Deathlands book cover

The Deathlands Series in Order

The Deathlands series by James Axler can be read in any order, though starting with Pilgrimage to Hell provides the clearest introduction to the setting and recurring characters. The premise follows Ryan Cawdor and his group of companions as they travel across a ruined, post-nuclear United States, fighting for survival in a brutal world filled with radiation, mutants, and dangerous barons.

🟡 Mostly Standalone · Start Anywhere

Deathlands Books in Order

126 books total 125 main + 1 companion book
#
Title
Date
Rating
2
Aug 1986
4
Aug 1987
5
Dec 1987
6
Apr 1988
7
Aug 1988
8
Nov 1988
9
May 1989
10
Nov 1989
11
May 1990
12
Apr 1991
13
Aug 1991
14
Dec 1991
15
Apr 1992
16
Aug 1992
17
Dec 1992
18
Jun 1993
19
Dec 1993
20
Apr 1994
22
Aug 1994
23
Oct 1994
24
Nov 1994
25
Feb 1995
26
Apr 1995
27
Jun 1995
28
Oct 1995
29
Nov 1995
30
Jan 1996
32
May 1996
33
Aug 1996
34
Nov 1996
35
Jan 1997
36
Mar 1997
37
May 1997
38
Jul 1997
39
Nov 1997
41
Apr 1998
42
Jul 1998
43
Oct 1998
44
Jan 1999
45
Apr 1999
46
Jul 1999
47
Oct 1999
48
Jan 2000
49
Apr 2000
51
Sep 2000
52
Dec 2000
53
Mar 2001
54
Jun 2001
55
Sep 2001
56
Dec 2001
57
Mar 2002
58
May 2002
59
Sep 2002
60
Dec 2002
61
May 2003
63
Sep 2003
64
Dec 2003
65
Mar 2004
66
Jun 2004
67
Sep 2004
68
Dec 2004
69
Mar 2005
70
Jun 2005
71
Sep 2005
72
Dec 2005
73
Mar 2006
74
Jun 2006
75
Sep 2006
76
Dec 2006
77
Mar 2007
78
Jun 2007
80
Dec 2007
81
Mar 2008
83
Feb 2008
84
Dec 2008
86
Jun 2009
88
Sep 2009
89
Dec 2009
90
Jan 2010
91
Mar 2010
93
Jul 2010
94
Sep 2010
95
Nov 2010
96
Jan 2011
97
Mar 2011
98
May 2011
99
Jul 2011
100
Sep 2011
101
Nov 2011
102
Jan 2012
104
May 2012
105
Jul 2012
106
Sep 2012
107
Nov 2012
108
Jan 2013
109
Mar 2013
110
May 2013
111
Jul 2013
112
Sep 2013
113
Nov 2013
114
Jan 2014
115
Mar 2014
116
May 2014
117
Jul 2014
118
Sep 2014
119
Nov 2014
120
Jan 2015
121
Mar 2015
123
Jul 2015
125
Nov 2015
Feb 1999

How to Read the Deathlands series

🟡 Mostly Standalone · Start Anywhere

Mostly standalone stories with recurring characters in a shared setting.

The Deathlands series does not need to be read in order. Each book tells a complete story with its own conflict and resolution. Continuity is limited to recurring characters and the shared post-apocalyptic setting, where the group's dynamics and gear remain consistent. Reading the Deathlands books out of order does not cause confusion for the main adventure in any volume.

About the Deathlands series

Series Premise

The Deathlands series is a long-running post-apocalyptic action-adventure series. Each book sends Ryan Cawdor and his companions to a new location through the mat-trans teleportation system, where they face fresh threats and challenges. The stories focus on survival, combat, and exploration in a devastated America.

Main Characters

The central figure is Ryan Cawdor, a one-eyed warrior and natural leader. His companions include Krysty Wroth, a woman with psychic abilities; J.B. Dix, the weapons expert; Mildred Wyeth, a skilled doctor; Jak Lauren, a young albino fighter; and Doc Tanner, an eccentric time-traveler. The group works together as a tight-knit team across the series.

Setting

The series is set in a future America devastated by nuclear war, known as Deathlands. The landscape includes ruined cities, radioactive wastelands, mutant-infested forests, and fortified settlements ruled by local barons. Each book typically explores a different region or hidden pre-war facility.

Tone & Themes

The Deathlands series appeals to readers who enjoy post-apocalyptic adventure with plenty of action and exploration. It suits those looking for straightforward, episodic stories set in a dangerous future world. The long-running series offers consistent characters and a wide variety of locations and threats.

Is This Series Worth Reading?

The Deathlands series appeals to readers who enjoy post-apocalyptic adventure with plenty of action and exploration. It suits those looking for straightforward, episodic stories set in a dangerous future world. The long-running series offers consistent characters and a wide variety of locations and threats.

Content Warnings and Heat Level

The series contains frequent graphic violence, gunfights, and descriptions of death and injury. It includes strong language and occasional sexual content. Some books feature dark themes such as slavery, mutation, and torture. The content is mature and intended for adult readers.

The Deathlands series delivers post-apocalyptic action-adventure stories centered on a group of survivors traveling through a ruined America. Its mostly standalone structure makes it flexible for readers. For those searching the Deathlands series order or books in order, any title provides a complete adventure within the consistent Deathlands world.

FAQ

How many books are in the Deathlands series?

126 books total: 125 main + 1 companion book

When will the next book in the series be released?

No new book is currently scheduled. The latest book, Devil's Vortex, was published in November 2015.

When was the most recent book released?

Devil's Vortex was published in November 2015.

What was the first book in the series?

The first book in the series is Pilgrimage to Hell, published in May 1986.

What genre is the Deathlands series?

The series primarily falls into the Action Adventure genre.

Do you need to read the Deathlands series in order?

No, the books do not need to be read in order. Each story stands on its own, but recurring characters and the shared setting connect the series.

What is the Deathlands series about?

The Deathlands series is a long-running post-apocalyptic action-adventure series. Each book sends Ryan Cawdor and his companions to a new location through the mat-trans teleportation system, where they face fresh threats and challenges. The stories focus on survival, combat, and exploration in a devastated America.

Is the Deathlands series finished?

The series does not currently have a new book scheduled.