A Tale of Magic...
fantasy
Series · fantasy
Max and the Midknights
The Max and the Midknights series by Lincoln Peirce has 3 known books (3 published) and is best read in publication order, starting with Max and the Midknights (2019).
- Books
- 3 known books (3 novels)
- Published
- 3
- First published
- 2019
- Status
- completed
- Shelved under
- Fantasy
- Last checked
Start here: Max and the Midknights (2019) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
Max and the Midknights
Max and the Midknights launched the trilogy in 2019 at 272 pages, introducing a girl determined to become a knight in a kingdom that says she can't, and the ragtag crew of misfits who join her rescue mission for her kidnapped uncle.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Max and the Midknights - Book 2:
Max and the Midknights: Battle of the Bodkins
Battle of the Bodkins followed in 2020, ten pages longer at 280, escalating Max's ragtag crew of misfits into fuller confrontations with King Gastley's court as Lincoln Peirce continues the illustrated, joke-dense storytelling style he brought over from Big Nate.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Max and the Midknights: Battle of the Bodkins - Book 3:
Max and the Midknights: The Tower of Time
The Tower of Time closed the trilogy in 2022, two years after Battle of the Bodkins, completing Max and the Midknights' one continuous quest story with a girl determined to prove she belongs in a suit of armor finally facing King Gastley's court head-on.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Max and the Midknights: The Tower of Time
About the Max and the Midknights series
Max wants nothing more than to become a knight, but Max is a girl in a medieval kingdom where that isn't supposed to be an option -- so when her wandering minstrel uncle is kidnapped by the villainous King Gastley, Max sets off to rescue him with a ragtag crew of misfit friends: a wannabe wizard, a boy afraid of basically everything, and a girl obsessed with the undead. What starts as a rescue mission turns into a proper knightly quest, complete with monsters, magic, and a kingdom worth saving.
Lincoln Peirce, best known for the comic-strip energy of Big Nate, brings the same illustrated, joke-dense storytelling style to a medieval fantasy adventure instead of a middle-school comedy. The result splits the difference between Big Nate's visual humor and genuine fantasy-quest stakes -- dragons, castles, and a girl determined to prove she belongs in a suit of armor -- aimed at readers who want illustrated-novel comedy with more world and adventure than school hallways can offer.
Three books tell one complete quest story, following Max and her Midknights crew from their first rescue mission through escalating confrontations with King Gastley's court.
Frequently asked questions
How many books are in Max and the Midknights?
Three: Max and the Midknights (2019), Battle of the Bodkins (2020), and The Tower of Time (2022), a complete trilogy.
What order should I read Max and the Midknights in?
Publication order: Max and the Midknights, Battle of the Bodkins, The Tower of Time. It's a continuous quest story.
Is Max and the Midknights connected to Big Nate?
No, it's a separate medieval fantasy series by the same author, Lincoln Peirce, sharing his illustrated comic-strip storytelling style but not the Big Nate characters or setting.
Is the Max and the Midknights trilogy finished?
Yes, it concludes with The Tower of Time.
What age group is Max and the Midknights for?
Roughly ages 8-12, similar to Big Nate, blending illustrated comedy with fantasy-adventure quest plotting.
If you like the Max and the Midknights series
Reading order last verified .