Wilbur Smith Reading Order
8 series · 63 books · Born 9 January 1933
Wilbur Smith was a renowned British-South African author celebrated for his gripping historical fiction that explores Southern Africa's tumultuous past. With 63 books across eight series—including the popular Courtney, Jack Courtney, and Ballantyne series—his storytelling captivated readers for decades. Active from 1964 until 2025, Smith's most notable works delve into themes of adventure and exploration in settings ranging from ancient Egypt to contemporary times.
Ancient Egypt Series
Ongoing10 books (1994–2025)
Start with River God, the first of 10 books in the Ancient Egypt series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  River God 1994Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  The Seventh Scroll 1995Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  Warlock 1995Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  The Quest 2007Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 | Desert God 2014Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  Pharaoh 2016Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  The New Kingdom(With: Mark Chadbourn) 2021Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  Titans of War(With: Mark Chadbourn) 2022Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 | Testament(With: Mark Chadbourn) 2023Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 | House of Two Pharaohs(With: Mark Chadbourn) 2025Buy 🇺🇸 |
Ballantyne Series
Ongoing8 books (1980–2024)
Start with A Falcon Flies / Flight of the Falcon, the first of 8 books in the Ballantyne series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  A Falcon Flies / Flight of the Falcon 1980Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  Men of Men 1981Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 | The Angels Weep 1982Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  The Leopard Hunts in Darkness 1984Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  The Triumph of the Sun 1992Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  King of Kings(With: Imogen Robertson) 2019Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  Call of the Raven(With: Corban Addison) 2020Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 | Fire on the Horizon(With: Imogen Robertson) 2024Buy 🇺🇸 |
Courtney Series
Ongoing24 books (1964–2025)
Start with When the Lion Feeds, the first of 24 books in the Courtney series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  When the Lion Feeds 1964Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  The Sound of Thunder / The Roar of Thunder 1966Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  A Sparrow Falls 1977Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  The Burning Shore 1985Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  Power of the Sword 1986Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  Rage 1987Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  A Time to Die 1989Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  Golden Fox 1990Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 | The Triumph of the Sun 1992Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 |  Birds of Prey 1997Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 |  Monsoon 1999Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 12 |  Blue Horizon 2003Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 13 | Assegai 2009Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 14 |  Golden Lion(With: Giles Kristian) 2015Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 15 |  The Tiger's Prey(With: Tom Harper) 2017Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 16 | War Cry(With: David Churchill) 2017Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 17 | Courtney's War(With: David Churchill) 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 18 |  Ghost Fire(With: Tom Harper) 2019Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 19 | King of Kings(With: Imogen Robertson) 2019Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 20 |  Legacy of War(With: David Churchill) 2021Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 21 |  Storm Tide(With: Tom Harper) 2022Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 22 | Nemesis(With: Tom Harper) 2023Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 23 |  Warrior King(With: Tom Harper) 2024Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 24 | Crossfire(With: David Churchill) 2025Buy 🇺🇸 |
Hector Cross Series
Complete3 books (2011–2016)
Start with Those in Peril and read in order.
Jack Courtney Series
Likely Complete3 books (2020–2022)
Start with Cloudburst and read in order.
Non-Fiction Series
Complete1 book (2018–2018)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  On Leopard Rock 2018Buy 🇺🇸 |
Prey Zone Series
Ongoing3 books (2022–2024)
Start with Prey Zone and read in order.
Standalone Novels Series
Complete11 books (1965–1991)
Start with The Dark of the Sun / The Train from Katanga, the first of 11 books in the Standalone Novels series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 |  The Dark of the Sun / The Train from Katanga 1965Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 2 |  Shout at the Devil 1968Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 3 |  Gold Mine 1970Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 4 |  The Diamond Hunters 1971Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 5 |  The Sunbird 1972Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 6 |  The Eye of the Tiger 1974Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 7 |  Cry Wolf 1976Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 8 |  Hungry as the Sea 1978Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 9 |  Wild Justice / The Delta Decision 1979Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 10 |  Eagle in the Sky 1980Buy 🇺🇸 |
| 11 |  Elephant Song 1991Buy 🇺🇸 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has Wilbur Smith written?
- Wilbur Smith has written 63 books across 8 series. Their published works span from 1964 to 2025.
- 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.