Charles Dean Books in Order

How to Read Charles Dean’s Novels

Since self-publishing his breakout hit in 2015, Charles Dean has established himself as one of the cornerstone voices of the LitRPG and GameLit genres. Known for combining complex game mechanics, stat progressions, and player-driven economies with dark humor and witty banter, his books read like an epic gaming session with close friends.

Because almost all of Dean's series take place in entirely different virtual or post-apocalyptic universes, there is no single overarching reading order connecting all of his books. You can safely pick up any series that catches your eye and read it from start to finish. However, because his style has evolved from lighthearted virtual reality parodies to darker, high-stakes system apocalypses and cultivation novels, choosing where to start depends heavily on your personal reading preferences.

The Recommended Starting Points

If you are new to Charles Dean's bibliography, we recommend starting with one of these three entry points:

• For Classic, Lighthearted LitRPG: Start with The Bathrobe Knight. This is Dean's debut series and is perfect for readers who enjoy virtual reality MMO settings, humorous tropes, and underdogs who accidentally find themselves in power.
• For an Epic, Completed Campaign: Start with War Aeternus. A darker, five-book series featuring a blend of portal fantasy, divine politics, and player-versus-player (PvP) mechanics. It is widely considered one of his finest works.
• For Modern System Apocalypse: Start with Apocalypse: Regression. Co-authored with R.A. Mejia, this series mixes time-travel regression with card-based progression mechanics, making it ideal for fans of modern LitRPG structures.

The Bathrobe Knight Series Reading Order

This series introduces readers to Darwin, a lazy gamer who gets pulled into a real-life online game while wearing his bathrobe and slippers. It is a lighthearted parody of MMO tropes that grows into a larger story about digital economics. While the first three volumes follow a traditional numbering system, the final two installments pivot into a sub-series centering on Tiqpa.

1. The Bathrobe Knight: Volume 1 (2015)
2. The Bathrobe Knight: Volume 2 (2015)
3. The Bathrobe Knight: Volume 3 (2016)
4. The Merchant of Tiqpa (2016)
5. The Merchant of Tiqpa 2 (2017)

War Aeternus Series Reading Order

Unlike his debut, War Aeternus takes a grittier approach. The story follows Lee, a normal guy who is pulled into a cosmic game played by gods, where he is designated as a champion. It features strong progression elements, base building, and complex faction warfare. The series is fully completed, making it a highly satisfying binge-read.

1. War Aeternus: The Beginning (2017)
2. War Aeternus 2: Sacrifices (2018)
3. War Aeternus 3: The Culling (2018)
4. War Aeternus 4: Harbinger of Ash (2018)
5. War Aeternus 5: End of the Faithful (2019)

Apocalypse: Regression Series Reading Order

One of Dean’s most popular active series, this story mixes regression elements (where the protagonist dies and is sent back in time to change the future) with a system apocalypse. It features deep tactical card-based systems and high stakes. The series should be read in strict numerical order.

1. Apocalypse: Regression Book 1 (2023)
2. Apocalypse: Regression Book 2 (2023)
3. Apocalypse: Regression Book 3 (2023)
4. Apocalypse: Regression Book 4 (2024)
5. Apocalypse: Regression Book 5 (2024)

Death's Favorite Warlock Series Reading Order

Stepping into the realm of cultivation and warlock magic, this series follows Lars, a protagonist carving out power in a brutal world. It has a slightly darker tone than his earlier comedic works and focuses heavily on spell progression, stat manipulation, and dark bargains.

1. Death's Favorite Warlock (2021)
2. Death's Favorite Warlock 2 (2021)
3. Death's Favorite Warlock 3 (2022)
4. Death's Favorite Warlock 4 (2023)

The Heroic Villain Series Reading Order

A fun twist on the LitRPG formula where the protagonist takes on the role of a villain in a virtual reality landscape. This series is famous for its tactical decision-making and is highly recommended in audiobook format, where narrator Jeff Hays brings the characters to life.

1. The Heroic Villain 1 (2019)
2. The Heroic Villain 2 (2019)
3. The Heroic Villain 3 (2020)

The Upgrade Apocalypse Series Reading Order

Co-authored with R.A. Mejia, this series introduces a card-based deckbuilding progression system in a post-apocalyptic setting overrun by undead. Filled with dark humor, it is a fun spin-off of traditional system apocalypse stories.

1. The Upgrade Apocalypse - Book 1 (2023)
2. The Upgrade Apocalypse - Book 2 (2023)
3. The Upgrade Apocalypse - Book 3 (2023)

Grand River Mystery & Standalone Novels

Outside of LitRPG, Charles Dean has co-authored a short mystery series called the Grand River Mystery books with Jody T. K. Gibbs. He has also penned several standalone action and sci-fi books that don't belong to any established universe.

Grand River Mystery Books

1. Final Catcher (2018)
2. Llurkers (2018)

Standalone Novels (Read in any order)

• Prison Camp Confidential (2020)
• Warbirds: Return of the Red Baron (2021)
• Barbwire Blues (2023)
• Pitbull (2023)

What to Know Before You Start

Before jumping into Dean's works, it helps to understand what makes his writing style distinct. His books frequently feature hard LitRPG systems, meaning that character sheets, spell details, level notifications, and stat blocks are regularly shown in the text. If you prefer 'soft' systems where numbers are secondary, these elements might feel heavy, but they are a massive draw for hardcore LitRPG fans.

Furthermore, his signature humor often borders on the 'salty' and cynical side, frequently referencing gaming culture, beer, and bacon. If you plan to listen to the audiobooks, you are in for a treat: many of his works have been produced by premier audio groups like Soundbooth Theater, which enhances the immersive gaming atmosphere of his stories.