David Morrell has published 32 novels, 3 short story collections, 1 non-fiction book and 3 other books, beginning with First Blood (1972). The latest is Before I Wake (2019).
Updated September 2026
Where to start with David Morrell
Start here
First Blood
David Morrell's most-read book.
Newest
Before I Wake
Published 2019.
Standalone novels in order
First Blood (1972)
Testament (1975)
Last Reveille (1977)
The Totem (1979)
The Brotherhood of the Rose (May 1984)
Rambo (1985)
The Fraternity of the Stone (1985)
Night Visions/dead (Night Visions 2) (1987)
The League of Night and Fog (1987)
Rambo 3 (1988)
Rambo III (1988)
Blood Oath (1989)
The Fifth Profession (1990)
The Covenant of the Flame (1991)
Assumed Identity (1993)
Desperate Measures (1994)
Extreme Denial (1996)
Double Image (1998)
Burnt Sienna (2000)
Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing (2002)
Long Lost (2002)
The Protector (2003)
Creepers (2005)
Scavenger (2007)
Captain America (2008)
The Successful Novelist (2008)
The Shimmer (2010)
Thrillers (2010)
Murder as a Fine Art (2013)
Inspector of the Dead (2015)
Ruler of the Night (2016)
Before I Wake (2019)
Short story collections in order
Black Evening (2000)
Nightscape (2004)
Tesseracts Thirteen Chilling Tales From The Great White North (2009)
Non-fiction in order
Fireflies (1988)
Other books in order
Night Visions 2 (1985)
Fifth Profession, The (1990)
Fraternity of the Stone, The (Morrell, David) (2006)
Film and TV adaptations
- First Blood (1982)Film · from First Blood
About David Morrell
David Morrell is a Canadian-American author whose debut 1972 novel First Blood, later adapted as the 1982 film of the same name, went on to spawn the successful Rambo franchise starring Sylvester Stallone. He has written 28 novels, and his work has been translated into 30 languages. He also wrote the 2007–2008 Captain America comic book miniseries The Chosen.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
David Morrell FAQ
- How many books has David Morrell written?
- David Morrell has published 32 novels, 3 short story collections, 1 non-fiction book and 3 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read David Morrell's books in?
- Publication order is a safe choice; the full list is above. Most readers start with First Blood.
- What is David Morrell's latest book?
- Before I Wake (2019).
- What is David Morrell's most famous book?
- First Blood (1972) is David Morrell's most widely read book.
- Which David Morrell books have been adapted?
- 1 book has been adapted for film or TV, including First Blood (film, 1982).
Authors like David Morrell
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.