Series reading guide · updated 2026
Dirk Pitt Books in Order
Every Dirk Pitt book in publication order — 26 in total, spanning 1973–2018.
Dirk Pitt is Clive Cussler's globe-trotting marine engineer and adventurer — part Indiana Jones, part treasure hunter, forever pulling impossible discoveries out of the sea. Across 25 novels from 1973 to 2018 he raised the Titanic, chased lost treasure across the Sahara, and outran every villain in his path, usually alongside his wisecracking sidekick Al Giordino. It's pure escapist adventure, and it's best read in publication order as Pitt ages and the cast grows around him.
Publication Order of Dirk Pitt Books
| # | Title | Year | Get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Mediterranean Caper / Mayday! | 1973 | Amazon US UK |
| 2 | Iceberg | 1974 | Amazon US UK |
| 3 | Raise the Titanic! | 1976 | Amazon US UK |
| 4 | Vixen 03 | 1978 | Amazon US UK |
| 5 | Night Probe! | 1981 | Amazon US UK |
| 6 | Pacific Vortex | 1983 | Amazon US UK |
| 7 | Deep Six | 1984 | Amazon US UK |
| 8 | Cyclops | 1986 | Amazon US UK |
| 9 | Treasure | 1988 | Amazon US UK |
| 10 | Dragon | 1990 | Amazon US UK |
| 11 | Sahara | 1992 | Amazon US UK |
| 12 | Inca Gold | 1994 | Amazon US UK |
| 13 | Shock Wave | 1996 | Amazon US UK |
| 14 | Flood Tide | 1997 | Amazon US UK |
| 15 | Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt Revealed | 1998 | Amazon US UK |
| 16 | Atlantis Found | 1999 | Amazon US UK |
| 17 | Valhalla Rising | 2001 | Amazon US UK |
| 18 | Trojan Odyssey | 2003 | Amazon US UK |
| 19 | Black Wind | 2004 | Amazon US UK |
| 20 | Treasure of Khan | 2006 | Amazon US UK |
| 21 | Arctic Drift | 2008 | Amazon US UK |
| 22 | Crescent Dawn | 2010 | Amazon US UK |
| 23 | Poseidon's Arrow | 2012 | Amazon US UK |
| 24 | Havana Storm | 2014 | Amazon US UK |
| 25 | Odessa Sea | 2016 | Amazon US UK |
| 26 | Celtic Empire | 2018 | Amazon US UK |
Every title by year All 26, oldest to newest
| # | Title | Year | Get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Mediterranean Caper / Mayday! | 1973 | Amazon US UK |
| 2 | Iceberg | 1974 | Amazon US UK |
| 3 | Raise the Titanic! | 1976 | Amazon US UK |
| 4 | Vixen 03 | 1978 | Amazon US UK |
| 5 | Night Probe! | 1981 | Amazon US UK |
| 6 | Pacific Vortex | 1983 | Amazon US UK |
| 7 | Deep Six | 1984 | Amazon US UK |
| 8 | Cyclops | 1986 | Amazon US UK |
| 9 | Treasure | 1988 | Amazon US UK |
| 10 | Dragon | 1990 | Amazon US UK |
| 11 | Sahara | 1992 | Amazon US UK |
| 12 | Inca Gold | 1994 | Amazon US UK |
| 13 | Shock Wave | 1996 | Amazon US UK |
| 14 | Flood Tide | 1997 | Amazon US UK |
| 15 | Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt Revealed | 1998 | Amazon US UK |
| 16 | Atlantis Found | 1999 | Amazon US UK |
| 17 | Valhalla Rising | 2001 | Amazon US UK |
| 18 | Trojan Odyssey | 2003 | Amazon US UK |
| 19 | Black Wind | 2004 | Amazon US UK |
| 20 | Treasure of Khan | 2006 | Amazon US UK |
| 21 | Arctic Drift | 2008 | Amazon US UK |
| 22 | Crescent Dawn | 2010 | Amazon US UK |
| 23 | Poseidon's Arrow | 2012 | Amazon US UK |
| 24 | Havana Storm | 2014 | Amazon US UK |
| 25 | Odessa Sea | 2016 | Amazon US UK |
| 26 | Celtic Empire | 2018 | Amazon US UK |
Dirk Pitt on screen
Dirk Pitt has reached the screen twice — Raise the Titanic (1980) and Sahara (2005) with Matthew McConaughey. Neither captured the novels’ full sweep, which is exactly why readers keep coming back to the page.
- 1980Raise the TitanicFilm — Based on the 1976 novel.
- 2005SaharaFilm — McConaughey as Pitt; a cult favorite among adventure fans.
If you liked the show, read the books
Liked Sahara (2005 film)? Start with Raise the Titanic! and read the series in publication order.
Frequently asked
How many Dirk Pitt books are there?
Twenty-five, published between 1973 and 2018. The later novels were co-written with Clive Cussler’s son, Dirk Cussler.
Is the movie Sahara based on a Dirk Pitt book?
Yes — the 2005 film starring Matthew McConaughey is based on Cussler’s 1992 novel Sahara, the eleventh Dirk Pitt adventure.
What order should I read the Dirk Pitt books in?
Publication order is best, starting with The Mediterranean Caper (1973) or the breakout Raise the Titanic! (1976).
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