Bodie Thoene Books in Order

Where to Start with Bodie Thoene

Bodie Thoene, along with her husband and co-author Brock Thoene, has sold millions of books worldwide. Their masterfully researched historical novels cover crucial moments in world history, from biblical Jerusalem to the Irish Potato Famine, the American frontier, and the dramatic events of the Holocaust and World War II. For most readers, the ultimate entry point is their massive, multi-series epic surrounding the city of Jerusalem and the Jewish people: the Zion Saga.

When embarking on the Zion Saga, readers generally choose between two primary paths: Chronological Order or Publication Order. Because the Zion Covenant series acts as a prequel to the Zion Chronicles, reading chronologically gives you the complete historical backdrop of the characters' lives before the birth of modern Israel in 1948. Alternatively, reading in publication order allows you to experience the world exactly as it was originally introduced to the public.

Path A: The Chronological Order (Recommended)

If you want to experience the narrative in a straight historical line, follow this timeline progression. This path allows you to meet the characters during the rise of Nazi Germany in the late 1930s before following their journeys into the 1948 war for Israeli independence.

1. Zion Covenant Series: Set between 1936 and 1940, these books follow characters like Elisa Lindheim as Nazi terror spreads across Europe, culminating in the flight to Jerusalem.
2. Zion Chronicles Series: Set in 1948, focusing on the end of the British Mandate and the battle for the birth of Israel.
3. Zion Legacy Series: Continues the immediate aftermath of the 1948 conflict and the struggle to protect Jerusalem.
4. Zion Diaries Series: Parallel character studies set during the same turbulent post-WWII era.

Path B: The Publication Order

If you prefer to read the books in the order they were written, you will start with the Zion Chronicles. These books establish the core story, while the Zion Covenant series goes back in time to show how the characters reached that point.

1. Zion Chronicles Series (Published 1986–1991)
2. Zion Covenant Series (Published 1989–2005)
3. Zion Legacy Series (Published 2000–2002)
4. Zion Diaries Series (Published 2010–2011)

The Zion Universe: A Closer Look

1. Zion Covenant

Set against the backdrop of Europe on the brink of World War II, this nine-book series is praised for its high-stakes drama and historical accuracy. The first six books were published consecutively in the early 1990s, while the final three were released in 2005 to bridge the remaining gaps before the 1948 era.

• Vienna Prelude (1989)
• Prague Counterpoint (1989)
• Munich Signature (1990)
• Jerusalem Interlude (1990)
• Danzig Passage (1991)
• Warsaw Requiem (1991)
• London Refrain (2005)
• Paris Encore (2005)
• Dunkirk Crescendo (2005)

2. Zion Chronicles

The Zion Chronicles serves as the foundational work of the Thoenes' career. It follows the struggle of the Jewish people returning to their homeland in the immediate aftermath of the Holocaust and World War II, dealing with British blockades and local conflicts.

• The Gates of Zion (1986)
• A Daughter of Zion (1987)
• The Return to Zion (1987)
• A Light in Zion (1988)
• The Key to Zion (1991)

3. Zion Legacy

This six-book series picks up right where the Zion Chronicles leaves off, dealing with the siege of Jerusalem in 1948. Importantly, the final book, Jerusalem's Hope, serves as the narrative bridge that connects the modern Zion books to the Thoenes' biblical-era series, the A.D. Chronicles, when key characters discover ancient scrolls containing accounts from the life of Jesus.

• Jerusalem Vigil (2000)
• Thunder from Jerusalem (2000)
• Jerusalem's Heart (2001)
• The Jerusalem Scrolls (2001)
• Stones of Jerusalem (2002)
• Jerusalem's Hope (2002)

4. Zion Diaries

The Zion Diaries provides a closer, more intimate look at specific individuals navigating the trials of 1948 Jerusalem, serving as excellent companion reading to the main legacy books.

• The Gathering Storm (2010)
• Against the Wind (2011)

First-Century Biblical Series

Following their work on the Zion Legacy, the Thoenes shifted focus to first-century Jerusalem, detailing the life and times of Jesus Christ through two highly detailed series.

A.D. Chronicles

Spanning 12 volumes, this series dives deep into the events of the Gospels. Conceptually linked to the Zion Legacy through the hidden scrolls found under the Temple Mount in Jerusalem's Hope, these novels should be read in order of publication.

• First Light (2003)
• Second Touch (2004)
• Third Watch (2004)
• Fourth Dawn (2005)
• Fifth Seal (2006)
• Sixth Covenant (2007)
• Seventh Day (2007)
• Eighth Shepherd (2008)
• Ninth Witness (2008)
• Tenth Stone (2009)
• Eleventh Guest (2009)
• Twelfth Prophecy (2011)

The Jerusalem Chronicles

This trilogy offers a direct focus on the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus, exploring these events through key historical and biblical figures.

• When Jesus Wept (2013)
• Take This Cup (2014)
• Behold the Man (2014)

American Frontier and Western Series

Saga of the Sierras

Set during the 19th-century American West, the Saga of the Sierras is a western epic co-authored by the couple. Because they wrote these books out of historical sequence, readers often debate whether to read them by publication order or chronological order. Chronologically, Sequoia Scout and The Year of the Grizzly fit much earlier in the timeline of the frontier than their publication years suggest.

Publication Order:

1. The Man from Shadow Ridge (1990)
2. Riders of the Silver Rim (1990)
3. Gold Rush Prodigal (1991)
4. Cannons of the Comstock (1992)
5. Shooting Star (1993)
6. Flames on the Barbary Coast (1993)
7. Sequoia Scout (1999)
8. The Year of the Grizzly (1999)

Chronological Order:

1. The Man from Shadow Ridge (1990)
2. Riders of the Silver Rim (1990)
3. Gold Rush Prodigal (1991)
4. Sequoia Scout (1999)
5. Cannons of the Comstock (1992)
6. The Year of the Grizzly (1999)
7. Shooting Star (1993)
8. Flames on the Barbary Coast (1993)

Wayward Wind

This trilogy covers the early days of the American frontier, tracing families as they move through the Cumberland Gap and establish lives on the early American borderlands.

• Winds of Promise (1997)
• To Gather the Wind (1998)
• Winds of the Cumberland (1999)

Other Notable Series and Standalones

Galway Chronicles

Stepping away from the American and Middle Eastern backdrops, this series is set in Ireland during the devastating Potato Famine of the 1840s, telling a story of survival, hope, and community strength.

• Only the River Runs Free (1997)
• Of Men and of Angels (1999)
• Ashes of Remembrance (1999)
• All Rivers to the Sea (2000)

Shiloh Legacy

This series captures the resilience of the American spirit during the Great Depression and the onset of World War II. It is accompanied by the thematic standalone novel, Shiloh Autumn.

• In My Father's House (1993)
• A Thousand Shall Fall (2006)
• Say to This Mountain (2006)

Love Finds You Books

The Love Finds You line is a multi-author series of cozy, faith-based historical romances set in real-life historical towns. While the catalog contains dozens of entries from various Christian fiction authors, Bodie Thoene specifically contributed Love Finds You in Lahaina, Hawaii (2010), which centers on a Scottish missionary in late 19th-century Hawaii.