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Jennifer A Nielsen Books in Order

Explore Jennifer A Nielsen books in order, with series lists, short summaries, reading paths, background, and clear tips on where to start.

Last updated: June 7, 2026

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27 books

Elliot and the Goblin War

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2010

Elliot Penster accidentally saves a Brownie from Goblins and is crowned King of the Brownies. Now he must end a war, dodge Goblin attacks, and keep his family from noticing.

Elliot and the Pixie Plot

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2011

Elliot's job as King of the Brownies gets worse when Pixies and Fairies pull him into their feud. To survive, he must face dark magic, strange allies, and Kovol's threat.

Elliot and the Last Underworld War

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2012

Elliot has battled Goblins, tricked Pixies, and trapped a demon, but now Kovol has escaped. The Underworld's creatures must unite, and Elliot has to prove he can lead them.

The False Prince

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2012

In a kingdom close to civil war, a nobleman recruits orphan boys to impersonate a lost prince. Sage must outwit rivals and captors alike, because failure could mean death.

Behind Enemy Lines

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2013

Dak, Sera, and Riq travel to World War II Europe, where one spy mission could shift the war's balance. But every move may also serve the SQ's larger plan.

The Runaway King

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2013

Only weeks after taking the throne, Jaron survives an assassination attempt and learns war may be coming. To save Carthya, he may have to leave the crown behind and become a fugitive.

The Shadow Throne

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2014

War reaches Carthya, and Jaron must race to rescue Imogen while his enemies move against the throne. His friends are scattered, his kingdom is under threat, and every choice matters.

A Night Divided

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2015

When the Berlin Wall rises, Gerta's family is split between east and west. A strange message from her father points to a tunnel, but escape could cost everyone their lives.

Mark of the Thief

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2015

Nic, an enslaved boy in the mines outside Rome, finds Julius Caesar's magical bulla and becomes the target of a conspiracy. Freedom is within reach, if the empire's enemies do not use him first.

Rise of the Wolf

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2016

Nic has escaped the mines, but the Praetors believe he can unlock a weapon that could destroy Rome. When his mother is taken, he risks a deadly chariot race to save her.

The Scourge

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2016

Ani Mells tests positive for a deadly plague and is sent to Attic Island, a grim quarantine colony. With her friend Weevil, she begins uncovering lies behind the Scourge itself.

Deadzone

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2017

The young survivors of a strange plane crash leave the jungle only to enter a deadly red desert. New creatures, mechanical threats, and changes within the group make escape even harder.

Wrath of the Storm

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2017

Nic is caught between Caesar's magic bulla, the Malice of Mars, and powers circling Rome. To save his friends and claim freedom, he must face enemies who want the empire broken.

Resistance

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2018

Chaya Lindner, a Jewish courier in Nazi-occupied Poland, joins the resistance after her family is torn apart. Her work grows more dangerous as she moves toward the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.

The Traitor's Game

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2018

Kestra Dallisor is kidnapped by rebels who need her to find the Olden Blade, the one weapon that can kill a tyrant. But Kestra is no easy hostage, and Simon is no simple enemy.

The Deceiver's Heart

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2019

Kestra finally has the Olden Blade, but her strike against Lord Endrick goes terribly wrong. With memory, loyalty, and trust shattered, she and Simon must find their way through a rebellion on edge.

Words on Fire

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2019

In Russian-occupied Lithuania, Audra discovers that her parents are part of a secret book-smuggling network. Carrying banned words becomes her path to resistance, and maybe to saving her family.

The Captive Kingdom

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2020

A sea voyage turns into an ambush when Jaron is captured by enemies with shocking claims about his past. To protect Carthya, he must untangle old secrets while fighting for his freedom.

The Warrior's Curse

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2020

As the battle for Antora deepens, Simon faces the burdens of kingship while Kestra's magic grows in exile. Both still want to stop Lord Endrick, but their paths keep pulling them apart.

Rescue

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2021

In Nazi-occupied France, Meg Kenyon gets a chance to help free her imprisoned father. To do it, she must guide strangers across dangerous territory while decoding the clues he left behind.

The Shattered Castle

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2021

Jaron returns to Carthya carrying a dangerous secret, only to face a brutal attack on his own castle. With enemies closing in and trust strained, he must fight to hold his kingdom together.

