John Jakes Reading Order
15 series Β· 94 books Β· Born 1932
John Jakes was a prolific American author known for his historical and speculative fiction, with an impressive catalog of 94 books spanning 15 series. Among his notable works are the "Johnny Havoc," "Lou Largo," and "Brak the Barbarian" series, as well as the acclaimed "Kent Family Chronicles." Active from 1952 to 2016, Jakes captivated readers with his engaging storytelling and rich narratives.
Anthologies Series
Complete18 books (1967β2016)
Start with Orbit 3, the first of 18 books in the Anthologies series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Orbit 3 1967Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | Swords Against Tomorrow 1970Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | Flashing Swords! #2 1973Buy πΊπΈ |
| 4 | Fantastic Stories Special - 1975 Sword & Sorcery Annual 1975Buy πΊπΈ |
| 5 | Six Science Fiction Plays 1975Buy πΊπΈ |
| 6 | Deadly Arts 1985Buy πΊπΈ |
| 7 | Tales of Mystery 1986Buy πΊπΈ |
| 8 | New Trails: Twenty-Three Original Stories 1994Buy πΊπΈ |
| 9 | The Mammoth Book of Short Spy Novels 1996Buy πΊπΈ |
| 10 | 100 Sneaky Little Sleuth Stories 1997Buy πΊπΈ |
| 11 | Hollywood Fantasies: Ten Surreal Visions of Tinsel Town 1997Buy πΊπΈ |
| 12 | The Best of the American West II 1999Buy πΊπΈ |
| 13 | A Century of Great Western Stories 2001Buy πΊπΈ |
| 14 | The Spider Chronicles 2007Buy πΊπΈ |
| 15 | Law of the Gun 2010Buy πΊπΈ |
| 16 | Science Fiction Gems, Vol. One 2011Buy πΊπΈ |
| 17 | Science Fiction Gems, Volume 9 2015Buy πΊπΈ |
| 18 | Silent Night, Deadly Night 2016Buy πΊπΈ |
Brak the Barbarian Series
Complete5 books (1968β1985)
Start with Brak the Barbarian, the first of 5 books in the Brak the Barbarian series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Brak the Barbarian 1968Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | Brak vs. The Sorceress / Witch of the Four Winds 1969Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | Brak vs. the Mark of the Demons 1969Buy πΊπΈ |
| 4 | When the Idols Walked 1978Buy πΊπΈ |
| 5 | The Fortunes of Brak 1985Buy πΊπΈ |
Gavin Black Series
Complete1 book (1972β1972)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Witch of the Dark Gate 1972Buy πΊπΈ |
II Galaxy Series
Complete3 books (1969β1969)
Start with The Planet Wizard and read in order.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Planet Wizard 1969Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | The Wagered World 1969Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | Tonight We Steal the Stars 1969Buy πΊπΈ |
Johnny Havoc Series
Complete4 books (1960β1968)
Start with Johnny Havoc, the first of 4 books in the Johnny Havoc series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Johnny Havoc 1960Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | Havoc for Sale / Havoc Meets Zelda 1962Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | Holiday for Havoc / And The Doll Who Had 'It' 1963Buy πΊπΈ |
| 4 | Johnny Havoc and the Siren in Red / Making It Big 1968Buy πΊπΈ |
Kent Family Series
Complete8 books (1974β1979)
Start with The Bastard, the first of 8 books in the Kent Family series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Bastard 1974Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | The Rebels 1975Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | The Seekers 1975Buy πΊπΈ |
| 4 | The Furies 1976Buy πΊπΈ |
| 5 | The Titans 1976Buy πΊπΈ |
| 6 | The Warriors 1977Buy πΊπΈ |
| 7 | The Lawless 1978Buy πΊπΈ |
| 8 | The Americans 1979Buy πΊπΈ |
Lou Largo Series
Complete3 books (1961β1962)
Start with Make Mine Mavis and read in order.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Make Mine Mavis 1961Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | And So to Bed 1962Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | Give Me This Woman 1962Buy πΊπΈ |
Non-Fiction Series
Complete3 books (1967β1969)
Start with Famous Firsts in Sports and read in order.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Famous Firsts in Sports 1967Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | Great Women Reporters 1969Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | Mohawk: The Life of Joseph Brant 1969Buy πΊπΈ |
