Order of Book Series
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Chris Ryan Books in Order

Chris Ryan has written 76 books, published between 1995 and 2024. The first book is The One That Got Away (1995) and the newest is Traitor (2024). Publication order is the reading order below.

Books
76
Published
1995–2024
Confirmed
76 of 76 titles
Pages on record
18,194 in 55 of 76 books
Reading time
303–455 hours

Reading time is an estimate, not a recorded figure: 18,194 pages at 300 words a page, read at 200–300 words a minute, covering the 55 of 76 titles with a page count on record.

See all 76 books in order Printable Chris Ryan checklist
Photo of Chris Ryan, author

Chris Ryan is the pen name of Colin Armstrong, a British author, television presenter and security consultant born in 1961 who served as a sergeant in the Special Air Service. After fellow patrol member Andy McNab published Bravo Two Zero in 1993, Ryan told the story of that mission in The One That Got Away (1995). Strike Back became a Sky 1 television series, and Ryan co-created the ITV action series Ultimate Force. The catalogue lists 76 Ryan books up to Traitor (2024), including Stand By, Stand by (1996) and The Kremlin Device (1998). Series include Danny Black, Agent 21, Geordie Sharp, Matt Browning and Special Forces Cadets.

How many Chris Ryan books are there?

Chris Ryan has 76 books, released between 1995 and 2024. They include 8 separate series.

Chris Ryan Books in Publication Order

The table lists all 76 Chris Ryan books in the order they were released, with the release year, the page count where one is on record, and how many independent book listings confirm each title. Catalogue data as of September 2026.

  1. Cover of The One That Got Away by Chris Ryan, book 1 of the Chris Ryan Non-Fiction series (1995)
  2. Cover of Stand By, Stand by by Chris Ryan, book 1 of the Geordie Sharp series (1996)
  3. Cover of Zero Option by Chris Ryan, book 2 of the Geordie Sharp series (1997)
  4. Cover of The Kremlin Device by Chris Ryan, book 3 of the Geordie Sharp series (1998)
  5. Cover of Tenth Man Down by Chris Ryan, book 4 of the Geordie Sharp series (1999)
  6. Cover of Hit List by Chris Ryan, book 1 of the Chris Ryan Standalone Novels series (2000)
  7. Cover of SAS Fitness Book by Chris Ryan, book 2 of the Chris Ryan Non-Fiction series (2001)
  8. Cover of Survival by Chris Ryan, book 1 of the Alpha Force series (2002)
  9. Cover of Rat-Catcher by Chris Ryan, book 2 of the Alpha Force series (2002)
  10. Cover of Land of Fire by Chris Ryan, book 3 of the Chris Ryan Standalone Novels series (2002)
  11. Cover of Greed by Chris Ryan, book 1 of the Matt Browning series (2003)
  12. Cover of Chris Ryan's Ultimate Survival Guide by Chris Ryan, book 3 of the Chris Ryan Non-Fiction series (2003)
  13. Cover of Desert Pursuit by Chris Ryan, book 3 of the Alpha Force series (2003)
  14. Cover of Red Centre by Chris Ryan, book 5 of the Alpha Force series (2004)
  15. Cover of Hunted by Chris Ryan, book 6 of the Alpha Force series (2004)
  16. Cover of Blackout by Chris Ryan, book 4 of the Chris Ryan Standalone Novels series (2005)
  17. Cover of Blood Money by Chris Ryan, book 7 of the Alpha Force series (2005)
  18. Cover of Fault Line by Chris Ryan, book 8 of the Alpha Force series (2005)
  19. Cover of Black Gold by Chris Ryan, book 9 of the Alpha Force series (2005)
  20. Cover of Untouchable by Chris Ryan, book 10 of the Alpha Force series (2005)
  21. Cover of Flash Flood by Chris Ryan, book 1 of the Code Red series (2006)
  22. Cover of Ultimate Weapon by Chris Ryan, book 5 of the Chris Ryan Standalone Novels series (2006)
  23. Cover of Strike Back by Chris Ryan, book 1 of the Strike Back series (2007)
  24. Cover of Wildfire by Chris Ryan, book 2 of the Code Red series (2007)
  1. 1
    The One That Got AwayChris Ryan Non-Fiction #11995 · confirmed 3/4
    1995–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  2. 2
    Stand By, Stand byGeordie Sharp #11996 · 432 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1996432
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  3. 3
    Zero OptionGeordie Sharp #21997 · 256 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1997256
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  4. 4
    The Kremlin DeviceGeordie Sharp #31998 · 432 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1998432
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  5. 5
    Tenth Man DownGeordie Sharp #41999 · 448 pages · confirmed 3/4
    1999448
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  6. 6
    Hit ListChris Ryan Standalone Novels #12000 · 464 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2000464
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  7. 7
    SAS Fitness BookChris Ryan Non-Fiction #22001 · 148 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2001148
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  8. 8
    The WatchmanChris Ryan Standalone Novels #22001 · 321 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2001321
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  9. 9
    SurvivalAlpha Force #12002 · 206 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2002206
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  10. 10
    Rat-CatcherAlpha Force #22002 · 185 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2002185
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  11. 11
    Land of FireChris Ryan Standalone Novels #32002 · 288 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2002288
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  12. 12
    GreedMatt Browning #12003 · 400 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2003400
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  13. 13
    Chris Ryan's Ultimate Survival GuideChris Ryan Non-Fiction #32003 · confirmed 3/4
    2003–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  14. 14
    Desert PursuitAlpha Force #32003 · 201 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2003201
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  15. 15
    HostageAlpha Force #42003 · confirmed 3/4
    2003–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  16. 16
    Red CentreAlpha Force #52004 · 339 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2004339
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  17. 17
    HuntedAlpha Force #62004 · 199 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2004199
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  18. 18
    BlackoutChris Ryan Standalone Novels #42005 · 288 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2005288
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  19. 19
    Blood MoneyAlpha Force #72005 · 319 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2005319
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  20. 20
    Fault LineAlpha Force #82005 · 352 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2005352
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  21. 21
    Black GoldAlpha Force #92005 · 359 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2005359
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  22. 22
    UntouchableAlpha Force #102005 · 359 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2005359
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  23. 23
    Flash FloodCode Red #12006 · 320 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2006320
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  24. 24
    Ultimate WeaponChris Ryan Standalone Novels #52006 · 384 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2006384
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  25. 25
    Strike BackStrike Back #12007 · 384 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2007384
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  26. 26
    Tattered SoulsTattered Souls #12007 · confirmed 3/4
    2007–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  27. 27
    WildfireCode Red #22007 · 352 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2007352
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  28. 28
    OutbreakCode Red #32007 · confirmed 3/4
    2007–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  29. 29
    One Good TurnChris Ryan Short Stories/Novellas #12008 · confirmed 3/4
    2008–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  30. 30
    VortexCode Red #42008 · 304 pages · confirmed 3/4
    2008304
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK

