Scott McEwen

Scott McEwen has published 12 books across 4 series. The recommended reading order starts with The Legends Of Roark (2010).
Scott McEwen is an American author who writes military fiction and non-fiction, drawing on a background that includes law, military history, and extensive outdoor experience. He grew up in the mountains of Eastern Oregon, where his time as an Eagle Scout was spent hiking, fishing, and hunting. After earning his undergraduate degree in Oregon, he studied and worked in London, England. His interest in military history, patriotism, and experience with hunting rifles led him to co-author American Sniper with Chris Kyle and Jim DeFelice. This non-fiction account of the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history became a #1 New York Times Bestseller, selling over one million copies and appearing in more than twenty languages. The 2014 film adaptation garnered six Academy Award nominations and one win.
Following American Sniper, McEwen turned to fiction, collaborating with Thomas Koloniar on the Sniper Elite series. The first novel, One-Way Trip, based on real sniper stories, achieved national and Amazon bestseller status. Subsequent books in the series, including Target America and The Sniper and the Wolf, explore fictionalized accounts of contemporary military and security issues, with the series acquired by SONY Films for adaptation. McEwen also authored Eyes on Target, a non-fiction account offering a perspective on Navy SEAL operations and the Benghazi attack. His work often draws on his support for military charitable organizations, such as the Seal Team Foundation and the Navy SEAL Foundation.
In 2018, McEwen launched the Camp Valor action-adventure series for young adults and released the non-fiction title City of Death: Humanitarian Warriors in the Battle of Mosul, detailing the experiences of Ephraim Mattos and the Free Burma Rangers. He also co-authored American Commander with Ryan Zinke, a former commander at Navy SEAL Team Six, sharing insights into elite military operations and leadership. McEwen continues to chronicle the ongoing battles of the war on terror through his writing.
Shelf & Shadows
Order of Camp Valor Books
- Tagsyoung-adultthrillerDescriptionWyatt's life seems to be over when he is framed for a crime committed by a friend. Then a stranger offers him a deal: three months at a secret government camp in exchange for a ten-year prison sentence being wiped clean. Wyatt accepts and enters a world of teenage government agents, juvenile offenders who are given a second chance to prove themselves. Camp Valor is a training ground where teenagers fly drones, defuse bombs, and jump out of helicopters. If they can survive their three months and the grueling Hell Week, they will join the ranks of elite soldiers. But enemies of the United States have learned about Camp Valor and are determined to uncover its secrets. Now, Wyatt and his new friends must use their training and find the courage to defend their country.Publication dateJuly 10, 2018Amazon rating4.4/5Print length336LanguageEnglishPublisherSt. Martin's Griffin
- Tags---DescriptionA young gamer logs into a VR world and inadvertently kills fifty-three people when a cyberterrorist reengineers the game so that virtual actions have real-world consequences. Wyatt Brewer, Camp Valor's top camper, is tasked with investigating the link between the cyberterrorist, Encyte, and The Glowworm Gaming Network, a group Wyatt previously dismantled. He is still dealing with the fallout from Glowworm and a mentor's betrayal. Wyatt finds a clue when he meets the young gamer, Jalen, and a teenage gaming prodigy, Julie Chen, known as Hi_Kyto, becomes the prime suspect. Wyatt realizes he will need Jalen's help to infiltrate the gaming world and get close to Hi_Kyto, while Jalen seeks redemption and a chance to rebuild his life with Camp Valor's assistance. As the summer season begins, the Department of Defense threatens to shut down the secret program. A billionaire alum offers financial support but without Valor's protection, forcing Jalen and Wyatt to consider going out on their own to bring the former mentor to justice and stop Encyte.Publication dateFebruary 11, 2020Amazon rating4.6/5Print length352LanguageEnglishPublisherSt. Martin's Griffin
Order of Non-Fiction Books
