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Jerry Ahern Books In Order

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Publication Order of They Call Me the Mercenary Books

The Killer Genesis(1980)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Slaughter Run(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon
Fourth Reich Death Squad(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Opium Hunter(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon
Canadian Killing Ground(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon
Vengeance Army(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon
Slave of the Warmonger(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
Assassins Express(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Terror Contract(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
Bush Warfare(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
Death Lust!(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
Headshot!(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
Naked Blade, Naked Gun(1983)Description / Buy at Amazon
Siberian Alternative(1983)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Afghanistan Penetration(1983)Description / Buy at Amazon
China Bloodhunt(1983)Description / Buy at Amazon
Buckingham Blowout(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon
Eye for Eye(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon

Publication Order of Survivalist Books

Total War(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Nightmare Begins(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Quest(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Doomsayer(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Web(1983)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Savage Horde(1983)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Prophet(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon
The End is Coming(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon
Earth Fire(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Awakening(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Reprisal(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Rebellion(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon
Pursuit(1986)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Terror(1987)Description / Buy at Amazon
Overlord(1987)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Arsenal(1987)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Ordeal(1988)Description / Buy at Amazon
Mid-Wake(1988)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Struggle(1989)Description / Buy at Amazon
Final Rain(1989)Description / Buy at Amazon
Firestorm(1990)Description / Buy at Amazon
To End All War(1990)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Legend(1991)Description / Buy at Amazon
Brutal Conquest(1991)Description / Buy at Amazon
Call to Battle(1992)Description / Buy at Amazon
Blood Assassins(1992)Description / Buy at Amazon
War Mountain(1993)Description / Buy at Amazon
Countdown(1993)Description / Buy at Amazon
Death Watch(1993)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Inheritors of Earth (With: Sharon Ahern,Bob Anderson)(2013)Description / Buy at Amazon
Earth Shine (With: Sharon Ahern,Bob Anderson)(2014)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Quisling Covenant (With: Sharon Ahern,Bob Anderson)(2014)Description / Buy at Amazon
Deep Star (With: Sharon Ahern,Bob Anderson)(2015)Description / Buy at Amazon
Lodestar (With: Sharon Ahern,Bob Anderson)(2016)Description / Buy at Amazon
Blood Moon (With: Sharon Ahern,Bob Anderson)(2018)Description / Buy at Amazon
Operation Phoenix (With: Sharon Ahern,Bob Anderson)(2019)Description / Buy at Amazon

Chronological Order of Survivalist Books

Total War(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Nightmare Begins(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Quest(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Doomsayer(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Web(1983)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Savage Horde(1983)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Prophet(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon
The End is Coming(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon
Earth Fire(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Awakening(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Reprisal(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Rebellion(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon
Pursuit(1986)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Terror(1987)Description / Buy at Amazon
Overlord(1987)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Arsenal(1987)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Ordeal(1988)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Struggle(1989)Description / Buy at Amazon
Final Rain(1989)Description / Buy at Amazon
Firestorm(1990)Description / Buy at Amazon
To End All War(1990)Description / Buy at Amazon
Brutal Conquest(1991)Description / Buy at Amazon
Call to Battle(1992)Description / Buy at Amazon
Blood Assassins(1992)Description / Buy at Amazon
War Mountain(1993)Description / Buy at Amazon
Countdown(1993)Description / Buy at Amazon
Death Watch(1993)Description / Buy at Amazon
Mid-Wake(1988)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Legend(1991)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Inheritors of Earth (With: Sharon Ahern,Bob Anderson)(2013)Description / Buy at Amazon
Earth Shine (With: Sharon Ahern,Bob Anderson)(2014)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Quisling Covenant (With: Sharon Ahern,Bob Anderson)(2014)Description / Buy at Amazon
Deep Star (With: Sharon Ahern,Bob Anderson)(2015)Description / Buy at Amazon
Lodestar (With: Sharon Ahern,Bob Anderson)(2016)Description / Buy at Amazon
Blood Moon (With: Sharon Ahern,Bob Anderson)(2018)Description / Buy at Amazon
Operation Phoenix (With: Sharon Ahern,Bob Anderson)(2019)Description / Buy at Amazon

