The Dwarves
#3454.03 in the official ranking · full ranking
Books 9 books Status Ongoing 2003–present Reading commitment High Markus Heitz Last reviewed 2026-08-30
Overview
The Dwarves is a bestselling German epic fantasy sequence by Markus Heitz, first published as Die Zwerge in 2003. It follows Tungdil Boldhammer, a dwarf raised among humans who discovers his true heritage as he helps defend the land of Girdlegard against dark elves and other ancient threats, gradually growing from an isolated apprentice into a central figure in the land's defense. Nine volumes have appeared to date, spanning from The Dwarves (2003) through two linked two-part continuations, The Return of the Dwarves and The Heart of the Dwarves, both released in 2021-2022, and the series continues. The books have been translated into numerous languages and are counted among the best-known works of contemporary German-language fantasy, helping popularize the genre domestically alongside authors like Bernhard Hennen. Heitz is a genuinely new author to this canon, distinct from any other credited series.
Epic fantasy · For Adult
Core Canon: Reading Order (9 works) counts toward ranking
The Dwarves Markus Heitz
| Work | Year | Internal chron. | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | The Dwarves | 2003 | 1 | core | 3.98 (15,700 ratings) |
 | The War of the Dwarves | 2004 | 2 | core | 4.11 (8,385 ratings) |
 | The Revenge of the Dwarves | 2005 | 3 | core | 4.04 (6,754 ratings) |
 | The Fate of the Dwarves | 2008 | 4 | core | 3.99 (5,439 ratings) |
 | The Triumph of the Dwarves | 2015 | 5 | core | 4.12 (2,444 ratings) |
 | The Return of the Dwarves, Part 1 | 2021 | 6 | core | 3.98 (722 ratings) |
 | The Return of the Dwarves, Part 2 | 2021 | 7 | core | 3.99 (549 ratings) |
 | The Heart of the Dwarves, Part 1 | 2022 | 8 | core | 4.09 (339 ratings) |
 | The Heart of the Dwarves, Part 2 | 2022 | 9 | core | 4.11 (295 ratings) |
A bestselling German epic fantasy sequence following the dwarf warrior Tungdil Boldhammer defending the land of Girdlegard against dark elves and other threats. First published in German as Die Zwerge (2003, Piper Verlag); the first five volumes and the double-volume Return of the Dwarves have been published in English translation, most recently in 2021. Two further German-original volumes (Das Herz der Zwerge, 2022) have not yet appeared in English; the series remains ongoing.
Quick answers
- How many books are in The Dwarves? The Dwarves's Core Canon is 9 books.
- What is the reading order for The Dwarves? Publication order, starting with The Dwarves. Full list and years in the Core Canon table above.
- Is The Dwarves finished? Ongoing (2003–present).
- How much reading does The Dwarves take? High reading commitment (estimated from 9 Core Canon books · ~5,112 pages).
- How is The Dwarves ranked? #345 in this site's official ranking, based on 40,627 reader ratings across 9 Core Canon books. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #345?
Ranked #345 in the official ranking.
- Average reader rating of 4.03 across 9 core books.
- A smaller readership (40,627 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- Remarkably consistent across the whole series: all 9 rated core books rate within 0.14 of each other.
- Less than 0.01 behind #344, Darwath (a finer tie-break level decides the order).
- Below the top-10 average of 4.45.
Why explore this universe?
Well rated · 9 books · Ongoing · 41k ratings · Ranks #345 overall
Good choice if you want a long-running epic fantasy universe that's still ongoing, with new books still coming.
Reading order
Publication order (9 Core Canon books)
- The Dwarves (2003)
- The War of the Dwarves (2004)
- The Revenge of the Dwarves (2005)
- The Fate of the Dwarves (2008)
- The Triumph of the Dwarves (2015)
- The Return of the Dwarves, Part 1 (2021)
- The Return of the Dwarves, Part 2 (2021)
- The Heart of the Dwarves, Part 1 (2022)
- The Heart of the Dwarves, Part 2 (2022)
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)
- No awards found for this universe.
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Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 4.03 across 40,627 ratings on 9 Core Canon books. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.
How do we know this?
Admission: Admit The Dwarves (Markus Heitz) accepted 2026-08-30
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
Last reviewed: 2026-08-31
Rule: Core Canon is every published volume: The Dwarves (2003) through The Heart of the Dwarves, Part 2 (2022). The series is ongoing.