Photo of David Drake
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David Drake

3 series 24 books in order 1979–2019

David Drake, an American author of science fiction and fantasy literature, born in 1945 and died in 2023, was taken by the Army from Duke Law School and sent on a motorized tour of Vietnam and Cambodia with the 11th Cav, the Blackhorse. He returned to become Chapel Hill's Assistant Town Attorney and turned to fiction to make sense of his Army experiences. His military background, combined with formal education in history and Latin, made him a foremost writer of realistic action SF and fantasy, and his bestselling Hammer's Slammers series is credited with creating the genre of modern Military SF.

Born
1945
Active years
1979–2019
Known for
RCN Series, Hammerverse, Lord of the Isles

Series by David Drake

RCN Series

13 books in order · 1998–2019

  1. Cover of With the Lightnings

    With the Lightnings

    1998 · David Drake

    With the Lightnings is a 1998 science fiction novel by David Drake, the first part of the military space opera RCN Series. (Summary adapted from…

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  2. Cover of Lt. Leary, Commanding

    Lt. Leary, Commanding

    2000 · David Drake

    Lt. Leary, Commanding is a 2000 book by David Drake. It is book 2 of the series RCN Series.

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  3. Cover of The Far Side of the Stars

    The Far Side of the Stars

    2003 · David Drake

    Lt. Leary and Adele Mundy reunite with the crew of the Sissie, now sold out of RCN service to a wealthy pair and hired as civilians for a voyage…

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  4. Cover of The Way to Glory

    The Way to Glory

    2005 · David Drake

    Lt. Daniel Leary and Signals Officer Adele Mundy battle a ruthless, paranoid officer, along with conspiracy, anarchy, and an overwhelming Alliance…

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  5. Cover of Some Golden Harbor

    Some Golden Harbor

    2006 · David Drake

    Some Golden Harbor is a 2006 book by David Drake. It is book 5 of the series RCN Series.

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  6. Cover of When the Tide Rises

    When the Tide Rises

    2008 · David Drake

    When the Tide Rises is a 2008 book by David Drake. It is book 6 of the series RCN Series.

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  7. Cover of In the Stormy Red Sky

    In the Stormy Red Sky

    2009 · David Drake

    This book continues the series featuring Lt. O'Leary, and readers are advised to read the earlier books first before starting here. In this…

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  8. Cover of What Distant Deeps

    What Distant Deeps

    2010 · David Drake

    What Distant Deeps is a 2010 book by David Drake. It is book 8 of the series RCN Series.

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  9. Cover of The Road of Danger

    The Road of Danger

    2012 · David Drake

    Ninth in the RCN space adventure series, Captain Daniel Leary and Officer Adele Mundy are sent to help a local admiral put down a coup, but are then…

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  10. Cover of The Sea Without a Shore

    The Sea Without a Shore

    2014 · David Drake

    The Sea Without a Shore is a 2014 book by David Drake. It is book 10 of the series RCN Series.

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Show all 13 RCN Series books in order →

Hammerverse

8 books in order · 1979–2002

  1. Cover of Hammer's Slammers

    Hammer's Slammers

    1979 · David Drake

    Hammer's Slammers is a 1979 collection of military science fiction short stories by David Drake. It follows the career of a future mercenary tank…

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  2. Cover of At Any Price

    At Any Price

    1985 · David Drake

    At Any Price is a 1985 book by David Drake. It is book 2 of the series Hammerverse.

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  3. Cover of Counting the Cost

    Counting the Cost

    1987 · David Drake

    Counting the Cost is a 1987 book by David Drake. It is book 3 of the series Hammerverse.

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  4. Cover of Rolling Hot

    Rolling Hot

    1989 · David Drake

    Rolling Hot is a 1989 book by David Drake. It is book 4 of the series Hammerverse.

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  5. Cover of The Warrior

    The Warrior

    1991 · David Drake

    The Warrior is a 1991 book by David Drake. It is book 5 of the series Hammerverse.

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  6. Cover of The Sharp End

    The Sharp End

    1993 · David Drake

    David Drake presents stories about fighting on a battlefield, drawing on realism from his own experience. Several people who have lived through that…

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  7. The Tank Lords

    1997 · David Drake

    The Tank Lords is a 1997 book by David Drake. It is book 7 of the series Hammerverse.

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  8. Cover of Paying the Piper

    Paying the Piper

    2002 · David Drake

    A story by David Drake following Lt. Arne Huber of Hammer's Slammers as he experiences the politics, horrors, and double crosses of a new assignment…

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Lord of the Isles

3 books in order · 1998–2008

  1. Cover of Queen of Demons (Lord of the Isles 2)

    Queen of Demons (Lord of the Isles 2)

    1998 · David Drake

    Queen of Demons (Lord of the Isles 2) is a 1998 book by David Drake. It is book 2 of the series Lord of the Isles. Catalog genres: Fantasy, Literary…

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  2. Cover of Servant of the Dragon (Lord of the Isles)
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  3. Cover of The gods return

    The gods return

    2008 · David Drake

    The last book of a series concludes the tale of characters the reader has grown fond of with a totally unexpected ending. A 2008 novel by David Drake.

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Frequently asked questions

How many books has David Drake written?

We list 24 books by David Drake across 3 series, published between 1979–2019 — each shown in full reading order.

What order should I read David Drake's books?

Read each series in publication order. A good place to start is “With the Lightnings.” Open any series above for its complete numbered reading order.

Where can I buy David Drake's books?

Every title links to Amazon from its series page. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.

Bibliography and reading orders compiled from verified bibliographic data. Spotted an error? We continuously correct the catalog.