North and South Series
Complete3 books (1982β1987)
Start with North and South and read in order.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | North and South 1982Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | Love and War 1984Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | Heaven and Hell 1987Buy πΊπΈ |
Planet of the Apes Series
Complete5 books (1963β2001)
Start with Planet of the Apes(By: Pierre Boulle), the first of 5 books in the Planet of the Apes series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Planet of the Apes(By: Pierre Boulle) 1963Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | Beneath The Planet of The Apes(By: Michael Avallone) 1970Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | Escape from the Planet of the Apes(By: Jerry Pournelle) 1973Buy πΊπΈ |
| 4 | Conquest of the Planet of the Apes 1974Buy πΊπΈ |
| 5 | Planet of the Apes Movie Novelization(By: William T. Quick) 2001Buy πΊπΈ |
Plays Series
Complete1 book (1998β1998)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol 1998Buy πΊπΈ |
Short Stories/Novellas Series
Complete1 book (1973β1973)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ghoul's Garden 1973Buy πΊπΈ |
Short Story Collections Series
Complete2 books (1977β1991)
Start with The Best of John Jakes and read in order.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Best of John Jakes 1977Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | The Best Western Stories of John Jakes 1991Buy πΊπΈ |
Standalone Novels Series
Complete35 books (1952β2006)
Start with The Texans Ride North, the first of 35 books in the Standalone Novels series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Texans Ride North 1952Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | Wear a Fast Gun 1952Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | The Devil Has Four Faces 1958Buy πΊπΈ |
| 4 | The Seventh Man 1958Buy πΊπΈ |
| 5 | I, Barbarian 1959Buy πΊπΈ |
| 6 | The Imposter 1959Buy πΊπΈ |
| 7 | Strike the Black Flag 1961Buy πΊπΈ |
| 8 | Sir Scoundrel 1962Buy πΊπΈ |
| 9 | Veils of Salome 1962Buy πΊπΈ |
| 10 | Arena 1963Buy πΊπΈ |
| 11 | G. I. Girls 1963Buy πΊπΈ |
| 12 | The Man from Cannae 1963Buy πΊπΈ |
| 13 | Traitors' Legion 1963Buy πΊπΈ |
| 14 | Secrets of Stardeep 1969Buy πΊπΈ |
| 15 | The Asylum World 1969Buy πΊπΈ |
| 16 | The Hybrid 1969Buy πΊπΈ |
| 17 | The Last Magicians 1969Buy πΊπΈ |
| 18 | Black in Time 1970Buy πΊπΈ |
| 19 | Monte Cristo #99 1970Buy πΊπΈ |
| 20 | Six-Gun Planet 1970Buy πΊπΈ |
| 21 | The Star Virus/Mask of Chaos 1970Buy πΊπΈ |
| 22 | Mention My Name in Atlantis 1972Buy πΊπΈ |
| 23 | Time Gate 1972Buy πΊπΈ |
| 24 | On Wheels 1973Buy πΊπΈ |
| 25 | Fortune's Whirlwind 1975Buy πΊπΈ |
| 26 | To an Unknown Shore 1975Buy πΊπΈ |
| 27 | King's Crusader 1977Buy πΊπΈ |
| 28 | A Night for Treason 1978Buy πΊπΈ |
| 29 | Excalibur!(With: Gil Kane) 1980Buy πΊπΈ |
| 30 | California Gold 1989Buy πΊπΈ |
| 31 | On Secret Service 2000Buy πΊπΈ |
| 32 | The Bold Frontier 2001Buy πΊπΈ |
| 33 | Charleston 2002Buy πΊπΈ |
| 34 | Savannah, or A Gift for Mr. Lincoln / Savannah Christmas 2004Buy πΊπΈ |
| 35 | The Gods of Newport 2006Buy πΊπΈ |
The Crown Family Saga Series
Complete2 books (1993β1998)
Start with Homeland and read in order.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Homeland 1993Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | American Dreams 1998Buy πΊπΈ |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has John Jakes written?
- John Jakes has written 94 books across 15 series. Their published works span from 1952 to 2016.
- What is the first book in each John Jakes series?
- Here are the first books in John Jakes's series: Anthologies: Orbit 3; Brak the Barbarian: Brak the Barbarian; II Galaxy: The Planet Wizard; Johnny Havoc: Johnny Havoc; Kent Family: The Bastard.
- What order should I read John Jakes's books?
- We recommend reading John Jakes's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Are John Jakes's series complete?
- John Jakes has 15 completed series.

