Sherrilyn Kenyon Books in Order (Updated February 16, 2026)

Sherrilyn Kenyon writes multiple long-running, interlocking fantasy-romance universes. The biggest is the World of Dark-Hunters, which branches into Dark-Hunters, Dream-Hunters, Deadman’s Cross, Lords of Avalon, and related lines. She also writes two other major lanes that are easier to keep separate: Chronicles of Nick / Shadows of Fire (YA) and The League (space opera romance).

If you read out of order, the most common problem is not confusion about the romance, it’s running into big mythology reveals (who’s allied with whom, who survived what, and what the larger enemy actually is).

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The map before the mileage

World of Dark-Hunters (shared mythology):

• Dark-Hunter (core spine)
• Dream-Hunter (overlaps with Dark-Hunter entries)
• Deadman’s Cross (a tighter trilogy inside the broader world)
• Lords of Avalon (Arthurian branch connected to the wider mythos)

Separate lanes (no required crossover):

• Chronicles of Nick / Shadows of Fire (YA; its own entry rules)
• The League (sci-fi romance; separate continuity)
• Myths & Outlaws (newer fantasy line; separate continuity)

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Three reliable starting points

If you want the flagship adult series: start with Night Pleasures (Dark-Hunter).
If you want YA with a clear “Book 1”: start with Infinity (Chronicles of Nick).
If you want sci-fi romance: start with Born of Night (The League).

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Dark-Hunter (core adult series, best read in this sequence)

This is the backbone. It’s also the series where short stories, holiday pieces, and cross-branch novels get folded in, so the cleanest approach is to follow the main run below, then circle back for extras.

• Dark Bites: A collection-style entry that functions as a gateway to the Dark-Hunter world and its tone.
• Fantasy Lover (also known as Julian of Macedon): A foundational early romance that introduces the “immortal bargain” flavor the universe is built on.
• Night Pleasures: The modern Dark-Hunter saga truly ignites here, establishing the series’ main conflict and core rules.
• Dragonswan: A Dark-Hunter-world romance that widens the mythology beyond the earliest circle.
• Night Embrace: Expands the cast and the consequences of what it means to belong to the Dark-Hunter world.
• Dance with the Devil: Deepens the series’ moral code and shows what immortality costs when you stop running from it.
• Kiss of the Night: Builds the wider community around the Hunters while keeping the romance at the center.
• Night Play: A key “world-expanding” installment that broadens the supernatural politics.
• Seize the Night: Moves the larger plot forward and raises the stakes inside the Hunter hierarchy.
• Sins of the Night: The mythology turns sharper here, with revelations that ripple forward through later books.
• Unleash the Night: Continues the escalating war and leans harder into the series’ larger enemy structure.
• Dark Side of the Moon: Pushes the scope outward and reinforces why reading in order keeps surprises intact.
• The Dream-Hunter: A crossover-feeling entry that brings the Dream-Hunter concept into the Dark-Hunter reading flow.
• Devil May Cry: A major relationship and mythology book that assumes you know the world’s rules already.
• Upon the Midnight Clear: A holiday-adjacent entry that still carries meaningful continuity weight.
• Dream Chaser: Advances the Dream-Hunter angle while staying inside the larger Dark-Hunter tapestry.
• Acheron: A pivotal mythology reveal book that is best saved until you have the earlier context.
• One Silent Night: A continuation-era installment that plays best once Acheron’s revelations are behind you.
• Dream Warrior: Keeps the Dream-Hunter thread active and continues the broader myth arc.
• Bad Moon Rising: Another major forward step for the universe’s “big bad” structure.
• No Mercy: Expands the conflict and ties more tightly into the long-running war.
• Retribution: A vengeance-driven entry that depends on the series’ established mythology.
• The Guardian: Pushes the larger plot into later-stage territory and is not a good jump-in point.
• Time Untime: Escalates the universe-level stakes and assumes deep familiarity with the world.
• Styxx: A mythology-heavy companion to Acheron that reframes earlier history and is best read after Acheron.
• Son of No One: Bridges into the later era of the world with strong ties across the wider mythos.
• Dragonbane: An Arthurian-linked branch entry that also functions as part of the broader Dark-Hunter reading flow.
• Dragonmark: Continues the Arthurian branch and deepens the connected-world consequences.
• Dragonsworn: Keeps that branch moving while feeding the larger universe arc.
• Stygian: A late-stage Dark-Hunter novel best read only after the earlier mythology has been established.

Optional material note: There is an official, extremely granular list that includes short fiction and re-titled anthology appearances. If you want “everything,” follow that. If you want “the clean novel experience,” use the list above and then add extras afterward.

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Dream-Hunters (overlapping branch, best after you’ve started Dark-Hunter)

This strand can be read as its own mini-run, but it hits harder once you already know the Dark-Hunter universe.

