Alistair MacLean books in order
Scottish novelist
- Lived
- 1922–1987
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Books
- 39
- Also writes as
- Ian Stuart
Alistair MacLean published 33 novels, 1 short story collection, 1 non-fiction book, 1 children's book and 3 other books, beginning with The Guns of Navarone (1957). The best-known is Where Eagles Dare (1967).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with Alistair MacLean
Start here
Where Eagles Dare
Alistair MacLean's most-read book.
Standalone novels in order
HMS Ulysses (1955)
South by Java Head (1957)
The Guns of Navarone (1957)
Night Without End (1959)
Fear Is the Key (1961)
The Black Shrike (1961)
The Dark Crusader (1961)
The Golden Rendezvous (1962)
The Satan Bug (1962)
Ice Station Zebra (1963)
The Last Frontier (1963)
When Eight Bells Toll (1966)
Where Eagles Dare (1967)
Force 10 From Navarone (1968)
Puppet on a Chain (1969)
Caravan to Vaccares (1970)
Bear Island (1971)
The Way to Dusty Death (1973)
Breakheart Pass (1974)
Circus (1975)
The Golden Gate (1976)
Goodbye California (1977)
Seawitch (1977)
Athabasca (1980)
Hostage Tower (1980)
River of Death (1981)
Partisans (1982)
The Partisans by Alistair MacLean (1982-10-07) (1982)
Floodgate (1983)
San Andreas (1984)
Santorini (1986)
Night Watch (1989)
Dead Halt (1993)
Short story collections in order
The Lonely Sea (1985)
Non-fiction in order
Captain Cook (1972)
Children's books in order
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Other books in order
Night Without Fear (1978)
The Secret Ways (1981)
When 8 Bells Toll (1981)
Film and TV adaptations
- The Guns of Navarone (1961)Film · from The Guns of Navarone
- Fear Is the Key (1972)Film · from Fear Is the Key
- Golden Rendezvous (1977)Film · from The Golden Rendezvous
- The Satan Bug (1965)Film · from The Satan Bug
- Ice Station Zebra (1968)Film · from Ice Station Zebra
- When Eight Bells Toll (1971)Film · from When Eight Bells Toll
- Force 10 from Navarone (1978)Film · from Force 10 From Navarone
- Puppet on a Chain (1970)Film · from Puppet on a Chain
- Bear Island (1979)Film · from Bear Island
- Breakheart Pass (1975)Film · from Breakheart Pass
About Alistair MacLean
Alistair Stuart MacLean was a Scottish novelist, who wrote popular thrillers and adventure stories. His books are estimated to have sold over 150 million copies, making him one of the best-selling fiction authors of all time.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Alistair MacLean FAQ
- How many books has Alistair MacLean written?
- Alistair MacLean published 33 novels, 1 short story collection, 1 non-fiction book, 1 children's book and 3 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read Alistair MacLean's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with Where Eagles Dare.
- What is Alistair MacLean's last book?
- Night Watch (1989).
- What is Alistair MacLean's most famous book?
- Where Eagles Dare (1967) is Alistair MacLean's most widely read book.
- Does Alistair MacLean write under a pen name?
- Yes: Alistair MacLean has also published as Ian Stuart.
- Which Alistair MacLean books have been adapted?
- 10 books have been adapted for film or TV, including The Guns of Navarone (film, 1961), Fear Is the Key (film, 1972), The Golden Rendezvous (as Golden Rendezvous, film, 1977) and The Satan Bug (film, 1965).
Authors like Alistair MacLean
Poul Anderson
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Jack London
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Sinclair Lewis
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Edgar Rice Burroughs
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Upton Sinclair
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Murray Leinster
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Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.