Juliet E McKenna Books in Order
Browse Juliet E McKenna books in order, with series lists, short summaries, and where to start advice for her thoughtful, grounded fantasy.
Last updated: July 13, 2026
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Juliet E McKenna books in publication order
31 books
The Swordsman's Oath
by Juliet E McKenna
1999
Ryshad obeys orders to help hunt knowledge that might stop the Elietimm, and to settle a few personal scores on the way. Stranded in the Archipelago, he faces sorcery, treachery, and an unexpected bond that changes everything.
The Thief's Gamble
by Juliet E McKenna
1999
Livak is a thief, a gambler, and very good at staying one step ahead of trouble until a stolen antique proves more dangerous than it looks. Chasing profit pulls her into old mysteries, politics, and the biggest risk of her life.
The Gambler's Fortune
by Juliet E McKenna
2000
Livak wants more than luck and stolen chances, and ancient Artifice may offer her a way forward. If she can reach the lost knowledge before princes and archmages do, she might win both riches and a future with Ryshad.
The Warrior's Bond
by Juliet E McKenna
2001
Ryshad must choose duty again when Temar D'Alsennin tries to salvage Kellarin's future. Court intrigue, old loyalties, and a hunt for artefacts pull him in one direction while Livak's separate quest pulls just as hard in another.
The Assassin's Edge
by Juliet E McKenna
2002
Livak hopes to leave wintering in Kellarin behind, but the colony's lifeline to the mainland is cut by a new threat. She and Ryshad face one last hard fight against an enemy determined to break the settlement.
Southern Fire
by Juliet E McKenna
2003
Daish Kheda sees dark magic sweeping toward the southern islands, and his people expect him to stop it. In a culture that punishes wizardry with death, saving the Archipelago may mean breaking every rule he trusts.
Northern Storm
by Juliet E McKenna
2004
The Archipelago has been ravaged by enemies wielding forbidden elemental magic. Exiled from his homeland and separated from his family, warlord Kheda journeys north with the wizard Dev and is drawn into new conflict and sharper intrigue.
Turns & Chances
by Juliet E McKenna
2004
In war-torn Lescar, people from every level of society quietly decide they have had enough. This novella shows the first spark of common cause, where private grief and divided loyalties begin to turn toward revolt.
Western Shore
by Juliet E McKenna
2005
Now warlord of Chazen, Kheda hides doubts about omens, power, and his own heart. When a mage offers answers about the brutal western invaders, he sets sail into deeper danger and truths his people may never forgive.
Eastern Tide
by Juliet E McKenna
2006
Travelling incognito, Kheda heads home with forbidden knowledge and dangerous wizardly ties while dragons threaten the Archipelago again. To save his people, he must face old enemies, family duty, and the fact that his beliefs have changed.
Blood in the Water
by Juliet E McKenna
2009
Tathrin, Aremil, Branca, and Failla learn what rebellion really costs as Lescar's dukes and duchesses strike back. Courage and friendship are pushed to breaking point when planning change turns into open bloodshed.
Irons in the Fire
by Juliet E McKenna
2009
Lescar's endless wars enrich its rulers and ruin everyone else. Exiles, scholars, priests, merchants, and rabble-rousers begin plotting real change, but ending civil strife will take money, allies, secrecy, and people willing to fight.
Banners in the Wind
by Juliet E McKenna
2010
The Lescari rising has gathered force, but toppling old powers is only the start. As alliances break and chaos spreads, rebels, exiles, and rulers alike must discover whether peace can be built before revenge destroys everything.
Dangerous Waters
by Juliet E McKenna
2011
Lady Zurenne is widowed and trapped, Corrain is chained to a corsair galley, and a rogue wizard is profiting from war. If Jilseth cannot stop him, the scandal could shake Hadrumal's ban on magical warfare apart.
The Wizard's Coming
by Juliet E McKenna
2011
Corsairs are raiding the Caladhrian coast, and a rogue wizard is willing to sell magic for war. This standalone story plants the seeds of the crisis that later engulfs Hadrumal and its uneasy rules.
