Reading Order
Courtneyseries.seoTitleShort
Start with When the Lion Feeds and continue through all 22 books in the listed reading order.
Start Here
Start with When the Lion Feeds
Book 1 by Wilbur Smith
Use the reading order above to move through the series in the intended sequence.
Complete List
Courtney reading order
Ends with Nemesis
- 1
Book 1:When the Lion Feeds
Wilbur Smith
Use the reading order above to move through the series in the intended sequence.
- 2
Book 2:The Sound of Thunder
Wilbur Smith • 1966
Sean Courtney finally leaves the bush with his son and a fortune in ivory—just as war brews between Boers and the British. New love and battlefield duty pull him into danger, while family tensions quietly turn darker.
- 3
Book 3:A Sparrow Falls
Wilbur Smith • 1977
In World War I, young soldier Mark Anders earns the respect of officer Sean Courtney. Back home, Mark finds his family ruined and corruption spreading. Working for the Courtneys, he uncovers a scheme that could destro...
- 4
Book 4:The Burning Shore
Wilbur Smith • 1985
During World War I, pilot Michael Courtney falls for Centaine de Thiry, then tragedy leaves her alone and pregnant. Shipwrecked on the coast of South West Africa, she must survive the desert and rebuild a life in a ru...
- 5
Book 5:Power of the Sword
Wilbur Smith • 1986
Centaine de Thiry builds a diamond empire, but her sons Shasa Courtney and Manfred De la Rey grow into bitter rivals. Set against depression-era turmoil, the family’s struggle for power turns personal, political, and...
- 6
Book 6:Rage
Wilbur Smith • 1987
Shasa Courtney has money, influence, and enemies in a South Africa tightening under politics and fear. When violence and private grudges collide, his family becomes the target of a ruthless plan—and the past refuses t...
- 7
Book 7:A Time To Die
Wilbur Smith • 1989
In southern Africa’s borderlands, a veteran game ranger tries to protect wildlife and the people who depend on it as a brutal war closes in. Caught between soldiers, poachers, and mercenaries, survival becomes a moral...
- 8
Book 8:Golden Fox
Wilbur Smith • 1990
A Courtney descendant is pulled into a Cold War hunt for a legendary Soviet operative known as the Golden Fox. The chase stretches from Africa to Europe, where one wrong move could topple careers, governments, and lives.
- 9
Book 9:The Triumph of the Sun
Wilbur Smith • 1992
In 1880s Sudan, a young Courtney officer and a hardened Ballantyne veteran are swept into rebellion and siege around Khartoum. Between battlefield chaos and private passions, they must decide what loyalty means when a...
- 10
Book 10:Birds of Prey
Wilbur Smith
Use the reading order above to move through the series in the intended sequence.
- 11
Book 11:Monsoon
Wilbur Smith • 1999 • 1 recommendation
A Courtney sea captain is drawn into the ruthless politics of the Indian Ocean trade, where empires, pirates, and merchants collide. A mission for the East becomes a fight for survival, loyalty, and a fortune worth ki...
- 12
Book 12:Blue Horizon
Wilbur Smith • 2003
Pushed to the edge of the known world, the Courtneys sail toward southern Africa in search of a new start. Storms, slavers, and rival captains turn the voyage into a brutal test of leadership and love.
- 13
Book 13:Assegai
Wilbur Smith • 2009
In colonial East Africa, big-game hunter Leon Courtney is pulled from the bush into espionage, violence, and high politics. As rival powers circle and personal enemies sharpen their knives, Leon learns that survival c...
- 14
Book 14:Golden Lion
Wilbur Smith • 2015
Hal Courtney is back on the Indian Ocean, chasing a pirate threat that could cripple trade and cost thousands of lives. The hunt leads through betrayal and hidden islands, where a stolen fortune and old grudges make t...
- 15
Book 15:The Tiger's Prey
Wilbur Smith • 2017
A Courtney captain is drawn into a savage raid that leaves him hunting a ruthless enemy known as the Tiger. With allies scattered and danger on every shore, he must outsmart a foe who turns people into prey.
- 16
Book 16:War Cry
Wilbur Smith • 2017
Saffron Courtney grows up on a Kenyan estate under her father Leon’s watch until tragedy changes everything. Seeking answers and adventure, she heads to England and is pulled into the gathering storm on the eve of Wor...
- 17
Book 17:Courtney's War
Wilbur Smith • 2018
In the middle years of World War II, SOE agent Saffron Courtney infiltrates occupied Europe to hunt a dangerous intelligence leak. At the same time, the man she loves is trapped on the other side of the war—and betray...
- 18
Book 18:Ghost Fire
Wilbur Smith • 2019
1754: siblings Theo and Connie Courtney are torn apart when war reaches their childhood in India. One escapes into a wider world, the other is taken by the enemy. Years later, the French and Indian War brings their fa...
- 19
Book 19:King of Kings
Wilbur Smith • 2019
After the Sudan campaign, Ryder Courtney and soldier Penrod Ballantyne are pulled into another struggle as rival empires tighten their grip on Africa. With spies and soldiers closing in, their loyalties—and lives—are...
- 20
Book 20:Legacy of War
Wilbur Smith • 2021
The war is over, but the Courtney family’s enemies haven’t vanished. As Saffron and Gerhard face a new plot tied to old loyalties, Leon Courtney is drawn into upheaval in Kenya, where violence threatens everything the...
- 21
Book 21:Storm Tide
Wilbur Smith • 2022
1774: Rob Courtney dreams of the sea from a quiet African trading outpost. After a death in the family, he stows away on a ship to England with only the Neptune Sword. Soon the Courtneys are caught in revolution and war.
- 22
Book 22:Nemesis
Jo Nesbø
Use the reading order above to move through the series in the intended sequence.
Guru Endorsements
Thought Leaders Who Read This Series
Quick Answers
Courtney FAQ
What is the best order to read the Courtney series?
The recommended reading order is the numbered order shown on this page, starting with When the Lion Feeds.
How many books are in the Courtney series?
There are 22 books currently listed in the Courtney series on GurusReads.
Where should I start with the Courtney series?
New readers should start with When the Lion Feeds, the first book in the reading order.
Is the Courtney series complete?
Based on the publication years we have, the series appears likely complete and spans releases from 1966 to 2022.