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Assassin's Creed Books in Order
The canonical Assassin's Creed novels, ordered two ways: by publication date, and by the matching game so each book lands right beside the story it tells.
Assassin's Creed Books in Order: complete list
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Why this order?
Almost every early Assassin's Creed novel exists to novelize a specific game, so the first thing to settle is whether you read them by publication date or slot each one next to the game it covers. The nine Oliver Bowden books (a shared pen name used by Anton Gill and Andrew Holmes) map cleanly: Renaissance is Assassin's Creed II, Brotherhood is AC Brotherhood, The Secret Crusade is Altair's story from AC1, Revelations closes the Ezio arc, Forsaken is Haytham Kenway from AC III, Black Flag is AC IV, Unity is AC Unity, and Underworld ties to the Syndicate era in Victorian London. Because these shipped in the same window as their games and in the same sequence, publication order and game order are identical for the Bowden run.
The two orders only diverge once you reach the modern novels. Gordon Doherty's Odyssey novelization (2018) covers Kassandra, and Andrew Holmes' Desert Oath (2017) is a prequel to Origins, so by game timeline Desert Oath and Odyssey belong back with the Ancient-era RPGs even though they were published years after Underworld. Matthew J. Kirby's Geirmund's Saga (2020) rides alongside Valhalla, and Jaleigh Johnson's The Golden City (2023) bridges Valhalla and Mirage. Our "alongside the game" order re-sorts those four so you can read each book right after finishing its game.
Spoilers are the real reason to choose carefully. These are novelizations, not sequels, so reading Forsaken before playing AC III hands you the Haytham twist early, and The Secret Crusade spoils Altair's fate. If you are also a player, we recommend the game-paired order and reading each novel after you clear the matching title. If you are here purely as a reader, publication order is the cleaner spine.
The books are the deep-lore companion to the games, so pair this with our Assassin's Creed games in order guide: the early novels only make full sense once you know who Desmond, the Isu, and the Templars are from playing through the series.
Timeline 2009-2023
Every entry by release year: rows that share a year are a cluster, and the long droughts are called out on the rail.
- 2009 Renaissance
- 2010 Brotherhood
- 2011 The Secret CrusadeRevelations
- 2012 Forsaken
- 2013 Black Flag
- 2014 Unity
- 2015 Underworld
- 2017 Desert Oath
- 2018 Odyssey (The Official Novelization)
- 2020 Valhalla: Geirmund's Saga
- 2023 The Golden City
Where to play it today
- Kindle and Amazon for ebook and paperback editions
- Penguin editions for the nine Oliver Bowden novels
- Aconyte Books editions for the newer tie-in novels
- Audible and other audiobook services for narrated versions
- Bookstores and libraries for print copies
Availability changes often and varies by region - links search each platform for Assassin's Creed.
Frequently asked questions
How many Assassin's Creed novels are there?
There are nine Oliver Bowden novels (Renaissance through Underworld, plus the Origins prequel Desert Oath), plus a growing line of later tie-ins. This guide lists the main twelve canonical novels, including Desert Oath, the Odyssey novelization, Geirmund's Saga, and The Golden City. Ubisoft and Aconyte continue to add more.
Who is Oliver Bowden?
Oliver Bowden is a shared pen name, not a single person. Renaissance, Brotherhood, and Revelations were written by Anton Gill, while The Secret Crusade, Forsaken, Black Flag, Unity, Underworld, and Desert Oath were written by Andrew Holmes.
Which novel goes with which game?
Renaissance is AC II, Brotherhood is AC Brotherhood, The Secret Crusade is AC1 and Altair, Revelations is AC Revelations, Forsaken is Haytham from AC III, Black Flag is AC IV, Unity is AC Unity, and Underworld ties to AC Syndicate. Desert Oath is an Origins prequel, Odyssey novelizes AC Odyssey, Geirmund's Saga is a Valhalla tie-in, and The Golden City bridges Valhalla and Mirage.
Should I read the books before or after playing the games?
After. Most of these are novelizations, so reading Forsaken before AC III or The Secret Crusade before AC1 spoils major twists. If you are a player, use our alongside-the-game order and read each book once you finish the matching game.
Are the Assassin's Creed novels canon?
The direct game novelizations and the Ubisoft-published tie-ins like Desert Oath and Geirmund's Saga are treated as part of the official lore. They expand on characters and events from the games rather than contradicting them.
Do I need to play the games to enjoy the books?
Not strictly, but it helps. The novels assume some familiarity with the Assassin and Templar conflict and the modern-day Animus frame, which the games explain in full. Pairing them with our Assassin's Creed games in order guide gives the best experience.
Last verified · Sources: en.wikipedia.org, assassinscreed.fandom.com, penguinrandomhouse.com, goodreads.com, orderofbooks.com
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