A Few Further Tales of Einarinn
by Juliet E McKenna
2012
This short story collection returns to Einarinn through five tales featuring familiar characters, side roads, and unfinished threads from the novels. It is a neat way to spend more time in the world without starting a new full arc.
Darkening Skies
by Juliet E McKenna
2012
Corrain is praised as a hero, but he knows the corsair threat was never truly ended. As Zurenne faces peril at home and Planir faces unrest among the mages, ominous portents gather over both Hadrumal and the Archipelago.
Defiant Peaks
by Juliet E McKenna
2012
Hadrumal finally unleashes devastating magic against the corsairs, and everyone notices. As mainland rulers panic, Archipelagan warlords rally for vengeance, and Archmage Planir must steer through war abroad and growing challenges at home.
Legends: Stories in Honour of David Gemmell
by Joe Abercrombie, Tanith Lee, Juliet E McKenna, Storm Constantine, Stan Nicholls, Ian Whates, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Anne Nicholls, Gaie Sebold, Jonathan Green, Jan Siegel, James Barclay & Sandra Unerman
2013
An anthology honoring fantasy legend David Gemmell, featuring stories by various authors. Joe Abercrombie contributes a tale that pays tribute to the heroic fantasy tradition while maintaining his own gritty, distinct voice.
Challoner, Murray & Balfour
by Juliet E McKenna
2014
This collection of late Victorian adventures follows a band of monster hunters through vampires, uncanny inheritances, and steampunk-flavoured menace. It also adds a new story that finally picks up one lingering thread about Bertie and the Villiers.
Shadow Histories of the River Kingdom
by Juliet E McKenna
2016
This collection follows different lives in the River Kingdom as uncanny creatures, layered realities, and half-understood magic break into ordinary experience. The linked stories build a world where hidden power brings both responsibility and danger.
The Green Man's Heir
by Juliet E McKenna
2018
Daniel Mackmain keeps his life small and quiet, which is sensible when you are a dryad's son who sees the supernatural. Then a girl's murder in Derbyshire pulls police suspicion and hidden magic straight to his door.
The Scent of Tears
by Juliet E McKenna
2018
This shared-world anthology opens Adrian Tchaikovsky's Apt setting to Frances Hardinge and other fantasy writers, collecting fresh stories about insect-kinden lives, old grudges, war, and wonder in a world shaped by conflict and change.
The Green Man's Foe
by Juliet E McKenna
2019
A house renovation in the Cotswolds should be straightforward work for Dan Mackmain. Instead he finds ancient malice allied with the modern world, and far from his usual allies he has to face the danger mostly alone.
The Green Man's Silence
by Juliet E McKenna
2020
Visiting Fin's family in East Anglia, Dan finds the creatures of the Fens uneasy and turning hostile. In a landscape shaped by water and stripped of old oaks, he must stop fear and retaliation from becoming disaster.
The Green Man's Challenge
by Juliet E McKenna
2021
Dan Mackmain is hoping for a quieter stretch when Fin thinks she has seen a giant on the Wiltshire downs. A new menace is stirring in Wessex, and the old stories may not give Dan enough warning.
The Golden Rule
by Juliet E McKenna
2022
In the summer of 1887, young constable David Price finds a mechanical rat near a dockside disturbance and is drawn into a deadly conspiracy. An Indian princess may be his best lead as London edges toward violence.
The Green Man's Gift
by Juliet E McKenna
2022
A teenage boy turns up in Snowdonia babbling about fairy feasts, and the wise women ask Daniel Mackmain to investigate. Far from his usual woods, Dan must face secrets in the hollow hills and decide how much danger his allies should share.
The Cleaving
by Juliet E McKenna
2023
This Arthurian retelling follows Nimue, Ygraine, Morgana, and Guinevere as they fight to control their own lives. Men and legend keep trying to write them into place, but these women have plans of their own.
The Green Man's Quarry
by Juliet E McKenna
2023
A naiad and a dryad ask Dan Mackmain to investigate the big cat stalking their woods, but this is no simple cryptid tale. Before social media turns everything into a circus, Dan has to find a killer.
