The Black Company Books in Order
Complete reading order for The Black Company series.
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Title
Date
How to Read The Black Company series
Best Read in Order
· Start with Book 1
Standalone stories, but characters and relationships develop across the series.
Publication order provides the best experience for the Black Company series. Each book has a complete central plot focused on a major campaign or contract that reaches resolution, yet the Company’s history, key relationships, and long-term consequences carry forward. Readers who begin with a later volume will miss the foundational events of the Company’s early contracts, the establishment of core dynamics, and the accumulating weight of past choices that shape later books.
About The Black Company series
Series Premise
The Black Company series follows the last free company of mercenaries as they navigate dangerous contracts, shifting allegiances, and ancient evils. Through Croaker’s honest records, the books reveal the grim realities of war, the Company’s internal bonds, and their encounters with figures like the Dominator and the Lady.
Main Characters
The series centers on Croaker, the Company’s physician and annalist who records their history. Key figures include the Captain, the Lieutenant, and powerful sorcerers such as the Lady, whose complex alliances and rivalries drive much of the story.
Setting
The stories take place in a dark, war-torn world inspired by medieval and ancient settings, featuring empires locked in eternal conflict, haunted battlefields, and cities ruled by sorcerous tyrants.
Tone & Themes
The tone is gritty, cynical, and realistic with dark humor. Central themes include loyalty amid betrayal, the moral grayness of war, the cost of survival, and how ordinary soldiers endure in extraordinary circumstances.
Is This Series Worth Reading?
This series appeals to readers who enjoy grimdark military fantasy, morally complex characters, and stories that focus on the perspective of professional soldiers rather than traditional heroes.
Content Warnings and Heat Level
Includes strong violence, war atrocities, and mature themes; minimal romantic content. Suitable for adult readers.
The Black Company series offers a raw, unromanticized look at mercenary life in a harsh fantasy world. Reading the books in order lets the Company’s history and evolving bonds unfold with full context.
FAQ
How many books are in The Black Company series?
12 books
When will the next book in the series be released?
No new book in the series is currently scheduled. The latest book, Lies Weeping, was published in November 2025.
When was the most recent book released?
Lies Weeping was published in November 2025.
What was the first book in the series?
The first book in the series is The Black Company, published in May 1984.
What genre is The Black Company series?
The series primarily falls into the Fantasy genre.
Do you need to read The Black Company series in order?
It’s best to read the series in order. Each book has its own story, but ongoing character arcs and relationships develop across the series.
What is The Black Company series about?
The Black Company series follows the last free company of mercenaries as they navigate dangerous contracts, shifting allegiances, and ancient evils. Through Croaker’s honest records, the books reveal the grim realities of war, the Company’s internal bonds, and their encounters with figures like the Dominator and the Lady.
Is The Black Company series finished?
The series does not currently have a new book scheduled.
Cover Art From The Black Company series
Browse covers from the The Black Company series.
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