The Ultimate Fantasy Series Ranking

Research dossier

Chronicles of an Age of Darkness

#7673.89 adjusted 3.90 for sample size in the official ranking · full ranking

Books 10 books Status Unfinished 1986–1992 Reading commitment High Hugh Cook Last reviewed 2026-11-02

Overview

Hugh Cook's Chronicles of an Age of Darkness is a series of ten novels published between 1986 and 1992, all set on the planet Olo Malan across the continents of Argan, Tameran, Yestron and Parengarenga. Each book is narrated by a different character and the stories overlap over about thirty years, from the war between the Rovac warriors and the Confederation of Wizards in the first novel to the career of the conqueror Guest Gulkan in the last. A backstory involving the interdimensional Nexus, which cut the world off and began the Age of Darkness, emerges as the books go on. Cook planned sixty volumes but stopped at ten after poor sales.

Epic fantasy · For Adult

Core Canon: Reading Order (10 works) counts toward ranking

Chronicles of an Age of Darkness Hugh Cook

WorkYearInternal chron.CanonRating
Cover of The Wizards and the WarriorsThe Wizards and the Warriors; Published in the United States as Wizard War.19861core3.76 (824 ratings)
Cover of The Wordsmiths and the WarguildThe Wordsmiths and the Warguild; Published in the United States as two books, The Questing Hero and The Hero's Return.19872core3.77 (333 ratings)
Cover of The Women and the WarlordsThe Women and the Warlords; Published in the United States as The Oracle. The setting is the continent of Tameran.19873core3.81 (302 ratings)
Cover of The Walrus and the WarwolfThe Walrus and the Warwolf; Published in the United States as Lords of the Sword (first part only); reissued in 2010 by Planet Stories.19884core4.23 (409 ratings)
Cover of The Wicked and the WitlessThe Wicked and the Witless19895core3.87 (215 ratings)
Cover of The Wishstone and the WonderworkersThe Wishstone and the Wonderworkers19906core3.85 (197 ratings)
Cover of The Wazir and the WitchThe Wazir and the Witch19907core3.84 (189 ratings)
Cover of The Werewolf and the WormlordThe Werewolf and the Wormlord19918core3.88 (171 ratings)
Cover of The Worshippers and the WayThe Worshippers and the Way19929core3.91 (159 ratings)
Cover of The Witchlord and the WeaponmasterThe Witchlord and the Weaponmaster199210core4.20 (133 ratings)

Ten linked novels, each narrated by a different character, set on the world of Olo Malan.

Quick answers

Why is it ranked #767?

Ranked #767 in the official ranking.

How the ranking works →

Why explore this universe?

Rated · 10 books · Unfinished · 3k ratings · Ranks #767 overall

Good choice if you want a long-running epic fantasy universe.

Reading order

Publication order (10 Core Canon books)

  1. The Wizards and the Warriors (1986)
  2. The Women and the Warlords (1987)
  3. The Wordsmiths and the Warguild (1987)
  4. The Walrus and the Warwolf (1988)
  5. The Wicked and the Witless (1989)
  6. The Wazir and the Witch (1990)
  7. The Wishstone and the Wonderworkers (1990)
  8. The Werewolf and the Wormlord (1991)
  9. The Witchlord and the Weaponmaster (1992)
  10. The Worshippers and the Way (1992)

Documented internal/story order

  1. The Wizards and the Warriors (1986)
  2. The Wordsmiths and the Warguild (1987)
  3. The Women and the Warlords (1987)
  4. The Walrus and the Warwolf (1988)
  5. The Wicked and the Witless (1989)
  6. The Wishstone and the Wonderworkers (1990)
  7. The Wazir and the Witch (1990)
  8. The Werewolf and the Wormlord (1991)
  9. The Worshippers and the Way (1992)
  10. The Witchlord and the Weaponmaster (1992)

Awards (verified)

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Suggestions computed from what Chronicles of an Age of Darkness and each of these worlds have in common on record (subgenre, audience, shape, reading commitment and score), not a documented narrative connection.

Official resources

Research details

Ranking metrics: weighted average 3.89 across 2,932 ratings on 10 Core Canon books. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.

How do we know this?

Admission: Canon Extension: 28 universes; 3 candidates ruled out accepted 2026-11-02

Sources: (see source tier definitions)

Last reviewed: 2026-11-02

Rule: Core Canon = the ten Chronicles of an Age of Darkness novels, The Wizards and the Warriors (1986) to The Witchlord and the Weaponmaster (1992). Excluded: the related short stories.

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