- Tagsbiographymemoirnon-fictionDescriptionFrom 1999 to 2009, U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle recorded the most career sniper kills in United States military history. His fellow American warriors, whom he protected with deadly precision during the Iraq War, called him "The Legend." The enemy feared him so much they named him al-Shaitan, "the devil," and placed a bounty on his head. American Sniper is a military biography that reveals the man behind the legend, documenting his battlefield experiences and the toll of combat, including the deaths of two close SEAL teammates. Through moving first-person passages from his wife, Taya, the book also speaks openly about the strains of war on their family and marriage. The 448-page account, first published in 2013 as part of the Order of Non-Fiction Books series, explores the difficult transition back to civilian life and the profound sense of patriotism and duty that drove an American warrior to eliminate threats to his fellow Americans, no matter the personal cost.Publication dateJanuary 29, 2013Amazon rating4.5/5Print length448LanguageEnglishPublisherWilliam Morrow Paperbacks
- DescriptionEyes on Target is a non-fiction account of harrowing missions undertaken by the U.S. Navy SEALs. The book delves into operations like the mission to kill Osama bin Laden and the defense of the Benghazi diplomatic outpost. During the Benghazi attack, a small team of retired SEAL snipers held off one hundred terrorists as calls for backup went unanswered. The book also covers the formation of SEAL Team Six, the failed Operation Eagle Claw in Iran, and significant operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, where the SEALs experienced their most severe losses. Retired SEAL officers, including Richard Marcinko, founder of SEAL Team Six, and former Commander Ryan Zinke, share their experiences. Their accounts reveal a deep commitment to protecting the country and American lives, even against insurmountable odds and imminent death. A notable chapter details a Medal of Honor winner saving another SEAL, an event unique in U.S. military history. The book explores the stringent code these men live by, enabling them to disregard politics and bureaucracy in service of their mission, highlighting their courage, intelligence, and grit.Publication dateFebruary 25, 2014Amazon rating4.1/5Print length320LanguageEnglishPublisherCenter Street
- Tagsnon-fictionDescriptionRyan Zinke served for over five years as a commander in the US Navy's most elite SEAL unit. A 23-year veteran, he earned two Bronze Stars as the acting commander of Joint Special Forces in Iraq. Zinke trained and commanded many of the men who would later conduct operations to hunt down Osama bin Laden and save Captain Phillips. He also served as a mentor to SEALs Marcus Luttrell and Chris Kyle. American Commander, a non-fiction book published in 2016, offers insight into the training and motivation of these warriors and the problem-solving approach Zinke employed: Situation, Mission, Execution, Command and Control, and Logistics. The book also covers Zinke's campaign for Montana's seat in the United States Congress. It conveys his vision for revitalizing American exceptionalism. Scott McEwen and Ryan Zinke take readers behind the scenes and into the heart of America's most-feared fighting force, aiming to inspire a new generation of leaders charged with restoring a bright future.Publication dateNovember 29, 2016Amazon rating4.4/5Print length304LanguageEnglishPublisherThomas Nelson
- Tags---DescriptionA former Navy SEAL joins a humanitarian group on the front lines of the Battle of Mosul, the deadliest urban combat since World War II. After leaving the US Navy SEAL teams, Ephraim Mattos, age twenty-four, traveled to Iraq to volunteer with the Free Burma Rangers. He witnessed extraordinary acts of courage and sacrifice as these humanitarians assaulted across ISIS minefields, used themselves as human shields, and sprinted down ISIS-infested streets, all to retrieve wounded civilians. City of Death: Humanitarian Warriors in the Battle of Mosul recounts Mattos’s experiences as he and the other volunteers evacuated the wounded and conducted rescue missions, at times fighting alongside the Iraqi Army against ISIS. Filled with raw descriptions of coming face-to-face with death, this is the true story of men who risked everything to save the lives of the Iraqi people. Coauthored by Scott McEwen, this 2018 book is part of the Order of Non-Fiction Books series and spans 304 pages. It tells of an American warrior turned humanitarian forced to fight his way into and out of a hell on earth created by ISIS.Publication dateOctober 23, 2018Amazon rating4.8/5Print length304LanguageEnglishPublisherCenter Street