Publication Order of Survivalist Collections

with Sharon Ahern, Bob Anderson
Shades of Love(2013)Description / Buy at Amazon
Once Upon a Time(2014)Description / Buy at Amazon
Light Dreams The Survivalist Short Story Collection Book 3(2014)Description / Buy at Amazon

Publication Order of Track Books

The Ninety-Nine(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon
Atrocity(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon
Armageddon Conspiracy(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Hard Way(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon
Origin of a Vendetta(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon
Certain Blood(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon
Master of D.E.A.T.H.(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon
Revenge of the Master(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon
The D.E.A.T.H. Hunters(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon
Cocaine Run(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon

Publication Order of The Takers Books

with Sharon Ahern

Publication Order of Ed Mulvaney Books

with Sharon Ahern

Publication Order of Defender Books

Publication Order of Surgical Strike Books

Assault on the Empress(1988)Description / Buy at Amazon
Surgical Strike(1988)Description / Buy at Amazon
Infiltrator(1990)Description / Buy at Amazon

Publication Order of Rourke Chronicles Books

with Sharon Ahern, Bob Anderson

Publication Order of Soldier for Hire Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Miamigrad (With: Sharon Ahern)(1987)Description / Buy at Amazon
WerewolveSS (With: Sharon Ahern)(1990)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Golden Shield of Ibf (With: Sharon Ahern)(1999)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Illegal Man (With: Sharon Ahern)(2004)Description / Buy at Amazon
Written in Time (With: Sharon Ahern)(2010)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Freeman (With: Sharon Ahern)(2012)Description / Buy at Amazon
America Undead (With: Sharon Ahern)(2017)Description / Buy at Amazon

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Siege Perilous (With: Sharon Ahern)(2013)Description / Buy at Amazon

Publication Order of Short Story Collections

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Ccw, Carrying Concealed Weapons(1996)Description / Buy at Amazon
Survive!(2010)Description / Buy at Amazon
Armed for Personal Defense(2010)Description / Buy at Amazon
Gun Digest Buyer's Guide to Concealed-Carry Handguns(2010)Description / Buy at Amazon
Home Defense Handbook(2011)Description / Buy at Amazon

