How many books has Wilbur Smith written?

Wilbur Smith has written 65 books across 8 series. Their published works span from 1964 to 2026.

What is the first book in each Wilbur Smith series?

Here are the first books in Wilbur Smith's series: Ancient Egypt: River God; Ballantyne: A Falcon Flies / Flight of the Falcon; Courtney: When the Lion Feeds; Hector Cross: Those in Peril; Jack Courtney: Cloudburst.

What order should I read Wilbur Smith's books?

We recommend reading Wilbur Smith's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.

Is Wilbur Smith still writing new books?

Yes, Wilbur Smith has 4 ongoing series: Ancient Egypt, Ballantyne, Courtney, Prey Zone.

Wilbur Smith Reading Order

8 series · 65 books · Born 1933-01-09

Action & Adventure Historical Fiction Non-Fiction

Wilbur Smith is a British-South African author who has crafted 63 novels exploring Southern African history and colonial adventure from the 16th century to modern times. His sweeping historical fiction, often grounded in meticulous research and dramatic action sequences, follows interconnected family dynasties across multiple series including the Courtney and Ballantyne families, as well as standalone works set in Ancient Egypt. Published from 1964 until his death in 2025, Smith's work remains popular among readers seeking immersive historical narratives that blend genuine historical events with compelling fictional drama.

Ancient Egypt Series

Ongoing

10 books (1994–2025)

Start with River God, the first of 10 books in the Ancient Egypt series.

Start this series with River God

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible

#	Title
1	River God 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Seventh Scroll 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Warlock 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Quest 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Desert God 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Pharaoh 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The New Kingdom(With: Mark Chadbourn) 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Titans of War(With: Mark Chadbourn) 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Testament(With: Mark Chadbourn) 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	House of Two Pharaohs(With: Mark Chadbourn) 2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Ballantyne Series

Ongoing

8 books (1980–2024)

Start with A Falcon Flies / Flight of the Falcon, the first of 8 books in the Ballantyne series.

Start this series with A Falcon Flies / Flight of the Falcon

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible

#	Title
1	A Falcon Flies / Flight of the Falcon 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Men of Men 1981Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Angels Weep 1982Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Leopard Hunts in Darkness 1984Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Triumph of the Sun 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	King of Kings(With: Imogen Robertson) 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Call of the Raven(With: Corban Addison) 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Fire on the Horizon(With: Imogen Robertson) 2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Courtney Series

Ongoing

26 books (1964–2026)

Start with When the Lion Feeds, the first of 24 books in the Courtney series.

Start this series with When the Lion Feeds

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible

#	Title
1	When the Lion Feeds 1964Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Sound of Thunder / The Roar of Thunder 1966Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	A Sparrow Falls 1977Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Burning Shore 1985Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Power of the Sword 1986Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Rage 1987Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	A Time to Die 1989Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Golden Fox 1990Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	The Triumph of the Sun 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Birds of Prey 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Monsoon 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Blue Horizon 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Assegai 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Golden Lion(With: Giles Kristian) 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	The Tiger's Prey(With: Tom Harper) 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	War Cry(With: David Churchill) 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	Courtney's War(With: David Churchill) 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	Ghost Fire(With: Tom Harper) 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	King of Kings(With: Imogen Robertson) 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	Legacy of War(With: David Churchill) 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	Storm Tide(With: Tom Harper) 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	Nemesis(With: Tom Harper) 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	Warrior King(With: Tom Harper) 2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24	Crossfire(With: David Churchill) 2025Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25	Flashpoint(With: David Churchill) 2026Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
26	Vengeance(With: Tom Harper) 2026Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Hector Cross Series

Complete

3 books (2011–2016)

Start with Those in Peril and read in order.

Start this series with Those in Peril

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible

#	Title
1	Those in Peril 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Vicious Circle 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Predator(With: Tom Cain) 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Jack Courtney Series

Likely Complete

3 books (2020–2022)

Start with Cloudburst and read in order.

Start this series with Cloudburst

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible

#	Title
1	Cloudburst 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Thunderbolt 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Shockwave 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Non-Fiction Series

Complete

1 book (2018–2018)

#	Title
1	On Leopard Rock 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Prey Zone Series

Ongoing

3 books (2022–2024)

Start with Prey Zone and read in order.

Start this series with Prey Zone

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible

#	Title
1	Prey Zone 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Serpent's Lair 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Scorpion's Sting 2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Standalone Novels Series

Complete

11 books (1965–1991)

Start with The Dark of the Sun / The Train from Katanga, the first of 11 books in the Standalone Novels series.

Start this series with The Dark of the Sun / The Train from Katanga

Buy Book 1 🇺🇸🎧 Listen free on Audible

#	Title
1	The Dark of the Sun / The Train from Katanga 1965Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Shout at the Devil 1968Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Gold Mine 1970Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Diamond Hunters 1971Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Sunbird 1972Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Eye of the Tiger 1974Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Cry Wolf 1976Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Hungry as the Sea 1978Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Wild Justice / The Delta Decision 1979Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Eagle in the Sky 1980Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Elephant Song 1991Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Wilbur Smith written?: Wilbur Smith has written 65 books across 8 series. Their published works span from 1964 to 2026.
What is the first book in each Wilbur Smith series?: Here are the first books in Wilbur Smith's series: Ancient Egypt: River God; Ballantyne: A Falcon Flies / Flight of the Falcon; Courtney: When the Lion Feeds; Hector Cross: Those in Peril; Jack Courtney: Cloudburst.
What order should I read Wilbur Smith's books?: We recommend reading Wilbur Smith's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
Is Wilbur Smith still writing new books?: Yes, Wilbur Smith has 4 ongoing series: Ancient Egypt, Ballantyne, Courtney, Prey Zone.

Wilbur Smith Reading Order

Ancient Egypt Series

Ballantyne Series

Courtney Series

Hector Cross Series

Jack Courtney Series

Non-Fiction Series

Prey Zone Series

Standalone Novels Series

Frequently Asked Questions

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