4. Princes at Ewin (2022)
5. Empire at Gloran (2022)
6. Domain at Yaumgan (2022)

Other Major Science Fiction & Fantasy Series

Beyond Alexandria Station, Blaze Ward has developed a wide variety of standalone universes and genres, ranging from occult detectives to alternate histories.

Last Stand

A post-apocalyptic space western adventure series set in a separate universe. Ward released an incredible twelve volumes in 2023 alone, starting with Lost Dreams and running through Preacher Man, with a thirteenth book scheduled for 2026. This series should be read in chronological publication order, starting with Lost Dreams.

The Lazarus Alliance

A complete seven-book military science fiction arc that begins with a daring escape and builds into a galactic alliance. Read this series in order: Escape, Return, Rebellion, Revolution, Liberation, Retribution, and Alliance (all released in 2021).

Augustus Derlyth: Occult Detective

Set in a fantasy-inspired historical setting, this series features an investigator tackling supernatural threats. Read the books in publication order: Ill Tidings (2023), Dream Thief (2023), and Equal Before the Blade (2023).

Air Pirates of Cyrenaica

A dieselpunk-style adventure series released in 2024 following pilots and airships. The order is: Flight of the Cerberus, Flight of the Condor, Top of the World, and Flight Into Sunrise.

What to Know Before You Start

Because Blaze Ward writes at "pulp speed," his series are highly episodic and borrow heavily from classic pulp pacing—lots of action, witty banter, and tight, focused story arcs. While the books are fast to read, the continuity can sometimes contain minor inconsistencies across a massive universe. If you notice a detail change slightly between books, just ride with the adventure! The shared universe connections, such as the recurring presence of sentient ship AIs like Suvi, make exploring Alexandria Station incredibly rewarding for long-term fans.