Big Books of 2026

Dread Empire Series

8 primary works • 17 total works
Before the Black Company, there was Dread Empire. Contains 3 books in the main trilogy, 2 prequels and 3 sequels.
The prequels can be read in the publishing order - after the main trilogy.

Night Shade Books released the books as Omnibus volumes as well -

Main trilogy: A Cruel Wind
Prequels: A Fortress in Shadow
Sequels: Wrath of Kings

Book 1

A Shadow of All Night Falling
by
3.65 · 1059 Ratings · 71 Reviews · published 1979 · 11 editions
Across the mountains called the Dragon's Teeth, be…

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    Book 2

    October's Baby
    by
    3.75     · 700 Ratings · 33 Reviews · published 1980 · 12 editions
    Cradled in swords, the war-child comes October. Wh…

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    Book 3

    All Darkness Met
    by
    3.96     · 633 Ratings · 20 Reviews · published 1980 · 8 editions
    At empire's end war is not all hell. Mocker finds …

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    Book 4

    The Fire in His Hands
    by
    3.96     · 489 Ratings · 14 Reviews · published 1984 · 9 editions
    Once a mighty kingdom reigned—now all is chaos and…

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    Book 5

    With Mercy Toward None
    by
    3.97     · 480 Ratings · 11 Reviews · published 1985 · 8 editions
    The holy wars had begun, his family was slaughtere…

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    Book 6

    Reap the East Wind
    by
    3.88     · 765 Ratings · 37 Reviews · published 1987 · 13 editions
    It has ended. It begins again.

    In Kavelin: Lady Ne…

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    Book 7

    An Ill Fate Marshalling
    by
    4.00     · 630 Ratings · 21 Reviews · published 1988 · 13 editions
    Rejecting the advice of the wizard Varthlokkur and…

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    Book 8

    A Path to Coldness of Heart
    by
    4.04     · 535 Ratings · 33 Reviews · published 2012 · 4 editions
    At long last, the conclusion to Glen Cook's Dread …

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    Book different short stories

    The Best of Glen Cook
    by
    4.05     · 136 Ratings · 19 Reviews · published 2019 · 7 editions
    The best short fiction of legendary author Glen Co…

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    Book 1-3

    A Cruel Wind
    by
    3.90     · 1599 Ratings · 79 Reviews · published 2006 · 18 editions
    A Cruel A Chronicle of the Dread Empire collects t…

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    Book 4-5

    A Fortress in Shadow
    by
    4.15     · 748 Ratings · 21 Reviews · published 2007 · 12 editions
    Once a mighty kingdom reigned, but now all is chao…

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    Book 6-8

    Wrath of Kings
    by
    4.36     · 75 Ratings · 2 Reviews · published 2018 · 5 editions
    An omnibus edition of the final three Dread Empire…

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    The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, May 1978
    by
    4.00     · 1 Ratings · 1 Reviews · 1 edition

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    An Empire Unacquainted with Defeat
    by
    4.13     · 564 Ratings · 34 Reviews · published 2008 · 14 editions
    The Dread Empire, a gritty world of larger-than-li…

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    The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction July 1980
    by
    0.00     · 1 edition

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    The Berkley Showcase: Vol. 2
    by
    3.73     · 15 Ratings · published 1980 · 1 edition
    Contains -

    Soldier of an Empire Unacquainted With …

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    Sword and Sorceress
    by
    3.98     · 2694 Ratings · 43 Reviews · published 1984 · 8 editions
    The author of the marvelous Darkover novels and of…

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