Bernard Cornwell Reading Order: Every Book in Chronological and Publication Order

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Bernard Cornwell has published over sixty historical novels since 1981, and the reading-order question comes up so often that seasoned readers just default to “start with The Last Kingdom.” That is fine advice for most first-time Cornwell readers, but the full picture is more useful. This guide covers every major series in both publication order (what he wrote and when) and chronological order (what happened first in-universe). It also identifies the two or three standalones that make good first Cornwells depending on which historical period pulls you in.

The four major series

1. The Saxon Stories (13 books, 2004-2020) – Uhtred of Bebbanburg, Alfred the Great, the Viking invasions of England and the birth of the country later called Britain. This is the most-read Cornwell series and the source material for the Netflix show The Last Kingdom (2015-2022) and its film sequel Seven Kings Must Die (2023). Start here if you have no prior interest in a specific period.

2. The Sharpe Series (24 books, 1981-2020) – Richard Sharpe, a rifleman turned officer, through the Napoleonic Wars from India (1799) to Waterloo (1815) and beyond. Cornwell wrote these largely out of chronological order over four decades. Start with Sharpe”s Rifles (publication order first Peninsular book) OR Sharpe”s Tiger (earliest chronologically, India campaigns).

3. The Warlord Chronicles / Arthur Books (3 books, 1995-1997) – The Winter King, Enemy of God, Excalibur. Cornwell's Arthurian retelling, arguably his best writing at the sentence level. Grounded, brutal, no Merlin-as-wizard nonsense. Short series, satisfying, complete.

4. The Grail Quest (4 books, 2000-2012) – Thomas of Hookton, an English archer during the Hundred Years' War. Harlequin, Vagabond, Heretic, 1356. Cornwell's longbow-warfare research is the strongest part.

The standalones worth reading first

Azincourt (2008) – the Battle of Agincourt through the eyes of an English archer. Best introduction to Cornwell's combat writing. If you liked the archery in Grail Quest, this is the concentrated version.

Stonehenge (1999) – Neolithic Britain, the construction of Stonehenge. Different in tone from his warfare fiction, but a good sample of how he handles a totally different era.

Redcoat (1987) – American Revolution from the British side. Interesting perspective on a familiar conflict.

Recommended reading order for a new Cornwell reader

1. The Last Kingdom – Saxon Stories #1. Confirms whether Cornwell's style works for you.
2. The Winter King – Warlord Chronicles #1. Short 3-book series that gives you a complete experience without a 13-book commitment.
3. Sharpe's Tiger – Sharpe #1 chronologically. Test whether Napoleonic-era warfare appeals to you before committing to a 24-book series.
4. Azincourt – standalone. If you loved the battle scenes in the above, this is peak Cornwell battle-writing.

Read those four and you will know exactly which series you want to commit to. Most readers end up going deep on either the Saxon Stories or Sharpe series and treating the others as bonuses.

Publication order (for completeness)

Cornwell's first novel was Sharpe's Eagle (1981), part of the Sharpe series. He returned to Sharpe repeatedly over four decades. The Warlord Chronicles came in the mid-90s as a break from Napoleonic material. The Saxon Stories launched in 2004 and became his signature. Full publication timeline is on his official site.

The show vs the books

The Last Kingdom Netflix series (5 seasons + Seven Kings Must Die film, 2015-2023) adapts approximately books 1-11 of the Saxon Stories. It is well-cast and largely faithful, though it compresses several storylines and adds original material for TV pacing. Fans of the show who read the books afterward often prefer the deeper political maneuvering the novels have room for. Fans of the books who watch the show generally appreciate Alexander Dreymon's Uhtred.

Recommended Picks (Amazon US)

• The Last Kingdom (Saxon Stories #1) by Bernard Cornwell
• The Pale Horseman (Saxon Stories #2)
• Sharpe’s Tiger (Sharpe #1 chronological) – India campaigns
• The Winter King (Warlord Chronicles #1) – Arthurian retelling
• Azincourt – standalone Battle of Agincourt
• 1356 – Grail Quest continuation, Crecy aftermath

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Want a deeper look at each series individually, including where to start with Sharpe, the Grail Quest, and the Starbuck Chronicles specifically? See our series-by-series starting guide.