If robust, compelling and nail-biting thrillers are your novel preference, reading the Brad Thor books in order is a must for you. If you also like books that highlight some of the real political dilemmas and questions of our time in an insightful and thought-provoking way, then Brad Thor is a simply unmissable author.
But proceed with caution — reading the Brad Thor books in order will be addictive! Read one and you will likely find yourself on an ongoing mission to read your way through all of his riveting books. His hero, Scot Harvath, will become that intriguing person you simply have to get to know better as you share adventure after adventure with him.
Since 2001, when his first book, The Lions of Lucerne, launched the career of Scot Harvath, Brad Thor has become one of America’s most popular writers. He has sold nearly 15 million copies worldwide.
Brad Thor Books in Order: Scot Harvath Series
- The Lions of Lucerne (2001)
- Path of the Assassin (2003)
- State of the Union (2004)
- Blowback (2005)
- Takedown (2006)
- The First Commandment (2007)
- The Last Patriot (2008)
- The Apostle (2009)
- Foreign Influence (2010)
- Full Black (2011)
- Black List (2012)
- Free Fall: A Prelude to Hidden Order (2013) (Short Story)
- Hidden Order (2013)
- Epilogue II: A Bonus Chapter to Hidden Order (2013) (Short Story)
- Act of War (2014)
- Code of Conduct (2015)
- Foreign Agent (2016)
- The Athens Solution (2012) (Short Story)
- Use of Force (2017)
- Spymaster (2018)
- Backlash (2019)
- Near Dark (2020)
- Black Ice (2021)
- Rising Tiger (2022)
- Dead Fall (Expected: July 11, 2023)
Who is Brad Thor?
Brad Thor fell in love with reading and writing from an early age. He grew up in Chicago and attended the University of Southern California to study creative writing and film production. While he was at post-secondary, T.C. Boyle, acclaimed author of books such as The Tortilla Curtain, Drop City, and World’s End, was his mentor.
After graduation, he began the popular travel show, Traveling Lite, as writer, creator, and host. Thor is also a member of the Red Cell Analytic Department of The Department of Homeland Security. Through these two endeavors, Thor gained valuable insights which he applies creatively in many of his books.
Who is Scot Harvath?
A former Navy SEAL, professional skier, and college graduate, Scot Harvath is now the ultimate secret agent and spy. He is also an ardent American patriot.
Over the course of the books, he regularly has to protect America in dangerous missions that tax even his impressive skills to the limit. Brad Thor has mentioned that Scot’s heroic persona and skill set was an amalgam of several Special Ops, Delta Force, and CIA operatives that he knew.
So how many Scot Harvath books are there? There are 21 Scot Harvath books, with an upcoming release in July 2023.
Brad Thor Books in Order: Athena Series
There is currently only one book available in this series; however, with its satisfying conclusion, you can enjoy it as a standalone. The book follows a team of all-female Delta Force members on one of the nation’s deadliest assignments.
The Athena Project takes place in the same world as Scot Harvath and fans of Brad Thor’s original series will enjoy the small Scot cameo in this book.
- The Athena Project (2010)
Do You Have to Read the Brad Thor Books in Order?
Like a lot of thrillers, you don’t need to read Brad Thor’s books in publication order. Every Scot Harvath book is a standalone and can be read independently from the rest of the series.
However, each book reveals new aspects and depths to Scot Harvath’s complex character. So reading the Brad Thor books in order of publication is definitely your best option. It’s the best way to gain insight into what drives and motivates this quintessential American hero.
Whether you choose to read the Brad Thor books in order or à la carte is entirely up to you. The only exception would be to make sure you read the short stories in order of publication. This is because the context from the previous or subsequent book will be necessary.
Brad Thor Books in Order: Scot Harvath Series
1. The Lions of Lucerne
Secret Service agent and former Navy SEAL Scot Harvath miraculously manages to survive an attack that results in thirty other agents dead, and the president kidnapped. The signs are pointing to a Middle Eastern terrorist group being behind the attack, but Harvath’s gut instinct tells him something different.
When his hunt leads him onto the trail of high-ranking officials, Harvath’s life is in jeopardy. Now Harvath is on the run and pursuing his own form of justice.
2. Path of the Assassin
While the president has been rescued safely, Scot Harvath’s mission is not over. He is intent to hunt down every last man responsible for the kidnapping and slaying of his fellow agents. Everything indicates his next target is the most vicious terrorist in the world.
But the real issue is that they don’t know what he looks like. So, Harvath recruits a civilian who has seen him and lived. Then the hunt is on.
3. State of the Union
With America under great threat from a brutal terrorist, only Harvath stands a chance to save the country. He has the support of a paramilitary detachment of the CIA and Alexandra Ivanova, an intelligence agent from Russia. The final battle will take place on American soil, but first Harvath will traverse the globe.
4. Blowback
Harvath has recently been fired after being caught on camera in an operation that was off the record. But when a new weapon puts America under threat again, the President must call him back. Terrorists are planning to kill all Westerners in Muslim lands with their newest weapon: The Sword of Allah. The reality of the situation shocks Harvath to his core and he must rely on his training and instincts to overcome this latest threat.
5. Takedown
Chaos reigns in the Manhattan streets as the celebrations in the lead up to the 4th of July descend into madness. A terrorist attack has just leveled all entrances and exits to Manhattan.
Inside the terror is a man that the government denies exists, but the search for him is a paramount, as is the discretion. Which is how Scot Harvath finds himself fighting his own battle to find the man.
6. The First Commandment
Five criminals are released from Guantanamo Bay and terror is unleashed. One of the men has his crosshairs of Scot Harvath and those closest to him. So, despite president’s orders not to pursue the case, Harvath cannot let them walk free.
