Brian D. Anderson Books in Order

Where to Start with Brian D. Anderson's Books

If you are new to Brian D. Anderson's works, you have a few excellent options for where to begin. The most common and highly recommended starting point is The Sword of Truth, the opening volume of The Godling Chronicles. This is the series that established Anderson as an indie fantasy powerhouse, offering a classic fantasy narrative filled with gods, elves, and grand stakes that is highly accessible and engaging.

For readers who prefer a slightly darker, more modern epic fantasy with deep musical themes, The Bard's Blade (the first book in The Sorcerer's Song trilogy) serves as a fantastic alternative entry point. Published by Tor Books, this trilogy features a more mature tone and showcases the evolution of Anderson's writing style. If you love time-travel twists mixed with high-stakes portals and dragons, Dragonvein Book One is also an excellent standalone starting point.

The Godling Chronicles: Recommended Reading Order

Spanning eight books, The Godling Chronicles is Anderson's signature series. Co-created with his son, Jonathan, it follows Gewey Stedding as he discovers a divine heritage and fights to save a fractured world from the Reborn King. While there is a companion prequel novella, it is best enjoyed after you have familiarized yourself with the main world.

Here is the recommended reading order for the series:

• The Sword of Truth (2011)
• Of Gods and Elves (2012)
• The Shadow of Gods (2013)
• A Trial of Souls (2013)
• Madness of the Fallen (2014)
• The Reborn King (2014)
• Journey of Fate (2018)
• Ascension (2021)

The Prequel Companion

• The Jewel of Dantenos: A Lee Starfinder Adventure (2013) - Officially designated as Book 0.5, this novella follows a younger, proud Lee Starfinder on his very first adventure. Read this either first if you want strict chronological order, or after Book 3 (The Shadow of Gods) to flesh out Lee's background.

Dragonvein: Publication and Reading Order

The Dragonvein series is a unique blend of historical transport fantasy and epic dragon lore. It begins when Ethan Martin, a World War II soldier, is suddenly pulled into a foreign, magical realm of dragons and mages. The reading order is straightforward and matches the publication order exactly:

1. Dragonvein Book One (2015)
2. Dragonvein Book Two (2015)
3. Dragonvein Book Three (2015)
4. Dragonvein Book Four (2016)
5. Dragonvein Book Five (2017)

The Sorcerer's Song Trilogy

This trilogy represents Anderson's foray into traditional publishing with Tor Books. It centers on a bard who must trade his musical instrument for a blade to protect those he loves. The books must be read sequentially:

1. The Bard's Blade (2020)
2. A Chorus of Fire (2020)
3. The Sword's Elegy (2022)

The Vale Series

For fans of gritty detective fantasy and high stakes, The Vale follows Drake Sharazi, a former captain of the Royal Guard turned bounty hunter (or "hawker") chasing dangerous fugitives. The series features a prequel novella and three main novels:

• The Runner (2018) - Book 0.5 (Prequel novella)
• Behind the Vale (2018) - Book 1
• Beyond the Vale (2019) - Book 2
• Burning the Vale (2023) - Book 3

Note: You can easily read the prequel "The Runner" first to establish Drake's backstory, or start with "Behind the Vale" and loop back to the prequel later.

Talos Series

Blending science fiction and military fantasy elements, the Talos series introduces a high-stakes adventure that must be read in order:

1. Talos: Book One (2022)
2. Talos: Book 2 (2023)

Akiri (Co-Authored with Steven Savile)

Anderson teamed up with Steven Savile to deliver Akiri, a darker fantasy adventure following a warrior's quest. Read this series in order:

1. The Scepter of Xarbaal (2016)
2. Sands of Darkness (2017)
3. Dragonbane (2017)

The Heroic Legends: A Shared Universe

The Heroic Legends series is a multi-author line of novellas and novels published in partnership with Titan Books and Heroic Signatures, utilizing the legendary worlds and characters created by Robert E. Howard. Although the local database lists these titles sequentially, they are actually standalone stories or sub-series written by different authors. Brian D. Anderson's primary contributions focus on the iconic character Conan. Readers can enjoy Anderson's stories independently as fast-paced, pulp-style fantasy adventures:

• Conan: The Child (2023)
• Conan: The Shadow of Vengeance (2024)
• Conan: Lethal Consignment (2024)
• Conan: The Halls of Immortal Darkness (2024)

Other titles in this publisher-curated list, such as the Solomon Kane stories, the Belit story, and the El Borak novellas, are written by authors like Jonathan Maberry, John C. Hocking, and Steven Savile.

Chronological vs. Publication Order Advice

Because most of Brian D. Anderson's series are highly linear, publication order serves as the ideal reading order. The main exceptions are the prequel novellas: The Jewel of Dantenos (for The Godling Chronicles) and The Runner (for The Vale). Reading these prequels first provides early character context, but starting with the main Book 1 release of each series ensures you experience the world-building as the author originally intended.