Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Raiders from the North | 2009 | Alex Rutherford | Buy |
| 2 | রাইডারস ফ্রম দ্য নর্থ | 2009 | Alex Rutherford | N/A |
| 3 | Brothers At War | 2010 | Alex Rutherford | N/A |
| 4 | Brothers at War/A Kingdom Divided | 2010 | Alex Rutherford | Buy |
| 5 | Ruler of the World | 2011 | Alex Rutherford | Buy |
| 6 | The Tainted Throne | 2012 | Alex Rutherford | Buy |
| 7 | Empire of the Moghul: The Serpent’s Tooth | 2013 | Alex Rutherford | N/A |
| 8 | The Serpent’s Tooth | 2013 | Alex Rutherford | Buy |
| 9 | Empire of the Moghul: Traitors in the Shadows | 2015 | Alex Rutherford | N/A |
| 10 | Traitors in the Shadows | 2015 | Alex Rutherford | Buy |
The Empire of the Moghul series traces the Mughal dynasty from its founding to its decline across six novels. Raiders from the North opens with Babur, the Central Asian prince who fought his way into India and established the empire. Brothers at War follows the turbulent reign of Humayun. Ruler of the World covers Akbar, often considered the greatest Mughal emperor. The Tainted Throne moves to Jahangir, The Serpent’s Tooth to Shah Jahan (the builder of the Taj Mahal), and Traitors in the Shadows concludes with the ruthless Aurangzeb.
Written by Diana and Michael Preston under the Alex Rutherford pen name, these books combine serious historical research with the pacing of a thriller. Court politics, family betrayals, and military campaigns drive the story forward. Note that some entries in the reading order above are translations or alternate editions of the same core novels. The six distinct stories are Raiders from the North, Brothers at War, Ruler of the World, The Tainted Throne, The Serpent’s Tooth, and Traitors in the Shadows.