Chris Ryan series and characters in order

Each link below opens a reading-order page with every book in publication order.

Chris Ryan books grouped by series

Each title below is a row in the publication-order table above. None of these groups has a reading-order page of its own on this site.

Chris Ryan Standalone Novels

11 books

11 titles published under this heading without a numbered place in a series.

Alpha Force in order

10 books
  1. 1. Survival
  2. 2. Rat-Catcher
  3. 3. Desert Pursuit
  4. 4. Hostage
  5. 5. Red Centre
  6. 6. Hunted
  7. 7. Blood Money
  8. 8. Fault Line
  9. 9. Black Gold
  10. 10. Untouchable

Danny Black in order

9 books
  1. 1. Masters of War
  2. 2. Hunter-Killer
  3. 3. Murder Team
  4. 4. Hellfire
  5. 5. Bad Soldier
  6. 6. Warlord
  7. 7. Head Hunters
  8. 8. Black Ops
  9. 9. Zero 22

Chris Ryan Non-Fiction

6 books

6 titles published under this heading without a numbered place in a series.

Code Red in order

6 books
  1. 1. Flash Flood
  2. 2. Wildfire
  3. 3. Outbreak
  4. 4. Vortex
  5. 5. Twister
  6. 6. Battleground

Strike Back in order

6 books
  1. 1. Strike Back
  2. 2. Deathlist
  3. 3. Shadow Kill
  4. 4. Global Strike
  5. 5. Red Strike
  6. 6. Circle of Death

Geordie Sharp in order

4 books
  1. 1. Stand By, Stand by
  2. 2. Zero Option
  3. 3. The Kremlin Device
  4. 4. Tenth Man Down

Extreme in order

4 books
  1. 1. Hard Target / Redeemer
  2. 2. Night Strike
  3. 3. Most Wanted
  4. 4. Silent Kill

Special Forces Cadets in order

4 books
  1. 1. Siege
  2. 2. Missing
  3. 3. Justice
  4. 4. Ruthless

Matt Browning in order

2 books
  1. 1. Greed
  2. 2. The Increment

Chris Ryan Short Stories/Novellas

2 books

2 titles published under this heading without a numbered place in a series.

Jamie Carter in order

2 books
  1. 1. Outcast
  2. 2. Cold Red

Tattered Souls in order

1 book
  1. 1. Tattered Souls

Josh Bowman in order

1 book
  1. 1. Manhunter

EDGE: A Rivets Short Story

1 book

1 title published under this heading without a numbered place in a series.

Chris Ryan Books in Chronological Order

By publication date, the Chris Ryan books run from The One That Got Away (1995) to Traitor (2024), the sequence in the table above. No separate story order is recorded for Chris Ryan in the book listings this catalogue merges, so publication order is the only order on record.

Do you have to read Chris Ryan books in order?

You only need to read Chris Ryan books in order within each series: the books listed here span 8 separate series, and each series has its own publication order.

Where to start with Chris Ryan

Start with the first book of the Chris Ryan series you want to read: Agent 21 starts with Agent 21 (2010) and Alpha Force (Chris Ryan) starts with Survival (2002). The earliest catalogued title overall is The One That Got Away (1995).

What is the newest Chris Ryan book?

Traitor (2024) is the newest Chris Ryan book released so far.

Is there a new Chris Ryan book coming?

No next Chris Ryan book is announced in the catalogue, which is a gap in the listings it merges rather than a sign that the run has ended.

Chris Ryan at a glance

Still publishing
Chris Ryan published a book as recently as 2024.
Release pace
Chris Ryan books have appeared more than one a year on average.
Length
18,194 pages across the 55 of 76 books with a recorded length, a median of 346 pages each.
Busiest decade
Most Chris Ryan books, 34 of 76, were published in the 2010s.
Corroboration
4 of the 76 titles appear in all four independent book listings, and every one of them in at least three.

What the Chris Ryan books are about

59 of the 76 Chris Ryan books carry subject tags in Open Library's catalogue. The subjects below are the ones that recur across them, most frequent first: great britain is tagged on 26 of 59. The subjects are cataloguers’ headings, not a plot summary.