The League of Seven Books in Order

Alan Gratz is widely recognized for his serious historical fiction, but with The League of Seven, he shifts gears into a playful, high-energy world of steampunk fantasy. The series establishes an alternate timeline where the modern world never came to be. In this version of history, Thomas Edison’s experiments in 1875 didn’t lead to a brighter future. Instead, they woke up ancient, destructive forces. Because electricity attracts these monsters, humanity was forced to abandon it entirely, relying instead on steam engines, clockwork mechanisms, and pneumatic tubes.

It creates a visually distinct setting where airships rule the skies and brass gadgets replace digital screens.

The threats in this world are known as the Mangleborn. These aren’t standard fantasy dragons or orcs. They are colossal beasts drawn from Native American mythology and tall tales, giving the series a uniquely American flavor of danger. To keep civilization safe, a secret organization called the Septemberist Society monitors the threats. However, the Society has a fatal flaw woven into human biology.

Adults cannot fight the Mangleborn.

As people age, their minds harden. They lose the imagination and flexibility required to see the monsters for what they are, eventually becoming useless in the fight. This means the safety of the world rests entirely on the shoulders of children. The League of Seven is the team of young heroes who do the actual heavy lifting. They have a strict expiration date: the moment a member turns eighteen, they are forced to retire.

The story focuses on Archie Dent, a boy who seems to have drawn the short straw. He isn't the one with the flashy superpowers; he is the leader who has to hold everything together. His life turns upside down when the adult Septemberists—including his own legendary parents—are captured and brainwashed.

Suddenly, the safety net is gone.

Archie is forced to flee and assemble a new League from scratch. He teams up with Fergus, a brilliant inventor with a gentle heart, and Hachi, a fiercely skilled warrior accompanied by a clockwork automaton. Throughout The League of Seven, The Dragon Lantern, and The Monster War, this ragtag group travels across a transformed United States. They face everything from mosquito-men to giant mechanical marvels.

Underneath the pulp-adventure action, the series deals with the bittersweet reality of growing up. The heroes are fighting two battles: one against the monsters destroying their cities, and another against the clock. They know that eventually, they will become just like the adults they are trying to save. It brings a sense of urgency to a fun, fast-paced adventure about friendship and responsibility.