• Phantom Lover: A shorter on-ramp that introduces the Dream-Hunter concept in a compact way.
• The Dream-Hunter: The first full Dream-Hunter novel and a key bridge into the wider mythology.
• Upon the Midnight Clear: A holiday-season setting with real continuity weight in the Dream-Hunter line.
• Dream Chaser: Continues the Dream-Hunter arc and deepens the stakes.
• Dream Warrior: Pushes the branch forward while tying into the core myth conflict.
• The Guardian: A later-stage installment that assumes you’re already following the universe-wide story.
• Shadow Fallen: A modern-era return to the Dream-Hunter thread that plays best with deep series context.

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Deadman’s Cross (tight trilogy inside the Dark-Hunter world)

If you want something shorter that still sits inside the universe, this is the neatest lane.

• Deadmen Walking: Introduces the Deadman’s Cross premise and its darker, more contained tone.
• Death Doesn’t Bargain: The middle volume intensifies the curse-and-consequence structure.
• At Death’s Door: Concludes the trilogy’s central arc and works best without skipping the first two.

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Lords of Avalon (Arthurian branch; written under both Sherrilyn Kenyon and Kinley MacGregor)

These are connected to the broader mythology, but you can read them as their own sequence.

• The Wager: A pre-series entry that sets the tone for the Avalon line.
• Sword of Darkness: Establishes the main Avalon conflict and its core players.
• Knight of Darkness: Continues the Avalon arc with escalating stakes and deeper myth links.
• Son of No One: A later entry that connects strongly to the wider Kenyon mythology.
• Dragonbane: Pulls the Avalon thread into a later era with major implications.
• Dragonmark: Continues the storyline and expands the branch’s scope.
• Dragonsworn: Advances the arc and deepens the series-wide consequences.
• Stygian: A shared-world late-stage novel that is best read after substantial Dark-Hunter context.

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Chronicles of Nick / Shadows of Fire (YA lane, read in order)

This line is YA and has its own internal sequencing. The “Infinity” run is the clean first arc, and “Shadows of Fire” continues it.

• Infinity: Introduces Nick Gautier and the core supernatural premise that will reshape his life.
• Invincible: The world gets larger and more dangerous as Nick’s obligations deepen.
• Infamous: The consequences of Nick’s growing power and attention begin to bite back.
• Inferno: The conflict escalates and the series’ bigger enemy picture sharpens.
• Illusion: Nick’s trust and perception become central survival issues.
• Instinct: The series leans into harder choices and rising personal cost.
• Invision: Expands the mythology and the “why this matters” stakes.
• Intensity: Marks the transition point into the later continuation era.
• Sabotage: Moves into the continuation-era storyline with new pressures and deeper fallout.
• Last Christmas: A continuity entry that still belongs in-sequence rather than as a standalone holiday read.
• Savage: Continues the continuation era and pushes Nick’s arc into higher-risk territory.
• Simi: A major character-focused installment that functions as a payoff for long-time readers of this universe.

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The League (sci-fi romance lane, separate continuity)

The League is its own universe. The safest approach is to read straight through in the intended order.

• Born of Night: Launches the universe and its central power structures.
• Born of Fire: Expands the setting and deepens the politics behind the romance.
• Born of Ice: Pushes the story into larger-scale conflict and establishes long-running stakes.
• Fire & Ice: A linked installment that fits inside the same overall series progression.
• Born of Shadows: Continues the main arc and widens the cast.
• Born of Silence: Deepens the war-era consequences and the series’ moral pressure points.
• Cloak & Silence: Extends the same conflict line with returning context.
• Born of Fury: A major series installment that assumes you know the universe’s war framework.
• Born of Defiance: Drives the ongoing war and resistance themes forward.
• Born of Betrayal: Leans into high-consequence choices that land best in-sequence.
• Born of Legend: A later-era entry that builds on multiple earlier books’ outcomes.
• Born of Vengeance: Continues the same arc with expanding consequences.
• Born of Rage: A late-stage installment best read after the earlier war-era development.

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Myths & Outlaws (newer fantasy lane, separate continuity)

This is separate from Dark-Hunters and reads cleanly from Book 1.

• House of Fire & Magic: Opens the Myths & Outlaws world with a survival-and-loyalty setup where trust is the rarest currency.
• House of Ice & Shadows: Continues the same world and conflict line as the second major installment.

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A reading plan that avoids the usual pitfalls

1. Pick one lane and stay with it until you finish an arc (Dark-Hunter, Nick, or League).
2. Only then add connected branches (Dream-Hunters, Lords of Avalon, Deadman’s Cross).
3. Treat Myths & Outlaws as its own shelf, it won’t help you “understand Dark-Hunters,” and it doesn’t need it.