The Riven Kingdom
by Juliet E McKenna
2026
Set centuries before Shadow Histories of the River Kingdom, this epic fantasy turns on the struggle after a king's death. Politics, religion, and hidden magic all press into a dangerous fight for the throne.
Where to start with Juliet E McKenna
If you want the classic entry point: The Thief's Gamble → The Swordsman's Oath → The Gambler's Fortune
If you prefer modern folklore and mystery: The Green Man's Heir → The Green Man's Foe → The Green Man's Silence
If you like big secondary-world fantasy: Southern Fire → Northern Storm → Western Shore → Eastern Tide
If you want a standalone retelling: The Cleaving
Juliet E McKenna sub-series and character series
Green Man books in order
Explore this series
The Green Man's Heir
by Juliet E McKenna
2018Green Man, Book 1
The Green Man's Foe
by Juliet E McKenna
2019Green Man, Book 2
The Green Man's Silence
by Juliet E McKenna
2020Green Man, Book 3
The Green Man's Challenge
by Juliet E McKenna
2021Green Man, Book 4
The Green Man's Gift
by Juliet E McKenna
2022Green Man, Book 5
The Green Man's Quarry
by Juliet E McKenna
2023Green Man, Book 6
Green Man books in chronological order

The Green Man's Heir
by Juliet E McKenna
2018Green Man, Book 1
The Green Man's Foe
by Juliet E McKenna
2019Green Man, Book 2
The Green Man's Silence
by Juliet E McKenna
2020Green Man, Book 3
The Green Man's Challenge
by Juliet E McKenna
2021Green Man, Book 4
The Green Man's Gift
by Juliet E McKenna
2022Green Man, Book 5
The Green Man's Quarry
by Juliet E McKenna
2023Green Man, Book 6
Tales of the Apt (Juliet E McKenna) books in order
Explore this seriesThe Aldabreshin Compass books in order
Explore this series
Southern Fire
by Juliet E McKenna
2003The Aldabreshin Compass, Book 1
Northern Storm
by Juliet E McKenna
2004The Aldabreshin Compass, Book 2
Western Shore
by Juliet E McKenna
2005The Aldabreshin Compass, Book 3
Eastern Tide
by Juliet E McKenna
2006The Aldabreshin Compass, Book 4
The Aldabreshin Compass books in chronological order
The Chronicles of the Lescari Revolution books in order
Explore this series
Blood in the Water
by Juliet E McKenna
2009The Chronicles of the Lescari Revolution, Book 2
Irons in the Fire
by Juliet E McKenna
2009The Chronicles of the Lescari Revolution, Book 1
Banners in the Wind
by Juliet E McKenna
2010The Chronicles of the Lescari Revolution, Book 3
The Chronicles of the Lescari Revolution books in chronological order
The Hadrumal Crisis books in order
Explore this series
Dangerous Waters
by Juliet E McKenna
2011The Hadrumal Crisis, Book 2
The Wizard's Coming
by Juliet E McKenna
2011The Hadrumal Crisis, Book 1
Darkening Skies
by Juliet E McKenna
2012The Hadrumal Crisis, Book 3
Defiant Peaks
by Juliet E McKenna
2012The Hadrumal Crisis, Book 4
The Hadrumal Crisis books in chronological order
The Tales of Einarinn books in order
Explore this series
The Swordsman's Oath
by Juliet E McKenna
1999The Tales of Einarinn, Book 1
The Thief's Gamble
by Juliet E McKenna
1999The Tales of Einarinn, Book 2
The Gambler's Fortune
by Juliet E McKenna
2000The Tales of Einarinn, Book 3
The Warrior's Bond
by Juliet E McKenna
2001The Tales of Einarinn, Book 4
The Assassin's Edge
by Juliet E McKenna
2002The Tales of Einarinn, Book 5
A Few Further Tales of Einarinn
by Juliet E McKenna
2012The Tales of Einarinn, Book 6
The Tales of Einarinn books in chronological order

The Swordsman's Oath
by Juliet E McKenna
1999The Tales of Einarinn, Book 1
The Thief's Gamble
by Juliet E McKenna
1999The Tales of Einarinn, Book 2
The Gambler's Fortune
by Juliet E McKenna
2000The Tales of Einarinn, Book 3
The Warrior's Bond
by Juliet E McKenna
2001The Tales of Einarinn, Book 4
The Assassin's Edge
by Juliet E McKenna
2002The Tales of Einarinn, Book 5
A Few Further Tales of Einarinn
by Juliet E McKenna
2012The Tales of Einarinn, Book 6
Juliet E McKenna collections, short stories, and related book types
