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Order of Clive Cussler Books
If Indiana Jones had a pen instead of a whip, he’d probably be Clive Cussler.
Born on July 15, 1931, in Aurora, Illinois, Clive Eric Cussler wasn’t just your average writer—he was an adventurer disguised as a novelist or maybe a novelist disguised as an adventurer. Either way, he lived a life most of us only dream of: filled with sunken ships, secret missions, globe-spanning conspiracies, and yes—more than one larger-than-life hero with a jaw carved from granite and nerves made of steel.
He passed away on February 24, 2020, in Scottsdale, Arizona, leaving behind not only a legacy of over 80 bestselling novels but also actual historical discoveries that could put the History Channel to shame. He didn’t just write about shipwrecks—he found them.
The Making of an Adventurer
Cussler’s journey into literary legend began with a classic American backdrop. He served as an Aircraft Mechanic and Flight Engineer during the Korean War in the U.S. Air Force. After the war, he settled into a career in advertising, working as a copywriter and creative director for some major agencies. It’s here where he learned the real magic: how to hook people with words. It wasn’t long before he turned his storytelling skills into gold—literally.
But he didn’t have a formal degree in literature. Ironically, the man who would go on to write thrilling maritime novels and sell over 100 million copies worldwide earned his degree—a Doctor of Letters in Maritime History—after becoming a bestseller. That’s right: the university came to him. California State University, Long Beach awarded him an honorary doctorate for his work in marine archaeology and literature. Because when your fiction leads to real-world discovery, academia has no choice but to salute you.
NUMA: Fiction Meets Fact
In 1979, Cussler created NUMA—The National Underwater and Marine Agency—first in fiction through his famous character Dirk Pitt, and then, in a twist straight out of a novel, as a real-life non-profit dedicated to uncovering shipwrecks. Under his guidance, NUMA discovered over 60 shipwrecks, some long forgotten by history books.
So while other authors were doing book tours and sipping champagne at award galas, Clive Cussler was diving into the Atlantic Ocean, chasing the lost Confederate submarine Hunley, or tracking down the Carpathia, the ship that rescued Titanic survivors. In other words: he lived what he wrote.
The Man Who Brought Dirk Pitt to Life
Cussler’s most iconic creation, Dirk Pitt, is essentially Clive himself turned into a fictional superhero. A combination of Bond's suaveness, Indiana Jones’ guts, and James Bond’s gadgetry, Pitt worked for a fictional version of NUMA, saving the world one catastrophe at a time—whether it was a secret Nazi plot, a global bioweapon, or buried gold in the Sahara.
But the irony? Cussler often wrote himself into the books as a character, popping up to give the heroes helpful nudges, like a literary Alfred to Pitt’s Batman. Yes, this author literally broke the fourth wall, laughed in its face, and then threw it overboard into the Bermuda Triangle.
Legacy: A Titan of the Techno-Thriller
Cussler didn’t just write one-off novels. He built empires. Series like:
- The Dirk Pitt Adventures
- The NUMA Files
- The Oregon Files
- The Isaac Bell Adventures
- And the Sam and Remi Fargo Adventures
...became cornerstones in the world of adventure fiction. These books weren't just about page-turning action—they explored real scientific anomalies, sunken secrets, and what-if scenarios that left readers Googling “Was that true?” more than once.
Even after his death, his name still graces the covers of new releases—thanks to co-authors like Dirk Cussler (his son), Boyd Morrison, and Graham Brown, who have helped continue the brand with Cussler’s blessing and blueprint.
Why Cussler Still Matters
He brought adventure fiction into the 21st century with a mix of swashbuckling charisma, geopolitical intrigue, and a knack for breathing life into historical mysteries. You didn’t just read Clive Cussler—you boarded a bullet-ridden freighter, you dodged booby traps in Egyptian tombs, you unraveled conspiracies dating back to the Crusades… and maybe, just maybe, you felt a little braver by the end of it.
So next time you see a dusty old wreck on the Discovery Channel or hear about a long-lost ship being found off the coast of Bermuda, ask yourself:
Is that real life—or just another chapter in Clive Cussler’s universe?
Because with Cussler, those two worlds were never too far apart.