- Tagsnon-fictionDescriptionBecoming a Navy SEAL requires 18 months of training, a period that includes a single week designed to make more than half the trainees quit. Hell Week and Beyond, a 2021 non-fiction book, takes readers to Coronado Beach in San Diego to witness the most grueling training known to mankind. It requires grit, commitment, heart, and soul to become one of the elite forces who enter America's toughest battles. The book features interviews with many well-known SEAL warriors, sharing what helped them push through and the role of humor in their success. Part Top Gun, part Bull Durham, it offers insight for those familiar with special operations and general readers who admire these elite forces.Publication dateMay 18, 2021Amazon rating4.6/5Print length288LanguageEnglishPublisherCenter Street
Order of Sniper Elite Books
- Tags---DescriptionA Navy SEAL sniper leads a daring rescue mission in Afghanistan. Master Chief Gil Shannon, defying presidential orders, assembles SEAL Team Six and Delta Force fighters to free a female helicopter pilot held by Taliban insurgents. The president fears a failed rescue would be a foreign policy disaster, but the special ops community cannot stand by while one of their own is taken hostage. This military action thriller, inspired by true events and published in 2013, is part of the Order of Sniper Elite Books series. The question is whether Shannon and his team can succeed against overwhelming odds and executive opposition.Publication dateDecember 31, 2013Amazon rating4.5/5Print length496LanguageEnglishPublisherPocket Books
- TagsthrillersuspenseDescriptionNavy SEAL sniper Gil Shannon and his team are reactivated to stop Chechen terrorists from smuggling a Cold War-era Russian nuke across the Mexican-American border. The President has no choice but to call on this unit, known for defying direct orders to save one of their own, to prevent nuclear destruction on American soil. Many of Shannon's team members had gone rogue, but they are reunited for this off-the-books Special Ops mission. They must race against time to neutralize the threat, confronting a danger far greater than any they have faced before. Target America, first published in 2014, is part of the Order of Sniper Elite Books series and runs 368 pages. As Gil and his team delve deeper into the clandestine world of military operations, the stakes escalate. The question becomes not just how to stop the terrorists, but whether this fractured, unofficial unit can truly trust each other to save the country from annihilation.Publication dateJune 3, 2014Amazon rating4.5/5Print length368LanguageEnglishPublisherAtria Books
- Tagsmemoirthrillernon-fictionDescriptionNavy SEAL sniper Gil Shannon turns from hunter to hunted when his mission to track a high-profile target is exposed by a traitor within the US government. Stranded in Paris and finding himself in the crosshairs of "The Wolf," a rogue Russian military sniper now a Chechen terrorist, Shannon must team up with a deadly Russian special operative to survive. The Sniper and the Wolf is a military thriller that reveals "The Wolf" is merely the visible part of a global terrorist plot aimed at destabilizing the US economy and the Western world. Racing against time across Europe and the Caucasus, Shannon and his team of operatives confront legions of enemy fighters. His ultimate showdown, however, is against the one sniper who might be his equal. This action-packed adventure, the third in the Sniper Elite series, pushes Shannon to his limits as he faces a threat that could shatter global stability. Who will survive the final confrontation?Publication dateMay 12, 2015Amazon rating4.5/5Print length400LanguageEnglishPublisherAtria Books
- TagsthrillersuspensecrimeDescriptionNavy Master Chief Gil Shannon is presumed dead after a mission to eliminate a Swiss banker channeling funds to Muslim extremists goes awry. Bob Pope, director of an American secret intelligence anti-terrorist program, fears his most trusted operative is lost. But when an American politician and her convoy are assassinated in Mexico City by the Ghost Sniper—an ex-military gunman for hire employed by a ruthless drug cartel—Pope must turn to retired Navy SEAL Daniel Crosswhite and ex-Green Beret Chance Vaught. Ghost Sniper, a thriller published in 2016, follows Crosswhite and Vaught as they are tasked with tracking down the assassin and exposing the corrupt officials behind the plot. This installment in the Sniper Elite series takes readers on an action-packed adventure, but the question remains: can they uncover the truth before more lives are lost?Publication dateJuly 12, 2016Amazon rating4.5/5Print length416LanguageEnglishPublisherAtria Books
Order of Standalone Novels
