Dean Crawford Books in Order

Where to Start with Dean Crawford

If you are new to Dean Crawford, the best place to start is with his blockbuster debut, Covenant (2011). This novel introduces his most famous protagonists, Ethan Warner and Nicola Lopez, and perfectly showcases his signature style: fast-paced, high-concept action laced with real-world archaeological and scientific mysteries in the vein of Michael Crichton and James Rollins.

While his other series, such as the post-apocalyptic Atlantia or the futuristic Old Ironsides, offer excellent entry points for fans of specific genres like survival fiction and cyberpunk detective stories, the Ethan Warner saga remains the core of Crawford's literary universe.

The Ethan Warner & Warner & Lopez Universe

Dean Crawford's main thriller series is split into two phases. The first five books, published traditionally by Simon & Schuster, are collectively known as the Ethan Warner series. After transitioning to independent publishing through his company, Fictum Limited, Crawford continued the adventures of the duo under the Warner & Lopez banner. Despite the name change, they form a single continuous narrative arc following the former war journalist and the federal agent.

Recommended Chronological Reading Order

For the complete narrative experience, readers should follow the timeline of the characters' lives. While the books are largely self-contained thrillers, the personal relationship and shared history between Ethan and Nicola develop sequentially:

1. Covenant (2011)
2. Immortal (2012)
3. Apocalypse (2012)
4. The Chimera Secret (2013)
5. The Eternity Project (2013)
6. Vanishing Point (Prequel Novella, published in 2018 but chronologically set here in 2014)
7. The Nemesis Origin (2015)
8. The Fusion Cage (2015)
9. The Identity Mine (2015)
10. The Black Knight (2015)
11. The Extinction Code (2016)
12. The Genesis Cypher (2016)
13. The Atlantis Codex (2017)
14. The Disclosure Protocol (2018)
15. Event Horizon (2019)

Caveat on Vanishing Point: Although published in 2018 as the ninth installment under the Fictum Limited run, Vanishing Point is a prequel that takes place in 2014. It explains how Ethan Warner was framed for murder and how Nicola Lopez helped clear his name. It is best read either as a flashback between the two main series blocks or in its chronological position after The Eternity Project.

The Atlantia Series (Written as D.C. Ford)

If you enjoy post-apocalyptic survival fiction, the Atlantia series is Crawford's second major work. Originally published under the pen name D.C. Ford (but now widely credited under his real name), this high-octane military thriller series follows the crew of the HMS Endeavour as they struggle to survive in a world devastated by sudden, extreme climate shifts. This series should be read strictly in publication order:

1. Survivor (2014)
2. Retaliator (2014)
3. Aggressor (2014)
4. Endeavour (2014)
5. Defiance (2015)

The Old Ironsides Sci-Fi Trilogy

For fans of science fiction, Crawford wrote the Old Ironsides trilogy. The story takes place in a divided, post-plague future where Nathan Ironside, a cryogenically preserved detective, is revived to solve crimes in a world split between the living and the holographic 'holo sapiens'. The reading order for this trilogy is:

1. Old Ironsides (2016)
2. Titan (2016)
3. Predator (2017)

Standalone Novels and Other Projects

Outside of his three major series, Crawford has penned several standalone thrillers and experimental projects. The standalone novels are completely self-contained and can be read in any order:

• Holo Sapiens (2013) – A sci-fi novel exploring the origins of the holographic technology later featured in the Old Ironsides universe.
• Soul Seekers (2013) – A supernatural action thriller.
• Eden (2013) – A survival thriller set in a remote, prehistoric valley.
• Revolution (2013) – A political action thriller.
• Stone Cold (2015) – A fast-paced mystery thriller.
• Phobia (2019) – A psychological thriller and Crawford's most recent novel.

Short-Lived Series & Non-Fiction

Crawford has also launched a few single-book series concepts and short-read series:

• First Strike (2018) – The sole novel in the Tyler Griffin military aviation thriller series.
• Ayla Fox & the Mirror of Souls (2018) – An adventure thriller starring a female archaeologist protagonist.
• Power Reads: Crawford wrote two short, fast-paced thrillers designed to be read in a single sitting: Altitude (2017) and Deadline (2018).
• Blockbuster (2016) – Crawford's only non-fiction book, detailing his advice and experiences on how to write commercial fiction and navigate independent publishing.

Clarifying the "Animal Books" Bibliographic Error

If you look at online catalogs for Dean Crawford, you may notice a massive 99-book list titled "Publication Order of Animal Books" (including titles like Parrot, Falcon, and Moose) spanning from 2005 to 2021. This is a common bibliographic database error.

The Animal series is a highly regarded non-fiction series published by Reaktion Books, featuring volumes written by dozens of different scholars and authors. An Emeritus English Professor at Vassar College also named Dean Crawford wrote a single volume in this series: Shark (2008). Due to the shared name, online databases have mistakenly attributed the entire multi-author series to the British thriller author. The thriller novelist Dean Crawford had no involvement with these non-fiction books.

What to Know Before You Start

Dean Crawford's novels move at breakneck speed. Because he publishes independently through Fictum Limited, his books maintain a highly consistent tone without the editorial compromises often found in traditional publishing. While you can read his novels as standalones, starting from the beginning of a given series will give you the best appreciation for the character development and overarching mysteries that bind his thrilling worlds together.