But what he finds in his personal investigation will rock his foundations of patriotic loyalty.
7. The Last Patriot
The Last Patriot traces a mysterious secret throughout time that holds the potential to initiate a ceasefire between militant Islam and Western allies. Allegedly the Prophet Mohammed had a final revelation before he died that holds the key. But there are those who believe that it should stay a secret, and are willing to go to great lengths to keep it so.
8. The Apostle
Scot Harvath has been called in for a dirty mission that the US government does not want traced back to them. He must free one of the masterminds of al-Qaeda from a Kabul prison in response to the ransom for an American doctor.
But once he arrives, Harvath realizes there is much more than meets the eye and he begins to doubt if letting one of the worst terrorists in the world go free is the right call.
9. Foreign Influence
Scot Harvath has just joined a new organization that operates under the guidance of military insiders, far away from the interfering hands of politicians. When American students are killed by a bomb in Rome, Harvath suspects a foe from his past is emerging from the woodwork.
Before he moves, Harvath must ensure his sights are on the right man. Then a hit-and-run across the world in Chicago reveals connections to the Rome bombing and what is to come next.
10. Full Black
A secretive mission goes wrong, which unleashes a series of vicious terrorist attacks and places America under threat. Scot Harvath steps in with a plan to penetrate the terrorist group’s defenses.
At the same time, a filmmaker in Hollywood stumbles across a dangerous secret that puts his life at risk. As Harvath reveals more of the perpetrators, he learns he can trust no one but himself.
11. Black List
The government has a list that only the US president is supposed to control. It is a list of men that must be dealt with in a lethal fashion, and Scot Harvath’s name was just added to it.
He knows it is meant to distract US forces with a hunt for him while the enemy slips in to commit an atrocious crime, but Harvath first needs to prove he’s been framed and survive long enough to do so.
12. Hidden Order
A secretive group wields tremendous power in America without ever answering to the American people, but when the group’s power is lost and members go missing, the fate of America is in danger.
Then the missing people begin turning up dead and the affair is thrown into the public eye. Scot Harvath must continue his pursuit of those behind this agency while untangling a conspiracy which has been in the making for centuries.
13. Act of War
The death of a CIA agent overseas sets off a chain reaction of dangerous proportions. An attack against America is imminent, and Scot Harvath is the only man who can stop it. He is tasked with two covert operations, which would ignite a war if they are discovered.
14. Code of Conduct
A secret committee within a powerful organization has a devastating plan. The key players believe themselves to be untouchable, but when a video gets sent to Washington, Harvath is given his deadliest assignment ever. He then embarks on a mission of international intrigue and high stakes.
15. Foreign Agent
In Europe, terrorism has reached an all-time high, which has America reaching for an agent they’ve relied on in the past. Scot Harvath provides the government with unmatched skill and complete deniability, making him the perfect man for the job.
But there are two more figures at play on the global stage that will test Harvath beyond his limit. One is a Russian operative tasked to kill with a bloodthirsty rage, and the other is a mysterious rogue who wants to raise the stakes.
16. Use of Force
Following a storm in the Mediterranean, the body of a terrorism suspect washes up on the shores of Italy. His identity sends ripples of panic throughout the CIA and causes them to turn to Scot Harvath. Beholden to no rules or expectations, Harvath can do whatever it takes to track down what the suspect was doing in Mediterranean waters and what he was planning next.
17. Spymaster
Diplomats are being hunted across Europe while a foreign ally is making demands in the US. The playing field is prime for war, and Scot Harvath is taking on a role he has avoided throughout his career. But he’s still Scot Harvath, which means he won’t be playing by the old rules.
18. Backlash
Within history tomes there are men who inspired fear within the hearts of other men and achieved legendary status. Those men still exist and Scot Harvath is one of them. He is not the type of man anyone in their right mind would anger, but someone just did.
The odds are against Harvath. He has no allies and the enemy is all around him, but something bigger than survival propels Harvath: Revenge.
19. Near Dark
Scot Harvath just had a bounty placed on his head. With those closest to him at risk and uncertain who to trust, an unlikely ally emerges from the shadows. Sølvi Kolstad is similar to Harvath in many ways, and she just might be able to help him escape this latest catastrophe.
20. Black Ice
Following her help in his last mission, Harvath is enjoying a peaceful vacation with Sølvi when the past comes calling and Harvath must make a decision.
He sees a man he thought he killed step out of a car in Oslo and a hunt for the truth begins, which will take him beyond the Arctic Circle. Winning this fight will see Harvath with everything he could ever want, but a loss would spell catastrophe for America and its allies.
21. Rising Tiger
For years the US government has avoided confronting a lethal enemy, and now that hesitancy has cost them with an unprecedented threat. It is a job for Scot Harvath, even though he has his own uncertainty surrounding this mission. It feels doomed from the minute he embarks, but as the odds stack against him Harvath will protect the future of democracy at any cost.
Final thoughts on the Brad Thor books in order
Well, there you have it: All the Brad Thor books in order.
So…have I got you hooked? Are you moving Brad Thor to the top of your bucket list? He well deserves to be there!
Looking for more books in order?
Check out my list of Jack Reacher Books in Order.
One thought on “Brad Thor Books in Order | How to Read the Scot Harvath Books”
BRAD Thor is one of the best writers in the world. I am a disabled U.S Army Veteran1969-1972.I was with the Big Red One at Fort Riley Kansas. HHC,1st/28th Infantry, Black Lions.So proud to serve our Great County. Thank You for Your Service Brad. I have all your books and they have been extremely excellent and well written. God Bless You Sir. I Salute You. God Bless The U.S A..