Blood, Steel, and Empire Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Buccaneer Coast |
2021 |
Buy |
| The Tortuga Plantation |
2024 |
Buy |
Caleb Hayes#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Full Fathom Five |
2016 |
Buy |
Isaac Biddlecomb Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| By Force of Arms |
1996 |
Buy |
| The Maddest Idea |
1997 |
Buy |
| The Continental Risque |
1998 |
Buy |
| Lords of the Ocean |
1999 |
Buy |
| All the Brave Fellows |
2000 |
Buy |
| The Falmouth Frigate |
2022 |
Buy |
Non-Fiction#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Only Life That Mattered |
2001 |
Buy |
| Reign of Iron |
2004 |
Buy |
| Benedict Arnold’s Navy |
2006 |
Buy |
| George Washington’s Secret Navy |
2008 |
Buy |
| George Washington’s Great Gamble |
2010 |
Buy |
| With Fire and Sword |
2011 |
Buy |
Samuel Bowater Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Glory in the Name |
2003 |
Buy |
| Thieves of Mercy |
2005 |
Buy |
Standalone Novels#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The French Prize |
2015 |
Buy |
The Norsemen Saga Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Fin Gall |
2013 |
Buy |
| Dubh-linn |
2014 |
Buy |
| The Lord of Vik-lo |
2015 |
Buy |
| Glendalough Fair |
2015 |
Buy |
| Night Wolf |
2016 |
Buy |
| Raider’s Wake |
2017 |
Buy |
| Loch Garman |
2017 |
Buy |
| A Vengeful Wind |
2018 |
Buy |
| Kings and Pawns: A Novel of Viking Age England |
2019 |
N/A |
| Kings and Pawns |
2019 |
Buy |
| The Midgard Serpent of Viking Age England |
2020 |
Buy |
| The Narrow Seas |
2023 |
Buy |
| Land of the Wolf of the Viking Age |
2025 |
Buy |
Thomas Marlowe Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Guardship |
2000 |
Buy |
| The Blackbirder |
2001 |
Buy |
| The Pirate Round |
2002 |
Buy |
James L. Nelson writes historical fiction and non-fiction centered on the sea. His career began with the Isaac Biddlecomb series (1996-2022), six novels about an American Revolution naval officer. The Thomas Marlowe trilogy (2000-2002) moves to the golden age of piracy, while the Samuel Bowater duology (2003-2005) covers Civil War naval combat.
His longest series is The Norsemen Saga, thirteen books set in Viking Age Ireland that started with Fin Gall in 2013 and continues through Land of the Wolf in 2025. On the non-fiction side, Nelson has written six books on American maritime and military history, including George Washington’s Secret Navy (2008) and Reign of Iron (2004), about the first ironclad battle.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books has James L. Nelson written?
James L. Nelson has written 34 books across eight series.
What was James L. Nelson's first book?
James L. Nelson’s first book is By Force of Arms, published in 1996.
What are James L. Nelson's most popular series?
The Norsemen Saga, a thirteen-book Viking Age series beginning with Fin Gall (2013), is his longest fiction sequence. The Isaac Biddlecomb series (six books starting with By Force of Arms, 1996) follows an American Revolution naval officer. He has also written non-fiction about George Washington’s navy and the Civil War ironclads.