Standalone Juliet E McKenna books

Legends: Stories in Honour of David Gemmell
by Joe Abercrombie, Tanith Lee, Juliet E McKenna, Storm Constantine, Stan Nicholls, Ian Whates, Adrian Tchaikovsky, Anne Nicholls, Gaie Sebold, Jonathan Green, Jan Siegel, James Barclay & Sandra Unerman
2013
Shadow Histories of the River Kingdom
by Juliet E McKenna
2016
The Cleaving
by Juliet E McKenna
2023
The Riven Kingdom
by Juliet E McKenna
2026
Author bio
Juliet E McKenna was born in Lincolnshire in 1965, later moved to Dorset, and now lives in West Oxfordshire with her husband Steve. She has said that folk tales, Greek myths, magic, and mystery hooked her from about the age of five, which makes a lot of sense once you start looking at the worlds she writes.
That early fascination fed straight into her studies. She read Classics at St Hilda's College, Oxford, focusing on Greek and Roman history and literature, and while she was there she also threw herself into roleplaying, speculative fiction circles, and aikido. All of that left a mark. Her fantasy often feels lived in, argued over, and grounded in how people actually think their way through danger.
Before she was published, she worked in recruitment and personnel.
She was also writing, gaming, building imaginary worlds with friends, and learning the hard way that storytelling on the page is not quite the same thing as storytelling around a table. An early novel was rejected as competent but not distinctive. Rather than stopping, she kept going, later working part time as a bookseller while raising her sons and paying close attention to how publishing and bookselling really worked.
That practical detour mattered. McKenna has written about hearing that a new writer needed to offer "the same but different," and that helped her sharpen her next idea. She created Livak, the thief and gambler at the heart of The Thief's Gamble, and that book became her debut in 1999. It led to The Tales of Einarinn, then to the linked worldbuilding of The Aldabreshin Compass, The Chronicles of the Lescari Revolution, and The Hadrumal Crisis.
Those books helped define what many readers still like best about her work. McKenna writes big fantasy without losing sight of ordinary pressures: money, law, duty, prejudice, travel, family, class, and the messy business of staying alive. Her characters are rarely waiting to be told they are chosen. They are usually already busy, already compromised, and already trying to do the next sensible thing in a world that refuses to stay sensible.
She has also proved happy to change lanes. The Green Man's Heir took her into contemporary fantasy rooted in British folklore, with carpenter and dryad's son Dan Mackmain investigating uncanny trouble in the modern countryside. The Cleaving turned to Arthurian legend and retold it through the lives of four women usually pushed to the edge of the story.
She doesn't seem especially interested in writing the same book over and over.
Alongside the fiction, McKenna has long been active in the wider field. She reviews, blogs about publishing and equality in science fiction and fantasy, teaches creative writing, and appears at conventions and events. She has served as a judge for the James White Award, the Aeon Award, the Arthur C Clarke Award, and the World Fantasy Awards, and in 2015 she received the British Fantasy Society's Karl Edward Wagner Award.
These days she continues to write across more than one mode. Under the name J M Alvey she has also written historical murder mysteries set in ancient Greece. Whether she is working in epic secondary worlds, modern folklore, or historical fantasy, the through line is much the same: curious intelligence, solid craft, and a clear interest in how people live inside the stories history and myth tell about them.
Edited by
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