Books On Board

Christopher Cartwright Books in Order

  • 32 Books
  • 2015 – 2024 Published

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Reading order
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Where Should You Start Reading Christopher Cartwright?

If you are diving into the action-packed world of Christopher Cartwright, you have a couple of primary entry points depending on your favorite sub-genre. However, the most popular and highly recommended starting point is the first book in his massive flagship series:

  • The Sam Reilly Series: Start with The Last Airship (2015). This book introduces you to Cartwright's iconic billionaire marine biologist, Sam Reilly, and sets up his team, his state-of-the-art research vessel, and the high-octane formula of combining ancient history with modern-day marine technology.
  • The Pax West Series: If you prefer gritty military espionage and black-ops thrillers over ocean adventures, start with Scorched Earth (2024), co-authored with Scott Medbury.
  • Standalone Debut: For readers who want a self-contained historical fiction adventure, Cartwright's debut novel, The Price of Retribution (2015), offers a standalone story set around the First Fleet's arrival in Australia.

The Flagship Adventure: The Sam Reilly Series in Order

The Sam Reilly series is Christopher Cartwright's most famous work, blending lost civilizations, relic hunting, and maritime action. The protagonist, Sam Reilly, is a wealthy marine biologist with a knack for stumbling into global conspiracies and historical mysteries. While each novel features a standalone, self-contained main adventure that is resolved by the final page, reading them in order is highly recommended to follow the character development, recurring side characters, and the evolving relationships within Sam's crew.

Here is the list of Sam Reilly books in their recommended reading (and publication) order based on the core series history:

  1. The Last Airship (2015)
  2. The Mahogany Ship (2016)
  3. Atlantis Stolen (2016)
  4. Rogue Wave (2016)
  5. The Cassidy Project (2016)
  6. The Nostradamus Equation (2017)
  7. The Third Temple (2017)
  8. The Aleutian Portal (2017)
  9. Code to Extinction (2017)
  10. The Ironclad Covenant (2018)
  11. The Heisenberg Legacy (2018)
  12. Omega Deep (2018)
  13. The Holy Grail (2018)
  14. The Phoenix Sanction (2018)
  15. Habitat Zero (2018)
  16. The Hunt for Excalibur (2019)
  17. Ghost Ship (2019)
  18. The Tomb of El Dorado (2019)
  19. The Labyrinth Key (2019)
  20. The Obsidian Chamber (2020)
  21. Shangri-La (2020)
  22. Alexander's Treasure (2020)
  23. Valhalla Found (2021)
  24. Medusa's Curse (2021)
  25. Dragon's Breath (2022)
  26. The Vostok Enigma (2022)
  27. Skeleton Crew (2023)
  28. The Midas Vault (2024)
  29. The Medallion of Petra (2024)
  30. The Relic Hunter (2024)

Note: While this list covers the primary run of the series through 2024, Cartwright continues to write new Sam Reilly adventures actively, expanding the series beyond 38 books with later titles like The Celtic Prophecy and The Eye of Horus.

The Pax West Series

Co-authored with fellow thriller author Scott Medbury, this series takes a turn into dark military espionage. The series features Pax West, a former CIA operative who has a rare medical condition: he was born without the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, the area of the brain responsible for emotions, ethics, and empathy. This makes Pax a cold, ruthlessly efficient threat neutralizer who feels no fear or hesitation. The series begins with:

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  • Scorched Earth (2024)

    • Standalone Works: The Price of Retribution

    Before launching his blockbuster adventure series, Christopher Cartwright wrote his first novel, The Price of Retribution (2015). Unlike his modern thrillers, this book is an adventure story focused on historical fiction, drawing on the arrival of the First Fleet in early colonial Australia. It is a standalone work that has no connection to Sam Reilly or Pax West, making it a great choice if you want to sample Cartwright's early style of historical storytelling.

    What to Know Before You Start

    Cartwright's real-life experiences heavily influence the authenticity of his books. Before becoming a full-time author, he worked as a paramedic, nurse, and emergency manager. He is also a passionate sailor and scuba diver. This background shines through in his fast-paced writing style, detailed descriptions of medical procedures, and deep-sea diving sequences.

    The stories typically start with an intriguing historical prologue set centuries or millennia in the past, establishing a mystery that Sam Reilly must solve in the present day using cutting-edge marine technology. If you enjoy the style of Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt or James Rollins' Sigma Force, you will feel right at home here.

    Frequently Asked

    Can the Sam Reilly books be read as standalones?

    Yes, each book has a self-contained adventure that concludes in that volume. However, to avoid minor character spoilers and to appreciate the developing relationships and overarching lore of Sam's team, it is highly recommended to read them in publication order starting with The Last Airship.

    Who is the co-author of the Pax West series?

    Christopher Cartwright co-writes the Pax West military thriller series with fellow action-thriller novelist Scott Medbury.

    What was Christopher Cartwright's first book?

    His debut novel was The Price of Retribution (2015), a historical fiction adventure focused on the First Fleet's arrival in colonial Australia.

    What is the order of the first three Sam Reilly books?

    The series begins with The Last Airship (2015), followed by The Mahogany Ship (2016), and Atlantis Stolen (2016).

    Does Christopher Cartwright's real-life background affect his writing?

    Absolutely. As a former paramedic, nurse, avid sailor, and scuba diver, Cartwright uses his real-world emergency service and maritime experiences to make the high-stakes ocean action and medical emergencies in his books feel highly realistic.