Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A Soldier’s Duty | 2011 | Jean Johnson | Buy |
| 2 | An Officer’s Duty | 2012 | Jean Johnson | Buy |
| 3 | Hellfire | 2013 | Jean Johnson | Buy |
| 4 | Hardship | 2014 | Jean Johnson | Buy |
| 5 | Damnation | 2014 | Jean Johnson | Buy |
Theirs Not to Reason Why is Jean Johnson’s five-book military science fiction series, starting with A Soldier’s Duty in 2011. The protagonist, Ia, is a precognitive soldier who has seen the future destruction of her species and enlists in the military to set events in motion that will prevent it.
The series follows Ia from basic training through the ranks as she rises in the military while quietly steering the timeline. Johnson blends large-scale space battles with the personal cost of knowing what lies ahead. The final book, Damnation, came out in 2014 and brings Ia’s long campaign to a close.