The Recommended Reading Order: Start Here
To fully appreciate Captain Alex Hunter's transformation and the evolving threats faced by the HAWCs (Hunter's Advanced Weapons and Capabilities) team, the best path is to read the series in publication order. While author Greig Beck structures each novel to work as a standalone adventure, reading them sequentially ensures you catch all character development and overarching plot threads.
Here is the complete recommended reading path, incorporating the main novels and key novellas:
- Beneath the Dark Ice (2009) – The debut novel that introduces Alex Hunter on an Antarctic rescue mission that uncovers ancient terrors.
- Dark Rising (2010) (also published as Return of the Prophet)
- This Green Hell (2011)
- Arcadian Genesis (2012) – A prequel novella (often listed as #0.5) detailing Alex Hunter's origin story. You can read this first, or after This Green Hell to match publication order.
- Black Mountain (2012) – The fourth main novel, featuring the first major crossover with archaeologist Matt Kearns.
- Gorgon (2014)
- Hammer of God (2015) – A bridge novella (often numbered #5.5) set between Gorgon and Kraken Rising.
- Kraken Rising (2015)
- The Void (2018)
- From Hell (2019)
- The Dark Side (2021)
- The Well of Hell (2022)
- The Silurian Bridge (2024) – A time-traveling adventure back to the prehistoric Silurian Period.
- The Titans (2026) – The latest entry where Alex and his team face primordial beings from Greek mythology.
Chronological vs. Publication Order
For the main novels, chronological order and publication order are identical. The only exceptions are the novellas:
- Arcadian Genesis serves as a prequel. While it chronologically comes first, reading it after book three or four provides a deeper appreciation of Alex's background.
- Hammer of God fits snugly between Gorgon and Kraken Rising, and should be read in that exact slot to maintain continuity.
The Interconnected 'Beck-verse'
Alex Hunter's adventures exist within a broader, shared literary universe created by Greig Beck. If you enjoy this series, you can explore these interconnected spin-offs and companion series:
- The Matt Kearns Series: Featuring the academic, Indiana Jones-style archaeologist Matt Kearns. Matt crosses over directly with Alex Hunter in Black Mountain. His standalone books include The First Bird and The Book of the Dead.
- The Cate Granger Series: A deep-sea sci-fi thriller series beginning with Fathomless.
- Center of the Earth Series: A subterranean sci-fi horror trilogy starting with To the Center of the Earth.