The Great Silence books in order

Q: "How many books are in the The Great Silence series?"

"There are two books in the The Great Silence series, published between 2025 and 2026."

Q: "What is the first book in the The Great Silence series?"

"The first book in the The Great Silence series is Grave Empire, published in 2025."

Q: "What is The Great Silence series about?"

"The Great Silence is set two centuries after the conclusion of the Empire of the Wolf trilogy, in the same world but long after its events. Ambassador Renata Rainer and Lieutenant Peter Kleist are the central characters, navigating a world where a mind-plague is spreading across nations and threatening the stability that followed the old empire's collapse. Grave Empire (2025) is the first book. Steel Gods (2026) is the second. The series is published by Orbit, Swan's publisher for the Empire of the Wolf books."

Reading order

#	Title	Published	Author	Buy on Amazon
1	Grave Empire	2025	Richard Swan	Buy
2	Steel Gods	2026	Richard Swan	Buy

The Great Silence continues Richard Swan’s fantasy world two centuries on from the Empire of the Wolf trilogy, a long enough gap to create a substantially different world while maintaining the historical and geographical continuity that gives the setting its depth. The mind-plague that drives the new series’ central conflict is a different kind of threat from the political and religious crises of the original trilogy, though the interest in institutions under pressure remains.

Grave Empire (2025) opens the series with Ambassador Renata Rainer and Lieutenant Peter Kleist as its central characters, establishing a world that has changed significantly from the one Vonvalt and Helena inhabited. Steel Gods (2026) is the second installment. Readers coming from the Empire of the Wolf trilogy will find the setting familiar in outline while substantially transformed in detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the The Great Silence series?

There are two books in the The Great Silence series, published between 2025 and 2026.

What is the first book in the The Great Silence series?

The first book in the The Great Silence series is Grave Empire, published in 2025.

What is The Great Silence series about?

The Great Silence is set two centuries after the conclusion of the Empire of the Wolf trilogy, in the same world but long after its events. Ambassador Renata Rainer and Lieutenant Peter Kleist are the central characters, navigating a world where a mind-plague is spreading across nations and threatening the stability that followed the old empire’s collapse. Grave Empire (2025) is the first book. Steel Gods (2026) is the second. The series is published by Orbit, Swan’s publisher for the Empire of the Wolf books.

Reading order#

Frequently Asked Questions

Reading order