Le Vieux Royaume
#514.38 adjusted 4.29 for sample size in the official ranking · full ranking
Books 3 books Status Ongoing 2007–present Reading commitment Medium Jean-Philippe Jaworski Last reviewed 2026-10-27
Overview
Jean-Philippe Jaworski's Vieux Royaume (Old Kingdom) is a French low-magic medieval world of rival cities, courts and mercenaries, built up across two story collections and a novel. Janua Vera (2007) introduced it in eight stories of very different tones; Gagner la guerre (2009), narrated by the hired killer Benvenuto Gesufal in the aftermath of Ciudalia's naval victory over Ressine, continues one of them and won the Prix Imaginales; Le Sentiment du fer (2015) adds five more stories from the kingdom's history.
Sword & sorcery, Grimdark · For Adult
Core Canon: Reading Order (3 works) counts toward ranking
Récits du Vieux Royaume Jean-Philippe Jaworski
| Work | Year | Internal chron. | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Janua Vera; Short-story collection (Les Moutons électriques, 2007; expanded edition 2010). Its story 'Mauvaise donne' introduces Benvenuto Gesufal and leads directly into Gagner la guerre. Folio paperback (Gallimard, 2009). The first edition (Les Moutons électriques, May 2007) is confirmed but its ISBN was not found. | 2007 | 1 | core | 4.26 (1,141 ratings) |
 | Gagner la guerre; Jaworski's first novel. | 2009 | 2 | core | 4.47 (2,541 ratings) |
 | Le Sentiment du fer; Short-story collection (Les Moutons électriques). Library records give a 2013 printing; the titled listing gives 2015, recorded here. Moutons électriques reissue (2021). First published by Les Moutons électriques in March 2015 (SensCritique 2015 listing); that edition's ISBN was not found. | 2015 | 3 | core | 4.09 (376 ratings) |
Two story collections and a novel set in the Old Kingdom.
Quick answers
- How many books are in Le Vieux Royaume? Le Vieux Royaume's Core Canon is 3 books.
- What is the reading order for Le Vieux Royaume? Publication order, starting with Janua Vera. Full list and years in the Core Canon table above.
- Is Le Vieux Royaume finished? Ongoing (2007–present).
- How much reading does Le Vieux Royaume take? Medium reading commitment (estimated from 3 Core Canon books).
- How is Le Vieux Royaume ranked? #51 in this site's official ranking, based on 4,058 reader ratings across 3 Core Canon books. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #51?
Ranked #51 in the official ranking.
- Average reader rating of 4.38 across 3 core books.
- A smaller readership (4,058 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- Less than 0.01 behind #50, The Hands of the Emperor (a finer tie-break level decides the order).
- Below the top-10 average of 4.46.
Why explore this universe?
Top-tier rated · 3 books · Ongoing · 4k ratings · Ranks #51 overall
Good choice if you want a moderate-length sword-and-sorcery universe that's still ongoing, with new books still coming.
Reading order
Publication order (3 Core Canon books)
- Janua Vera (2007)
- Gagner la guerre (2009)
- Le Sentiment du fer (2015)
Documented internal/story chronology is recorded for every Core Canon book here, and matches publication order exactly, with no divergence to show separately.
Awards (verified)
- Prix Imaginales (Meilleur roman francophone), 2009: won: Gagner la guerre
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- The Nevernight Chronicle Dark fantasy / Grimdark · Complete · Medium commitment · 4.29
- Capitale du Sud Epic fantasy / Sword & sorcery · Complete · Medium commitment · 4.28
Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 4.38 across 4,058 ratings on 3 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: Le Vieux Royaume (Jean-Philippe Jaworski, 3 books) accepted 2026-10-27
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
- Jean-Philippe Jaworski author listing (titled ratings) Tier 2
- Bibliothèques de Paris: Le Sentiment du fer (Electre summary) Tier 2
- Récits du Vieux Royaume omnibus listing (Janua Vera and Gagner la guerre in one world) Tier 2
Last reviewed: 2026-10-27
Rule: Core Canon = the three Vieux Royaume books: the collections Janua Vera (2007) and Le Sentiment du fer (2015) and the novel Gagner la guerre (2009), which continues a story from Janua Vera. The collections are Core because the novel is built directly on them. The author's Rois du Monde and Le Chevalier aux Épines are separate worlds.