- Tags---DescriptionConstantine and Rejhar expected a life of ease, but their world shatters when barbarians invade the Seven Kingdoms. Forced to flee west with their instructor, Won-hi, the boys begin a rigorous education in swordplay, seafaring, mathematics, and philosophy, learning about the wonders of the world as they go. While they train, their friends endure the horrors of barbarian occupation, and the boys soon realize that unless they act, eastern civilization will fall. The Legends Of Roark, a 2010 standalone novel of 206 pages, follows their desperate fight to save their home.Publication dateJuly 26, 2010Amazon rating5/5Print length206LanguageEnglishPublisherCreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Frequently Asked Questions about Scott McEwen
Scott McEwen writes fiction and non-fiction books. His fiction includes the Camp Valor series, the Sniper Elite series, and the standalone novel The Legends Of Roark. His non-fiction works often focus on military history and operations, including American Sniper, which he co-wrote with Jim DeFelice and Chris Kyle, the subject of the book. He also writes about the U.S. Navy SEALs and other aspects of military life and combat. His books explore themes of warfare, survival, and the experiences of military personnel.
A good starting point for Scott McEwen's books is American Sniper, which he co-wrote with Jim DeFelice and Chris Kyle. This non-fiction work provides insight into military operations and experiences. Alternatively, readers interested in his fiction might begin with The Legends Of Roark, his standalone novel. For those who prefer series, the first book in the Sniper Elite series, One-Way Trip, or the first book in the Camp Valor series, Camp Valor, are also suitable entry points.
Some of Scott McEwen's books are best read in order, particularly those within his established series. The Sniper Elite books and the Camp Valor books are written with a narrative progression, suggesting a sequential reading is intended for the full experience. However, his non-fiction works, such as American Sniper or Eyes on Target: Inside Stories from the Brotherhood of the U.S. Navy SEALs, can generally be read independently of each other and his fiction. The Legends Of Roark is a standalone novel and does not require prior reading.
Scott McEwen writes both standalone novels and books that are part of series. The Legends Of Roark is a standalone novel. He has two distinct series: the Camp Valor Books and the Sniper Elite Books. Additionally, he has written several non-fiction books that do not belong to a specific series, though they often explore related military themes.
Scott McEwen has written at least 14 books across his various series and standalone works. This includes multiple titles in the Camp Valor series and the Sniper Elite series, as well as standalone fiction and non-fiction books. The specific count can vary depending on how co-authored works and individual installments within larger collections are categorized. He has contributed to several significant works in military-themed fiction and non-fiction.
The first book Scott McEwen wrote was The Legends Of Roark, published in 2010. This novel marked his entry into fiction writing as a solo author. Prior to this, he was involved in co-authoring non-fiction works that delve into military history and operations, but The Legends Of Roark stands as his first credited standalone fictional work.
The most recent book by Scott McEwen is Hell Week and Beyond, published in 2021. This non-fiction work continues his exploration of military experiences, focusing on the rigorous training and challenges faced by service members. It joins his other non-fiction titles that offer insights into the lives and operations of military personnel, particularly those in specialized units.
Scott McEwen writes in multiple genres, primarily military thrillers and non-fiction. His fiction, such as the Sniper Elite and Camp Valor series, often features action, suspense, and tactical elements. His non-fiction works delve into military history, special operations, and the personal accounts of service members, offering factual accounts and analyses of real-world conflicts and military life. He also has a standalone novel, The Legends Of Roark.
Ollie Ollerton
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Doris Kearns Goodwin
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We verified the reading order for Scott McEwen's books by cross-referencing official publication dates, ISBN databases, and publisher catalogs.
Last verified: July 2026
Shelf & Shadows. (…). “Scott McEwen Books in Order.” Retrieved …, from https://www.shelfandshadows.com/authors/scott-mcewen


