Publication Order of Nick Carter: Killmaster Books

Run, Spy, Run(1964)Description / Buy at Amazon
The China Doll(1964)Description / Buy at Amazon
Checkmate in Rio(1964)Description / Buy at Amazon
Safari for Spies(1964)Description / Buy at Amazon
Fraulein Spy(1964)Description / Buy at Amazon
Saigon(1964)Description / Buy at Amazon
A Bullet for Fidel(1965)Description / Buy at Amazon
The 13th Spy(1965)Description / Buy at Amazon
Eyes of the Tiger(1965)Description / Buy at Amazon
Istanbul(1965)Description / Buy at Amazon
Web of Spies(1966)Description / Buy at Amazon
Spy Castle(1966)Description / Buy at Amazon
Terrible Ones(1966)Description / Buy at Amazon
Dragon Flame(1966)Description / Buy at Amazon
Hanoi(1966)Description / Buy at Amazon
Danger Key(1966)Description / Buy at Amazon
Operation Starvation(1966)Description / Buy at Amazon
Mind Poisoners(1966)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Weapon Of Night(1967)Description / Buy at Amazon
Golden Serpent(1967)Description / Buy at Amazon
Mission to Venice(1967)Description / Buy at Amazon
Double Identity(1967)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Devil's Cockpit(1967)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Chinese Paymaster(1967)Description / Buy at Amazon
Seven Against Greece(1967)Description / Buy at Amazon
A Korean Tiger(1967)Description / Buy at Amazon
Assignment Israel(1967)Description / Buy at Amazon
Red Guard(1967)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Filthy Five(1967)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Bright Blue Death(1967)Description / Buy at Amazon
Macao(1968)Description / Buy at Amazon
Operation Moon Rocket(1968)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Judas Spy(1968)Description / Buy at Amazon
Hood of Death(1968)Description / Buy at Amazon
Amsterdam(1968)Description / Buy at Amazon
Temple of Fear(1968)Description / Buy at Amazon
Fourteen Seconds to Hell(1968)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Defector(1969)Description / Buy at Amazon
Carnival for Killing(1969)Description / Buy at Amazon
Rhodesia(1969)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Red Rays(1969)Description / Buy at Amazon
Peking: The Tulip affair(1969)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Amazon(1969)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Sea Trap(1969)Description / Buy at Amazon
Berlin(1969)Description / Buy at Amazon
Human Time Bomb(1969)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Cobra Kill(1969)Description / Buy at Amazon
Living Death(1969)Description / Buy at Amazon
Operation Che Guevara(1969)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Doomsday Formula(1969)Description / Buy at Amazon
Operation Snake(1969)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Casbah Killers(1969)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Red Rebellion(1970)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Executioners(1970)Description / Buy at Amazon
Black Death(1970)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Mind Killers(1970)Description / Buy at Amazon
Time Clock of Death(1970)Description / Buy at Amazon
Cambodia(1970)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Death Strain(1970)Description / Buy at Amazon
Jewel of Doom(1970)Description / Buy at Amazon
Moscow(1970)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Arab Plague / Slavemaster(1970)Description / Buy at Amazon
Ice Bomb Zero(1971)Description / Buy at Amazon
Mark of Cosa Nostra(1972)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Cairo Mafia / Cairo(1972)Description / Buy at Amazon
Inca Death Squad(1973)Description / Buy at Amazon
Assault on England(1973)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Omega Terror(1973)Description / Buy at Amazon
Code Name: Werewolf(1973)Description / Buy at Amazon
Strike Force Terror(1973)Description / Buy at Amazon
Agent Counter-agent(1973)Description / Buy at Amazon
Hour of the Wolf(1973)Description / Buy at Amazon
Our Agent in Rome Is Missing(1973)Description / Buy at Amazon
Kremlin File(1973)Description / Buy at Amazon
Spanish Connection(1973)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Death's Head Conspiracy(1973)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Peking Dossier(1973)Description / Buy at Amazon
Target: Doomsday Island(1974)Description / Buy at Amazon
Night of the Avenger(1974)Description / Buy at Amazon
Butcher of Belgrade(1974)Description / Buy at Amazon
Assassination Brigade(1974)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Liquidator(1974)Description / Buy at Amazon
Devil's Dozen(1974)Description / Buy at Amazon
Ice-Trap Terror(1974)Description / Buy at Amazon
Assassin Code Name Vulture(1974)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Stolen Pay Train(1974)Description / Buy at Amazon
Massacre in Milan(1974)Description / Buy at Amazon
Vatican Vendetta(1974)Description / Buy at Amazon
Sign of the Cobra(1974)Description / Buy at Amazon
Man Who Sold Death(1974)Description / Buy at Amazon
The N3 Conspiracy(1974)Description / Buy at Amazon
Beirut Incident(1974)Description / Buy at Amazon
Death of the Falcon(1974)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Aztec Avenger(1974)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Code(1975)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Jerusalem File(1975)Description / Buy at Amazon
Counterfeit Agent(1975)Description / Buy at Amazon
Six Bloody Summer Days(1975)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Katmandu Contract(1975)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Z Document(1975)Description / Buy at Amazon