Publication Order of Series Books
Publication Order of Dirk Pitt
| Title | Year | Amazon Links |
|---|---|---|
| The Mediterranean Caper | 1973 | Amazon |
| Iceberg | 1974 | Amazon |
| Raise the Titanic! | 1976 | Amazon |
| Vixen 03 | 1978 | Amazon |
| Night Probe! | 1981 | Amazon |
| Pacific Vortex | 1983 | Amazon |
| Deep Six | 1984 | Amazon |
| Cyclops | 1986 | Amazon |
| Treasure | 1988 | Amazon |
| Dragon | 1990 | Amazon |
| Sahara | 1992 | Amazon |
| Inca Gold | 1994 | Amazon |
| Shock Wave | 1996 | Amazon |
| Flood Tide | 1997 | Amazon |
| Atlantis Found | 1999 | Amazon |
| Valhalla Rising | 2001 | Amazon |
| Trojan Odyssey | 2003 | Amazon |
| Black Wind | 2004 | Amazon |
| Treasure of Khan (with Dirk Cussler) | 2006 | Amazon |
| Arctic Drift | 2008 | Amazon |
| Crescent Dawn (with Dirk Cussler) | 2010 | Amazon |
| Poseidon's Arrow (with Dirk Cussler) | 2012 | Amazon |
| Havana Storm (with Dirk Cussler) | 2014 | Amazon |
| Odessa Sea (with Dirk Cussler) | 2016 | Amazon |
| Celtic Empire (with Dirk Cussler) | 2019 | Amazon |
| The Devil’s Sea (with Dirk Cussler) | 2021 | Amazon |
| The Corsican Shadow (Dirk Cussler) | 2023 | Amazon |
Publication Order of Isaac Bell Adventures
| Title | Year | Amazon Links |
|---|---|---|
| The Chase | 2007 | Amazon |
| The Wrecker (with Justin Scott) | 2009 | Amazon |
| The Spy (with Justin Scott) | 2010 | Amazon |
| The Race (with Justin Scott) | 2011 | Amazon |
| The Thief (with Justin Scott) | 2012 | Amazon |
| The Striker (with Justin Scott) | 2013 | Amazon |
| The Bootlegger (with Justin Scott) | 2014 | Amazon |
| The Assassin (with Justin Scott) | 2015 | Amazon |
| The Gangster (with Justin Scott) | 2016 | Amazon |
| The Cutthroat (with Justin Scott) | 2017 | Amazon |
| The Titanic Secret (with Jack Du Brul) | 2019 | Amazon |
| The Saboteurs (with Jack Du Brul) | 2021 | Amazon |
| The Sea Wolves (with Jack Du Brul) | 2022 | Amazon |
| The Heist (with Jack Du Brul) | 2023 | Amazon |
| The Iron Storm (with Jack Du Brul) | 2025 | Amazon |
Publication Order of NUMA Files
| Title | Year | Amazon Links |
|---|---|---|
| Serpent (with Paul Kemprecos) | 1999 | Amazon |
| Blue Gold (with Paul Kemprecos) | 2000 | Amazon |
| Fire Ice (with Paul Kemprecos) | 2002 | Amazon |
| White Death (with Paul Kemprecos) | 2003 | Amazon |
| Lost City (with Paul Kemprecos) | 2004 | Amazon |
| Polar Shift (with Paul Kemprecos) | 2005 | Amazon |
| The Navigator (with Paul Kemprecos) | 2007 | Amazon |
| Medusa (with Paul Kemprecos) | 2009 | Amazon |
| Devil’s Gate (with Graham Brown) | 2011 | Amazon |
| The Storm (with Graham Brown) | 2012 | Amazon |
| Zero Hour (with Graham Brown) | 2013 | Amazon |
| Ghost Ship (with Graham Brown) | 2014 | Amazon |
| The Pharaoh’s Secret (with Graham Brown) | 2015 | Amazon |
| Nighthawk (with Graham Brown) | 2017 | Amazon |
| The Rising Sea (with Graham Brown) | 2018 | Amazon |
| Sea of Greed (with Graham Brown) | 2018 | Amazon |
| Journey of the Pharaohs (with Graham Brown) | 2020 | Amazon |
| Fast Ice (with Graham Brown) | 2021 | Amazon |
| Dark Vector (with Graham Brown) | 2022 | Amazon |
| Condor’s Fury (with Graham Brown) | 2023 | Amazon |
| Desolation Code (with Graham Brown) | 2024 | Amazon |
Publication Order of Oregon Files
| Title | Year | Amazon Links |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Buddha (with Craig Dirgo) | 2003 | Amazon |
| Sacred Stone (with Craig Dirgo) | 2004 | Amazon |
| Dark Watch (with Jack Du Brul) | 2005 | Amazon |
| Skeleton Coast (with Jack Du Brul) | 2006 | Amazon |
| Plague Ship (with Jack Du Brul) | 2008 | Amazon |
| Corsair (with Jack Du Brul) | 2009 | Amazon |
| The Silent Sea (with Jack Du Brul) | 2010 | Amazon |
| The Jungle (with Jack Du Brul) | 2011 | Amazon |
| Mirage (with Jack Du Brul) | 2013 | Amazon |
| Piranha (with Boyd Morrison) | 2015 | Amazon |
| The Emperor’s Revenge (with Boyd Morrison) | 2016 | Amazon |
| Typhoon Fury (with Boyd Morrison) | 2017 | Amazon |
| Shadow Tyrants (with Boyd Morrison) | 2018 | Amazon |
| Final Option (with Boyd Morrison) | 2020 | Amazon |
| Marauder (with Boyd Morrison) | 2020 | Amazon |
| Hellburner (with Mike Maden) | 2022 | Amazon |
| Fire Strike (with Mike Maden) | 2023 | Amazon |
| Ghost Soldier (with Mike Maden) | 2024 | Amazon |
Publication Order of Sam and Remi Fargo Adventure
| Title | Year | Amazon Links |
|---|---|---|
| Spartan Gold (with Grant Blackwood) | 2009 | Amazon |
| Lost Empire (with Grant Blackwood) | 2010 | Amazon |
| The Kingdom (with Grant Blackwood) | 2011 | Amazon |
| The Tombs (with Thomas Perry) | 2012 | Amazon |
| The Mayan Secrets (with Thomas Perry) | 2013 | Amazon |
| The Eye of Heaven (with Russell Blake) | 2014 | Amazon |
| The Solomon Curse (with Russell Blake) | 2015 | Amazon |
| Pirate (with Robin Burcell) | 2016 | Amazon |
| The Romanov Ransom (with Robin Burcell) | 2017 | Amazon |
| The Gray Ghost (with Robin Burcell) | 2018 | Amazon |
| The Oracle (with Robin Burcell) | 2019 | Amazon |
| Wrath of Poseidon (with Robin Burcell) | 2020 | Amazon |
| The Serpent’s Eye (with Robin Burcell) | 2025 | Amazon |
Publication Order of The Sea Hunters
| Title | Year | Amazon Links |
|---|---|---|
| The Sea Hunters | 1994 | Amazon |
| The Sea Hunters II | 2002 | Amazon |