Dave Riley Books In Order

Publication Order of Green Berets Books

Bob Mayer has published well over 50 books and is a New York Times Bestselling Author. One of the key reasons why is because of his “Green Beret Series”. The series is divided into eight books, each starring the enigmatic Dave Riley. These books include: Eyes of the Hammer, Dragon Sim-13, Synbat, Cut Out, Eternity Base, Z: The Final Countdown, Chasing the Ghost and Chasing the Lost.

Bob Mayer debuted with Eyes of the Hammer, as did his straight-arrow main character, Dave Riley. The books were released between 1991 and 2013, with a hiatus of 14 whole years (between 1996 and 2010) where no new books were published. Chasing the Ghost (2010) followed Z (1996).

The Eyes of the Hammer (the entire series, in fact) tells the story of Dave Riley and his squadron of Green Berets. There is a kingpin—the worst of the worst—hell-bent on controlling Colombia. It is up to Dave Riley and his Green Berets to save the day.

It starts when an act of terrorism hits a Virginia suburb. This act of terrorism takes the innocent lives of a vast number of American teenagers and a Colombian citizen in the process. Secrets run deep in any government and both the Colombian and American governments are no different. The Colombian President, out of complete desperation, gives the Americans confidential information which in turn rouses a military response; retaliation. Special Forces Colonel Mike Pike, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and a hero in Vietnam, issues the response. He calls on a posse of Green Berets, who are led by the fearless Chief Warrant Officer Dave Riley.

Their task is simple (on paper); go to Colombia, identify these two major cocaine labs and take them out.

However, there is a problem. Somewhere within the Green Berets or within the guys who give the orders, there is a mole. Efforts are taken to improve the secrecy of the next mission, but to no avail. Something goes seriously wrong.

The worst of the worst drug boss, call him Ring Man, is on the verge of making a big move. He aims to run Colombia himself, which means the only man in his way is the President, who is scared out of his skin.

Col. Mike Pike is the only man who still wants to do something about all this. Dave Riley, on the other hand, wants to look for survivors from an earlier tragedy (that happened as a result of the leak). Also in Riley’s corner is the no-nonsense CIA agent, Kate Westland. The two, in fact, begin to get a little too cozy with each other.

Dragon Sim-13 revolves around a practical military simulation training exercise that turns into a real-life incursion. A Korea-based Special Forces team ventures into China.

The year is 1989 and there is a brief spell of relative democracy in China—a faction, actually. From Fort Meade in Maryland, Dr. Meng (a Cultural Revolution victim) watches wearily. Meng was a young computer genius in China once (in the 1960s).

Meng takes the military simulation training exercise a step further than was originally planned. He crucially sends the Special Forces team to an oil pipeline across the border into Korea—a major pipeline they blow up. This happens successfully thanks to the brilliant work of Captain Mitchell and of Sergeant Dave Riley.

There are a few problems, though; no one has authorized this mission. Also, there are Chinese bears that attack in the night. Most crucially, though, is that the Special Forces team has ventured into enemy territory and since the mission is unauthorized (the team doesn’t know this), there is no way the higher-ups in the military can help.

Synbat, the third book, is just as thrilling as—if not more than—the first two. The word “synbat” is an atavistic milieu (synthetic battle forms). Synbats are expendable genetically modified baboons, bred solely for military use—for duties seemingly too dangerous for human soldiers. It’s not entirely impossible that such creatures can exist in real-life. There is a lot of genetic research and experiments (ethical or non-ethical) being conducted every day. So, it is then very possible to genetically engineer baboons into weapons for the military. This book focuses on that and a lot more and makes for a very compelling read.

Chief Warrant Officer Dave Riley and his regiment of Green Berets are tasked with locating and capturing the escaped beasts before they can wreak havoc.

Let’s just say that the entire series is aimed at getting your adrenalin pumping and to keep your fingers sore from constantly turning pages as quickly as you possibly can.

Cut Out is a thrilling read that will definitely get your juices flowing. Dave Riley, the Green Beret and Chief Warrant Officer is back with a bang in a story revolving around the federal witness protection program. Philip Cobb, once a money launderer for the mob, is now a valuable witness. This book tests Sergeant Riley in new ways, after his battles with drug lords and the Chinese and a bunch of mutated monkeys.

The fifth book in the series is Eternity Base. Sammy Pintella is a federal employee who wants to know the whereabouts of her father, who is MIA. While looking through government documents, she discovers a secret military base in Antarctica; a base built during the Cold War.

And now she wants to go to Antarctica. By her side is the one and only Dave Riley, the Special Forces veteran. Riley and Pintella soon discover there are more people at Eternity Base than they were prepared for. There are various spies and baddies in the vicinity and others on the way. Everyone wants a piece of Eternity Base—or rather, they want what lies inside.

Z: The Final Countdown is about the outbreak of a disease somewhere remote in an African jungle. Dave Riley is on a tricky mission to stop the virus from becoming a contagion across the world (which could eventually lead to extinction—because what’s a good virus story without extinction?).

As you may well have deduced for yourself, this entire series revolves around Dave Riley and everything he has to put himself through for the good of his beloved country. Each bok is compelling in its own way, plus each lets you chronologically follow the trials and tribulations of a very likeable main character. The Green Berets series is one for the lovers of exceptionally constructed fiction.