Dr. Death(1975)Description / Buy at Amazon
Ultimate Code(1975)Description / Buy at Amazon
Assignment Intercept(1976)Description / Buy at Amazon
Green Wolf Connection(1976)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Fanatics of Al Asad(1976)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Snake Flag Conspiracy(1976)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Turncoat(1976)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Sign of the Prayer Shawl(1976)Description / Buy at Amazon
Vulcan Disaster(1976)Description / Buy at Amazon
A High Yield In Death(1976)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Nichovev Plot(1976)Description / Buy at Amazon
Triple Cross(1976)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Gallagher Plot(1976)Description / Buy at Amazon
Plot for the Fourth Reich(1977)Description / Buy at Amazon
Death Message(1978)Description / Buy at Amazon
The List(1978)Description / Buy at Amazon
Under the Wall(1978)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Ebony Cross(1978)Description / Buy at Amazon
Deadly Doubles(1978)Description / Buy at Amazon
Race of Death(1978)Description / Buy at Amazon
Trouble in Paradise(1978)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Pamplona Affair(1978)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Doomsday Spore(1978)Description / Buy at Amazon
Revenge of the Generals(1979)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Asian Mantrap(1979)Description / Buy at Amazon
Thunderstrike In Syria(1979)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Redolmo Affair(1979)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Jamaican Exchange(1979)Description / Buy at Amazon
Tropical Deathpact(1979)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Pemex Chart(1979)Description / Buy at Amazon
Hawaii(1979)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Satan Trap(1979)Description / Buy at Amazon
Reich Four(1979)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Nowhere Weapon(1979)Description / Buy at Amazon
Strike of the Hawk(1980)Description / Buy at Amazon
Day of the Dingo(1980)Description / Buy at Amazon
Tarantula Strike(1980)Description / Buy at Amazon
Ten Times Dynamite(1980)Description / Buy at Amazon
Eighth Card Stud(1980)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Suicide Seat(1980)Description / Buy at Amazon
Death Mission: Havana(1980)Description / Buy at Amazon
War From The Clouds(1980)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Coyote Connection(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Q Man(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Society of Nine(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Ouster Conspiracy(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Golden Bull(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Dubrovnik Massacre(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Solar Menace(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Strontium Code(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon
Pleasure Island(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon
Cauldron of Hell(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Parisian Affair(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon
Turkish Bloodbath(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
Chessmaster(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Last Samurai(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Puppet Master(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Dominican Affair(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Damocles Threat(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
Earth Shaker(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Treason Game(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
Deathlight(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Israeli Connection(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
Norwegian Typhoon(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Hunter(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
Operation McMurdo Sound(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
Appointment in Haiphong(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
Retreat for Death(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Mendoza Manuscript(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Death Star Affair(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
Doctor DNA(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
Typhoon Ray(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Christmas Kill(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Greek Summit(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon
Hide and Go Die(1983)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Kali Death Cult(1983)Description / Buy at Amazon
Operation Vendetta(1983)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Yukon Target(1983)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Death Dealer(1983)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Istanbul Decision(1983)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Decoy Hit(1983)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Outback Ghosts(1983)Description / Buy at Amazon
Earthfire North(1983)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Budapest Run(1983)Description / Buy at Amazon
Caribbean Coup(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Algarve Affair(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon
Zero-Hour Strike Force(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon
Operation Sharkbite(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon
Death Island(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon
Night of the Warheads(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon
Day of the Mahdi(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon
Assignment: Rio(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon
Death Hand Play(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Kremlin Kill(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Mayan Connection(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon
San Juan Inferno(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon
Circle of Scorpions(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Blue Ice Affair(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Macao Massacre(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon
Pursuit of the Eagle(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Vengeance Game(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon
Last Flight to Moscow(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Normandy Code(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon
White Death(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Assassin Convention(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon
Blood of the Scimitar(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Execution Exchange(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Tarlov Cipher(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon
Target Red Star(1986)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Killing Ground(1986)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Berlin Target(1986)Description / Buy at Amazon
Mercenary Mountain(1986)Description / Buy at Amazon
Blood Ultimatum(1986)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Cyclops Conspiracy(1986)Description / Buy at Amazon
Tunnel for Traitors(1986)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Samurai Kill(1986)Description / Buy at Amazon
Terror Times Two(1986)Description / Buy at Amazon
Death Orbit(1986)Description / Buy at Amazon
Slaughter Day(1986)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Master Assassin(1986)Description / Buy at Amazon
Operation Petrograd(1986)Description / Buy at Amazon
Crossfire Red(1987)Description / Buy at Amazon
Blood of the Falcon(1987)Description / Buy at Amazon
Death Squad(1987)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Terror Code(1987)Description / Buy at Amazon
Holy War(1987)Description / Buy at Amazon
Blood Raid(1987)Description / Buy at Amazon
East of Hell(1987)Description / Buy at Amazon
Killing Games(1987)Description / Buy at Amazon
Terms of Vengeance(1987)Description / Buy at Amazon
Pressure Point(1987)Description / Buy at Amazon
Night of the Condor(1987)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Poseidon Target(1987)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Andropov File(1988)Description / Buy at Amazon
Dragonfire(1988)Description / Buy at Amazon
Bloodtrail to Mecca(1988)Description / Buy at Amazon
Deathstrike(1988)Description / Buy at Amazon
Lethal Prey(1988)Description / Buy at Amazon
Spykiller(1988)Description / Buy at Amazon
Bolivian Heat(1988)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Rangoon Man(1988)Description / Buy at Amazon
Code Name Cobra(1988)Description / Buy at Amazon
Afghan Intercept(1988)Description / Buy at Amazon
Countdown to Armageddon(1988)Description / Buy at Amazon
Black Sea Bloodbath(1988)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Deadly Diva(1989)Description / Buy at Amazon
Invitation to Death(1989)Description / Buy at Amazon
Day of the Assassin(1989)Description / Buy at Amazon
The Korean Kill(1989)Description / Buy at Amazon
Middle East Massacre(1989)Description / Buy at Amazon
Sanction to Slaughter(1989)Description / Buy at Amazon
Holiday in Hell(1989)Description / Buy at Amazon
Law of the Lion(1989)Description / Buy at Amazon
Hong Kong Hit(1989)Description / Buy at Amazon
Deep Sea Death(1989)Description / Buy at Amazon
Arms of Vengeance(1989)Description / Buy at Amazon
Hell-Bound Express(1989)Description / Buy at Amazon
Isle of Blood(1989)Description / Buy at Amazon
Singapore Sling(1990)Description / Buy at Amazon
Ruby Red Death(1990)Description / Buy at Amazon
Arctic Abduction(1990)Description / Buy at Amazon
Dragon Slay(1990)Description / Buy at Amazon
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Jerry Ahern was an American writer that made a name for himself with the Survivalist series of novels, which he wrote together with his wife Sharon Ahern. Together they would publish over eighty international bestselling novels under the pseudonyms Red Mitchell, Alec Kilgore, and his real name Jerry Ahern. In addition to his novels, Jerry was a contributor on over a thousand interviews, features, columns, and magazine articles. Other than his survivalist novels, Ahern was an expert in firearms and was a regular contributor to magazines such as Gun World, Handguns, and Guns and Ammo. He was recognized as an expert on leather gear and holsters for firearms, and wrote a monthly column for “Filed Issue”. Jerry was married to Sharon his high school sweetheart with whom he had two children. Jerry Ahern died of cancer on 24 July 2012, but his legacy lives on through his wife Sharon and his longtime friend and author Bob Anderson that picked up the series. They have since written several more titles under the Survivalist series that have gone on to become just as successful as those written by the master himself.

