Courtney

Q: "How many books are in the Courtney series?"

"There are 24 books in the Courtney series, published between 1964 and 2025."

Q: "What is the first book in the Courtney series?"

"The first book in the Courtney series is When the Lion Feeds, published in 1964."

Q: "Who originally wrote the Courtney series, and how did it continue?"

"The Courtney series was created by Wilbur Smith, who wrote the first twelve books from 1964 through 2003. After Smith's death in 2021, the series continued with co-authors including Tom Harper, who contributed several later entries. The books span multiple generations of the Courtney family from nineteenth-century South Africa through to the twentieth century."

Reading order

#	Title	Published	Author	Buy on Amazon
1	When the Lion Feeds	1964	Tom Harper	Buy
2	The Sound of Thunder / The Roar of Thunder	1966	Tom Harper	Buy
3	A Sparrow Falls	1977	Tom Harper	Buy
4	The Burning Shore	1985	Tom Harper	Buy
5	Power of the Sword	1986	Tom Harper	Buy
6	Rage	1987	Tom Harper	Buy
7	A Time to Die	1989	Tom Harper	Buy
8	Golden Fox	1990	Tom Harper	Buy
9	The Triumph of the Sun	1992	Tom Harper	Buy
10	Birds of Prey	1997	Tom Harper	Buy
11	Monsoon	1999	Tom Harper	Buy
12	Blue Horizon	2003	Tom Harper	Buy
13	Assegai	2009	Tom Harper	Buy
14	Golden Lion	2015	Tom Harper	Buy
15	War Cry	2017	Tom Harper	Buy
16	The Tiger’s Prey	2017	Tom Harper	Buy
17	Courtney’s War	2018	Tom Harper	Buy
18	King of Kings	2019	Tom Harper	Buy
19	Ghost Fire	2019	Tom Harper	Buy
20	Legacy of War	2021	Tom Harper	Buy
21	Storm Tide	2022	Tom Harper	Buy
22	Nemesis	2023	Tom Harper	Buy
23	Warrior King	2024	Tom Harper	Buy
24	Crossfire	2025	Tom Harper	Buy

The Courtney series begins in 1860s South Africa with Sean Courtney, a young man building his fortune amid the colonial conflicts of the era. Wilbur Smith traced the Courtney family across continents and centuries, writing books set during the Anglo-Boer Wars, World War II, and the colonial upheavals of Africa. The series is known for large-scale action, vivid African landscapes, and family drama that carries across generations.

Later books extended the timeline in both directions, filling in earlier ancestors and picking up with new Courtney descendants in the twentieth century. Tom Harper joined as a co-author from Golden Lion (2015) onward, helping continue the saga after Smith’s death in 2021 with entries including Legacy of War, Storm Tide, Nemesis, Warrior King, and Crossfire. Reading in publication order gives the best sense of how the family history unfolds, though individual books are largely accessible on their own.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Courtney series?

There are 24 books in the Courtney series, published between 1964 and 2025.

What is the first book in the Courtney series?

The first book in the Courtney series is When the Lion Feeds, published in 1964.

Who originally wrote the Courtney series, and how did it continue?

The Courtney series was created by Wilbur Smith, who wrote the first twelve books from 1964 through 2003. After Smith’s death in 2021, the series continued with co-authors including Tom Harper, who contributed several later entries. The books span multiple generations of the Courtney family from nineteenth-century South Africa through to the twentieth century.

Reading order#

Frequently Asked Questions

Reading order