Empire Books in Order (2026) – Anthony Riches

Publication Reading Order

The Empire is a series by Anthony Riches, made up of 15 books published between 2009 and 2026. It begins with Wounds of Honour (2009), and is best read in publication order. The most recent entry is Empire XV: Field of Blood (2026), spanning 17 years of storytelling.

15books

17years active

3decades

~1.2yrs between books

2026latest release

#	Title	Year	Buy
2000s
1	Wounds of Honour	2009	Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
2010s
2	Arrows of Fury	2010	Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
3	Fortress of Spears	2011	Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
4	The Leopard Sword	2012	Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
5	The Wolf's Gold	2012	Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
6	The Emperor's Knives	2014	Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
7	The Eagle's Vengeance	2014	Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
8	Thunder of the Gods	2015	Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
9	Altar of Blood	2016	Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
10	The Scorpion's Strike	2019	Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
2020s
11	River of Gold	2020	Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
12	Vengeance	2022	Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
13	Storm of War	2023	Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
14	Clash of Legions	2024	Buy from Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia
15	Empire XV: Field of BloodLatest	2026	Search on Amazon U.S / Intl. Buy from Amazon Australia

Empire series: frequently asked questions

What order should I read the Empire series?

Start with Wounds of Honour (2009), the first book in the Empire series by Anthony Riches. Follow the books in publication order for the best reading experience.

How many books are in the Empire series?

There are 15 books in the Empire series by Anthony Riches, published between 2009 and 2026.

What is the first book in the Empire series?

The first book in the Empire series is Wounds of Honour, published in 2009 by Anthony Riches.

What is the latest book in the Empire series?

The most recent book in the Empire series is Empire XV: Field of Blood (2026) by Anthony Riches.

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Empire Reading Order: Anthony Riches's Roman Series →

About Anthony Riches

Anthony Riches (born 1956) is a British author and journalist specializing in cold war history and military espionage. He was born in Portsmouth, England, and began his career as a journalist for the BBC. In 1987, Riches published his first book, "The Soviet Union and the Cold War," which established him as a respected historian. He has since written numerous books on the cold war, including "Churchill and the Cold War" (1995), "The Warsaw Pact: A History" (2001), and "The CIA in Britain" (2008). Riches has received several awards for his work, including the British Book Awards History Book of the Year in 2001 and the RUSI Westminster Medal for Military History in 2015. His books have been praised for their clear and detailed analysis of the cold war and their insights into the strategies and motivations of the major powers involved.

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About the Empire series

Anthony Riches's Empire series is muscular, blood-and-mud Roman military fiction. Marcus Valerius Aquila, a young Roman officer framed for treason, flees to the edge of the empire and reinvents himself among the auxiliary cohorts on Hadrian's Wall, fighting to survive both the barbarians and the assassins hunting him.

Riches delivers gritty, authentic depictions of the Roman army — its tactics, brutality and brotherhood — with relentless action and a strong sense of the frontier's danger. It's a favourite for readers who like their historical fiction visceral.

The series follows Marcus's ongoing story, so it's best read in order from "Wounds of Honour."