The Survivalist series of novels are usually considered a science fiction, men’s adventure, and soap opera, that comes with an uncompromising in your face social commentary. The first novel in the series was “Total War” that was first published in 1981. The first few novels in the series are about the chief protagonist Rourke’s quest to find his family that has gone missing. They cover his struggles and triumphs, including his battles with the Soviets that have invaded the United States. The most intriguing aspects of his survival endeavors are the typical post-apocalyptic villains found in such novels that include cannibals, mutants, and biker gangs, all of whom engage him in long drawn out battles full of graphic violence. Later books, including the two spin-offs such as Camp Zero, the young adult series that he co-wrote with Sean Ellis and Everyman, which he co-wrote with Bob Anderson, adopted a more science fiction feel. The novels are full of futuristic and new age technologies, including underwater cities, doomsday weapons, and cryonics. His most accomplished work the Survivalist series set the tone for survivalist fiction in the 1980s. It is most notable for its attention to detail on survival techniques and weapons that made them the perfect stories for an audience living during the Cold War. As such, the inclusion of Cold War propaganda and sympathetic Soviet characters had more to do with the attitudes of the times.

The Genesis of the Survivalist novels was when Jerry Ahern was exposed to much information on survival, ranging from survival vitamins, to survival food, to survival property, when he was working as the Associate Editor of GUNS Magazine. For Ahern, it was easy to conclude that people believed that they would survive, rise to the occasion, and triumph over any type of calamity that could be visited on them. In John Rourke is a man who has been with the CIA, a trained physician, with the skills to survive any catastrophe. Espousing the idea that planning ahead is the most important skill to have, he prepares a mountain retreat where he and his family consisting of his wife and two children, can hold out in case of any catastrophes. Over the course of the series, Sarah Rourke, John’s wife develops from being more of a neophyte to a more confident leader of the family with innovative survival skills and ideas of her own. She develops a foresight and preparedness for unexpected occurrences that were sorely lacking in the early novels. She comes to accept that the widespread belief that good things always happen to good people and vice versa is nothing more than a myth. By asserting that she needs to be more proactive in shaping her destiny, she develops into a prominent character in her own right alongside John Rourke.

“Total War”, the first novel of the Survivalist series is generally regarded as the best novel in the series. It follows the chief protagonist John Rourke, a former CIA counter intelligence officer, personal survival and weapons expert, who is on a mission to ensure the survival of his family during a Soviet invasion of the United States. While he is one of the most prepared persons for such a scenario, having built an emergency wilderness retreat for his family, the invasion happens at the most inopportune of times. He happens to be flying home when a nuclear strike by the Soviets blinds the pilots of his plane, forcing him to take over and crash-land the plane. He teams up with Paul Rubenstein the only other survivor of the crash, and together they try to navigate their way back to the Minnesota wilderness retreat. It is not an easy journey, as they have to travel across an American countryside that is burning from nuclear radiation fallout, and is full of murderous gangs that kill for weapons, clothing, and food or just for the sheer fun of it. Ultimately reaching the well-supplied and fortified retreat the real terror of the war – a full Russian invasion and a direct nuclear hit suddenly become very real.

“The Nightmare Begins” is the second novel in the Survivalist series of novels by Jerry Ahern. World War III has just ended with the nuclear holocaust that ensued claiming over 250 million lives across the world. With the United States as it was known no longer in existence, John Thomas Rourke, survival and weapons expert and ex CIA counterintelligence officer needs to put his exceptional skills if he and his family are to survive. Meanwhile, the Soviets are busy in the process of the pacification of the US, which they have just conquered. The first item on their agenda will be the neutralization of any prominent persons that the surviving Americans may rally around. Samuel Chambers, who was once a member of the cabinet, is the first candidate for elimination. For John Rourke the first task is to find his missing family that is rumored to have fled to Texas. His path is blocked by an unending stream of refugees, a beautiful KGB spy, brigands armed to the teeth, and paramilitary forces unleashing violence on the weak. Finally arriving in Texas, he has to confront the KGB that has just landed in the state where Chambers is also hiding. Will Rourke’s family be reunited or will he die fighting his way through to them, even as the Soviets remain determined to ensure the US never rises again.

Book Series In Order » Authors » Jerry Ahern

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