Reading order
Books of the North reading order
Volumes 1–10 of 20 in The Black Company
1
2
3- 7.97.9 / 10778 ratings
- Score
- 3 volumes
- Volumes
- 1984–1985
- Published
- about 18 h
- Reading time
- Completed
- Status
- Fantasy
- Genre
Quick answer
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Publication order
3 volumes1984–1985Completed
- The first three Black Company novels — The Black Company, Shadows Linger, The White Rose — which form one complete arc and are often sold as an omnibus.
- The White Rose rates highest.
- The story continues in the Books of the South; see The Black Company for the whole run.
A plan for the whole series
3 volumes, 964 pages, about 18 hours. At 45 min a day that is about 3 weeks.
Stages
This series fits in one stage. You finish around November 22, 2026.
- Stage 118 habout 3 weeksby November 22, 2026
- The end of the series
We count 1.1 min per page, the pace of an average novel reader. Faster? Move the slider.
How this plan is calculated
The plan comes from the pages and ratings of each volume: we split the series into stages of about three weeks’ reading, size each break to the stage before it, and read the chance of finishing from how many readers rate the last volume compared with the first. How we work out the plan →
Every volume in order
Order checked by hand · Order and years: Wikidata (CC0). Spotted an error? Tell us. · Data updated October 29, 2026
Extras, short stories and spin-offs
Not needed to follow the main story — read them after the series or skip them.
- Annals of the Black Company1986
Frequently asked questions
Which Books of the North book is the best?
By reader score, The White Rose (8.1/10). The lowest-rated is Shadows Linger (8.1/10).
Which Books of the North book is the longest?
“The Black Company” is the longest at 324 pages; the shortest is “Shadows Linger” with 320 pages.
What should I read after Books of the North?
After the main series: Annals of the Black Company.
