The Black Dagger Brotherhood is an ongoing series of paranormal romance books by author J. R. Ward. The series focuses on a society (the "Black Dagger Brotherhood") of vampire warriors who live together and defend their race against de-souled humans called lessers. The first book in the series was published in 2005.
Ward's Fallen Angels series is set in the same universe, and has some overlap in characters, but little overlap in story lines. It takes place earlier than the main series.
A serial adaptation of these novels was optioned by Passionflix. The Black Dagger Brotherhood (Tv Series)Season 1 was released in 2025.
Main series Main books following the brothers. TitleDateISBN0Darius (prequel) September 20231Dark Lover September 20052Lover EternalMarch 20063Lover AwakenedSeptember 20064Lover RevealedMarch 20075Lover UnboundSeptember 20076Lover EnshrinedJune 2008Father Mine: Zsadist and Bella's Story (eBook Novella)October 2008"The Story of Son" (story contained in Dead After Dark anthology )December 20087Lover AvengedApril 20098Lover MineMay 20109Lover UnleashedMarch 2011 10Lover RebornMarch 201211Lover at LastMarch 201312The KingApril 201413The ShadowsMarch 201514The BeastApril 201615The ChosenApril 2017Dearest Ivie (eBook Novella)March 201816The ThiefApril 2018Prisoner of Night (eBook Novella)January 201917The SaviorApril 2019Where Winter Finds You (Novella)November 201918The SinnerMarch 2020A Warm Heart in Winter (Novella)December 202019Lover UnveiledApril 202120Lover Arisen April 202221Lassiter April 202322The Beloved April 2024A Bloom in Winter (novella) November 202423Lover Forbidden September 202524Lover Enthroned September 202625Havoc 202726Wrath 202827The Scribe Virgin 2029
The Black Dagger Brotherhood: 20th Anniversary Insider’s Guide. (2025) Black Dagger Brotherhood, box set: Dark Lover, Lover Eternal, Lover Awakened, Lover Unbound, Lover Revealed, Lover Enshrined (2009)
Spin-off series Black Dagger Legacy Series
A spin-off series that details the trainees. Runs parallel to the main series.
TitleDateISBN1Blood Kiss December 20152Blood Vow December 20163Blood Fury January 20184Blood Truth August 2019
Prison Camp Series
A spin-off series that follows the inmates of the glymera's secret and notorious prison camp. Runs parallel to the main series.
TitleDateISBN1The Jackal August 2020 2The Wolf November 20213The Viper September 2022 4Brother of Fire: Lost Dagger Society 1 TBD
The Lair of the Wolven Series
A spin-off series that follows wolves of the Black Dagger Brotherhood world. Runs parallel to the main series.
TitleDateISBN1Claimed July 20212Forever March 20233 Mine January 2024
Fallen Angels Series
Series set in the same universe, but takes place in an earlier timeline.
TitleDateISBN1Covet September 2009 2Crave October 2010 3Envy September 20114Rapture September 20125Possession October 20136Immortal October 2014
Suggested reading order Reading order suggested by J.R. Ward.
Darius (BDB Book # 0.5) Dark Lover (BDB Book #1) Lover Eternal (BDB Book #2) Lover Awakened (BDB Book #3) Lover Revealed (BDB Book #4) Lover Unbound (BDB Book #5) Lover Enshrined (BDB Book #6) Father Mine (BDB Book #6.5) Lover Avenged (BDB Book #7) Covet (Fallen Angels Book #1) Lover Mine (BDB Book #8) Crave (Fallen Angels Book #2) Lover Unleashed (BDB Book #9) Envy (Fallen Angels Book #3) Lover Reborn (BDB Book #10) Rapture (Fallen Angels Book #4) Lover At Last (BDB Book #11) Possession (Fallen Angels Book #5) The King (BDB Book #12) Immortal (Fallen Angels Book #6) The Shadows (BDB Book #13) The Beast (BDB Book #14) Blood Kiss (Legacy Book #1) Blood Vow (Legacy Book #2) The Chosen (BDB Book #15) Dearest Ivie (BDB Book #15.5) Blood Fury (Legacy Book #3) The Thief (BDB Book #16) Prisoner of Night (Novella #1) The Savior (BDB Book #17) Blood Truth (Legacy Book #4) Where Winter Finds You (Novella #2) The Sinner (BDB Book #18) The Jackal (Prison Camp Book #1) A Warm Heart in Winter (Novella #3) Lover Unveiled (BDB Book #19) Claimed (Wolven Book #1) The Wolf (Prison Camp #2) Lover Arisen (BDB Book #20) The Viper (Prison Camp #3) Forever (Wolven Book #2) Mine (Wolven Book #3) Lassiter (BDB Book #3) The Beloved (BDB Book #22) A Bloom in Winter (Novella #4) Lover Forbidden (BDB Book #23) Lover Enthroned (BDB Book #24)
Note: 'Prisoner of Night' is a standalone novella in the same world, but does not cover the Brotherhood. 'Where Winter Finds You' and 'A Warm Winter Heart' novellas cover the Brotherhood.
References
External links J. R. Ward's official website J.R. Ward's author page on Simon & Schuster