Reading the John Ringo Books in Order

John Ringo is the author of the popular Posleen War (also known as the Legacy of the Aldenada) military science-fiction series.

It was this very book series that made me acquainted with the prolific writer. Next, once I realized that he has written several other book series in the same and related genres (science fiction and fantasy), I checked out his other books as well. I have been following the John Ringo books ever since.

Here are the John Ringo books in order for his currently published works. The book list is ordered in chronological and publication order.

New John Ringo Books

Voices of the Fall, (Black Tide Rising Anthologies #2), 2019

River of Night, (Black Tide Rising #7), 2019

Gunpowder & Embers, (Last Judgement’s Fire #1), 2020

Posleen War Series

aka Legacy of the Aldenata series; Some of the books are co-authored with other writers

1. A Hymn Before Battle, 2000
2. Gust Front, 2001
3. When the Devil Dances, 2002
4. Hell’s Faire, 2003
5. The Hero, 2004 (with Michael Z Williamson)
6. Cally’s War, 2004 (with Julie Cochrane)
7. Watch on the Rhine, 2005 (with Tom Kratman)
8. Yellow Eyes, 2007 (with T.K.)
9. Sister Time, 2007 (with Julie Cochrane)
10. Honor of the Clan, 2009 (with J.C.)
11. Eye of the Storm, 2009
12. The Tuloriad, 2009 (with T.K.)

Empire of Man Series

co-authored with David Weber

1. March Upcountry (Empire of Man #1), 2001
2. March to the Sea (Empire of Man #2), 2002
3. March to the Stars (Empire of Man #3), 2003
4. We Few (Empire of Man #4), 2005

Council Wars Series

1. There Will Be Dragons, 2003
2. Emerald Sea, 2004
3. Against the Tide, 2005
4. East of the Sun, West of the Moon, 2006

Paladin of Shadows Series

1. Ghost, 2005
2. Kildar, 2005
3. Choosers of the Slain, 2006
4. Unto the Breach, 2006
5. A Deeper Blue, 2007
6. Tiger by the Tail, 2013 (with Ryan Sear)

Looking Glass Series

1. Into the Looking Glass, 2005
2. Vorpal Blade, 2007 (with Travis S Taylor)
3. Manxome Foe, 2008 (with Travis S Taylor)
4. Claws That Catch, 2008 (with Travis S Taylor)

Special Circumstances Series

1. Princess of Wands, 2006
2. Queen of Wands, 2012

Troy Rising Series

1. Live Free or Die, 2010
2. Citadel, 2011
3. The Hot Gate, 2011

Exiled Series

co-authored with Harry Turtledove, Jody Lynn Nye, and S.M. Stirling

1. Clan of the Claw, 2011

Black Tide Rising Series

1. Under a Graveyard Sky, 2013
2. To Sail a Darkling Sea, 2014
3. Islands of Rage and Hope, 2014
4. Strands of Sorrow, 2014
5. Black Tide Rising, 2016 (anthology)
6. The Valley of the Shadows, 2018
7. Voices of the Fall, 2019 (anthology)
8. River of Night, 2019

Monster Hunter Memoirs Series

co-authored with Larry Correia

1. Grunge, 2016
2. Sinners, 2016
3. Saints, 2018

Last Judgement’s Fire Series

1. Gunpowder & Embers, 2020

Other John Ringo Books

• The Road to Damascus, 2004, with Linda Evans
• Von Neumann’s War, 2006, with Travis S Taylor
• The Last Centurion, 2008
• Citizens, 2010 (anthology edited with Brian M Thomsen)

John Ringo Biography

John Ringo, the American military science-fiction writer, was born in 1963 in Miami-Dade, Florida. As his father was working as a civil engineer with an international firm, growing up, John spent most of his time in several different countries (23 to be exact), including Greece, Switzerland, and Iran, and he attended classes in no less than 14 schools across the globe.

In 1981 he graduated from Winter Park High School in Winter Park, FL, following which he joined the military where rose to the rank of Specialist as a member of the 82nd Airborne Division. During his years of active military duty, he received several awards for honorable service.

