Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barbary Slave | 2017 | Gardner Francis Fox | Buy |
| 2 | The Stonehedge Slave | 2017 | Gardner Francis Fox | Buy |
| 3 | Barbary Devil | 2019 | Gardner Francis Fox | Buy |
| 4 | The Courtesan: Madame Du Barry | 2019 | Gardner Francis Fox | Buy |
| 5 | Liberty Sword | 2020 | Gardner Francis Fox | Buy |
These five novels represent Fox’s historical adventure writing outside his sword and sorcery work. Titles like Barbary Slave, The Stonehedge Slave, and Barbary Devil suggest an interest in captivity and survival narratives set against the backdrop of Mediterranean piracy and the North African slave trade. The Courtesan: Madame Du Barry moves into French court history, following one of Louis XV’s most famous mistresses.
Fox brought the same economical storytelling he used in comic scripts to these novels. The prose is functional and moves quickly, prioritizing plot and atmosphere over lengthy description. Readers who enjoy historical adventure with straightforward action will find these accessible.
All five titles are modern reprints rather than original publications, collecting work that had gone out of print after Fox’s death in 1986.