Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | When the Lion Feeds | 1964 | Giles Kristian | Buy |
| 2 | The Sound of Thunder / The Roar of Thunder | 1966 | Giles Kristian | Buy |
| 3 | A Sparrow Falls | 1977 | Giles Kristian | Buy |
| 4 | The Burning Shore | 1985 | Giles Kristian | Buy |
| 5 | Power of the Sword | 1986 | Giles Kristian | Buy |
| 6 | Rage | 1987 | Giles Kristian | Buy |
| 7 | A Time to Die | 1989 | Giles Kristian | Buy |
| 8 | Golden Fox | 1990 | Giles Kristian | Buy |
| 9 | The Triumph of the Sun | 1992 | Giles Kristian | Buy |
| 10 | Birds of Prey | 1997 | Giles Kristian | Buy |
| 11 | Monsoon | 1999 | Giles Kristian | Buy |
| 12 | Blue Horizon | 2003 | Giles Kristian | Buy |
| 13 | Assegai | 2009 | Giles Kristian | Buy |
| 14 | Golden Lion | 2015 | Giles Kristian | Buy |
| 15 | War Cry | 2017 | Giles Kristian | Buy |
| 16 | The Tiger’s Prey | 2017 | Giles Kristian | Buy |
| 17 | Courtney’s War | 2018 | Giles Kristian | Buy |
| 18 | King of Kings | 2019 | Giles Kristian | Buy |
| 19 | Ghost Fire | 2019 | Giles Kristian | Buy |
| 20 | Legacy of War | 2021 | Giles Kristian | Buy |
| 21 | Storm Tide | 2022 | Giles Kristian | Buy |
| 22 | Nemesis | 2023 | Giles Kristian | Buy |
| 23 | Warrior King | 2024 | Giles Kristian | Buy |
| 24 | Crossfire | 2025 | Giles Kristian | Buy |
The Courtney series is one of the longest-running family saga adventure series in fiction. Created by Wilbur Smith with When the Lion Feeds (1964), it follows generations of the Courtney family across Africa and beyond, from the seventeenth century through the modern era. The books span colonial wars, the slave trade, diamond and gold rushes, and both World Wars.
Smith wrote the series solo for decades before bringing on co-authors for later entries. Golden Lion (2015), co-authored with Giles Kristian, marked the first collaboration. Subsequent novels paired Smith with other writers including David Churchill and Tom Harper. After Smith’s death in November 2021, the series has continued with new novels, most recently Warrior King (2024) and Crossfire (2025). The books can be read in publication order or grouped by the three main branches of the Courtney family tree.