Lines of Courage

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2022

Across World War I Europe, five young people from different countries face hunger, battle, loss, and impossible choices. Their separate paths begin to connect, showing how courage can travel across borders.

Iceberg

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2023

Hazel Rothbury stows away on the Titanic, hoping to write a story that can save her family from poverty. A mystery onboard turns deadly when disaster strikes and Hazel must fight to survive.

Once Upon a Climb

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2024

This short nonfiction guide uses mountain climbing as a way to talk about dreams, goals, setbacks, and support. Nielsen lays out five practical steps for anyone trying to keep climbing.

Uprising

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2024

In occupied Poland, twelve-year-old Lidia helps smuggle food into the Warsaw Ghetto and later joins the resistance as a courier. Her courage is tested as the Warsaw Uprising begins.

One Wrong Step

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2025

On a 1939 Everest expedition, Atlas is left behind with Maddie and an injured Sherpa after an avalanche. Their rescue climb becomes a fight against weather, grief, and a hidden threat.

New

Magnitude

by Jennifer A Nielsen

2026

During the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Cora is trapped, rescued, and thrown into a city in flames. With Chi and Oliver, she searches for family while thieves hunt her secret.

Where should I start?

If you want fantasy with royal danger: The False PrinceThe Runaway KingThe Shadow Throne.
If you like historical survival stories: A Night DividedResistanceWords on FireIceberg.
If you prefer YA fantasy rebellion: The Traitor's GameThe Deceiver's HeartThe Warrior's Curse.
For Roman magic and adventure: Mark of the ThiefRise of the WolfWrath of the Storm.
For funny younger-reader fantasy: Elliot and the Goblin WarElliot and the Pixie PlotElliot and the Last Underworld War.

Author bio

Jennifer A. Nielsen was born and raised in northern Utah, close to the Wasatch Front, and she still lives in northern Utah today. Mountains show up often in the small details of her public life, from the way she talks about quiet afternoons outdoors to the climbing metaphor she uses in Once Upon a Climb.

She started writing early. In sixth grade, she tried a full-length story about a girl trapped in a daydream world, then even called a locksmith for research on lock picking. The locksmith was not impressed that his researcher was eleven. The manuscript was set aside, but the habit stuck.

For a while, writing shared space with theater, speech, debate, teaching, and family life.

Nielsen studied theater arts and communication education at Weber State University, with a minor in history. That mix helps explain a lot about her books. They move quickly, they like sharp dialogue, and they often put young characters in moments where history, power, and personal courage collide.

Her first published novel was Elliot and the Goblin War in 2010, a funny middle grade fantasy about an ordinary boy pulled into the problems of the Underworld. Two years later, The False Prince brought her to a much wider readership. Its clever orphan hero, court intrigue, and steady pileup of secrets became the start of the Ascendance books.

That one changed everything.

Since then, Nielsen has written across several lanes for young readers. The Ascendance series offers royal danger and twisty politics. Mark of the Thief mixes ancient Rome with magic. The Traitor's Game leans into rebellion, betrayal, and complicated loyalties. Her historical novels, including A Night Divided, Resistance, Words on Fire, Rescue, Lines of Courage, Iceberg, and Uprising, often follow young people trying to act bravely inside real historical crises.

Readers tend to come back for the pace, but also for the kind of protagonist Nielsen likes best. Her heroes are usually underestimated. They are not always polite. They make mistakes, hide fear behind attitude, and learn that courage is usually a choice made while everything still feels uncertain.

Her recurring themes are easy to spot in the best way: freedom, loyalty, family, faith in books and stories, and the cost of standing up to bullies, kings, occupiers, or anyone else with too much power. Even when the setting is a fantasy kingdom or a sinking ship, the emotional question is often the same. What do you do when staying safe would mean staying silent?

Nielsen continues to write for middle grade and young adult readers from northern Utah. She has also spoken often to students and writers, and she is open about her love of old books, chocolate, theater, and mountain air. That sounds about right for someone whose books keep sending young characters up steep climbs, then asking them to take one more step.

Edited by

Richard Reis

Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.

Anurag Ramdasan

Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.

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27 Jennifer A Nielsen Books in Order (Complete List 2026)