Once he left the military, he went back to school to study marine biology in college, where he got his associate degree. Realizing that this career path would not pay all his bills, he switched gears and started working as a database manager to support his family.

In 1999 he started thinking about a science-fiction book that he wanted to write, which would become his major debut novel, A Hymn Before Battle, the first book in the famous Posleen War series. The book was published the next year, in 2000, by Baen book, which initially rejected it, but after the company’s owner, Jim Baen, had a look at the book himself, allowed it to get published.

The story is that he was also quite active on the Baen website forums, where Jim Baen was active as well. When he told Jim he send him a manuscript, Jim wanted to read it, but by then an employee had already rejected it. Once Jim got to finally read it, Jim told him why the book was rejected and what kind of changes he should do to it.

Once the changes were made and the manuscript resubmitted, Baen bought it right away. He also bought the second book which was also written by then, and both got published, with a promise for picking up the rest of the book series.

He is, in fact, one of the few authors whose first book has been published right away (well, after a single rejection), unlike many others who have collected tens and hundreds of rejection letters from their publishers before their books were picked up by publishing houses.

After the success of his first two books, John left his day job as a database manager to focus on writing novels full time.

In 2012, he received the Phoenix Award for his major contribution to the science-fiction genre.

So far, the New York Times bestselling author has written over 50 books, some co-authored with David Weber, Tom Kratman, Michael Z Williamson, Brian M Thomsen, Travis S Taylor, Linda Evans, Larry Correia, Mike Massa, Gary Poole, and several other authors. He has over two million copies of his books in print.

During his collaborations with other authors, sometimes he writes the story outlines, while at other times, he writes parts of a story that was the idea of a junior author, while yet at other times, he gives the junior writer an idea, and they flesh out the ideas.

The John Ringo books range from pure science fiction to military science fiction and straight-up military and techno-thrillers, and even to zombie novels (Black Tide series).

His new series that started in 2020, Last Judgement’s Fire, with the first book titled Gunpowder & Embers, is a post-apocalyptic western where the world ended 30 years before. There is still no electricity, but people can, for the most part, survive at least. Chuck Gordon is the main character who took on the road to find his destiny. On the way, he picked up a few other people to team up with, including a warrior monk, a dragon tamer, a drunken leecher, and a former cultist. Together they are trying to find freedom and a better world once again.

In addition to his science fiction series, he also contributed to a few other series with one book, including The Road to Damascus, which is book 13 in the Bolo military science-fiction series started by Keith Laumer, and Von Neumann’s War, the first book in the same-titled series, co-authored by Travis S. Taylor. This series includes only two books, and the second book was exclusively written by Travis S. Taylor.

John also co-edited the science fiction anthology Citizens with Brian M. Thomsen. This anthology includes works by Robert A. Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke, David Drake, Joe Haldeman, Keith Laumer, Jerry Pournelle, Gene Wolfe, and others, all who received the Hugo and the Nebula awards. Most of the stories in the collection are military science fiction, with a few humorous ones and some more technical ones also included.

In his personal life, the author is well known for his openly voiced conservative political views which are expressed in multiple forums. Once it was known that John Ringo would be a special guest speaker at ConCarolinas in 2018, several authors have either dropped out or spoke out against him.

Praise for John Ringo’s Books

Not only has Ringo found a mostly unexplored corner of the zombie landscape, he’s using the zombie frame to tackle a broader theme: the collapse and rebirth of civilization. The zombie scenes are exciting, sure, but its the human story that keeps us involved. A fine series. (Booklist)

Ringo combines humor and horror in this strong series debut, the thinking reader’s zombie novel (Publishers Weekly)

Crackerjack storytelling. (Starlog)

[Ringo’s work is] peopled with three-dimensional characters and spiced with personal drama as well as tactical finesse. (Library Journal)

Coauthors Weber and Ringo excel in depicting the lives and times of soldiers both on and off the battlefield. (Library Journal)

References

• John Ringo publisher page
• Author interview with Michael A. Ventrella

Books Reading Order » Science Fiction Authors » Reading the John Ringo Books in Order