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John Stratton is the chief character in the John Stratton series of novel by British Royal Mariner turned novelist Duncan Falconer. John Stratton makes his first appearance as the lead character in the novels in the first novel of the series, the 2003 published title “The Hostage”.
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Order of John Stratton Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Hostage/Stratton | 2003 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | The Hijack | 2004 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | The Bomb Surgeon/The Operative | 2006 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | Undersea Prison | 2008 | Description / Buy | |
| 5 | Mercenary | 2009 | Description / Buy | |
| 6 | Traitor | 2010 | Description / Buy | |
| 7 | Pirate | 2011 | Description / Buy | |
| 8 | Assassin | 2012 | Description / Buy |
The John Stratton series of books in the action thriller genre written by Duncan Falconer. The character of John Stratton is an operative for the Special Boat Service (SBS), and he is created in the image of Falconer, with the books drawing on his experiences during his time in the SBS.
Duncan Falconer created the John Stratton series after the success of his autobiography, when he realised there was a demand for stories from his time in the Special Boat Service. So, much like Andy McNabb did with Nick Stone, Falconer drew upon his experiences to create the fictional tales of John Stratton.
The first book in the John Stratton series is The Hostage, which was released in 2003. It starts with an operation tailing the Real IRA, which goes south in horrific circumstances. The SBS operative John Stratton is called in to help deal with the situation that has arisen from the operation going wrong. What quickly becomes apparent is that the reason the operation went wrong is down to an informer within MI5, and Stratton must race against time to uncover who the mole is and also save his colleague’s life. It is a thrilling introduction to the character of John Stratton and the world that he works in.
The John Stratton series continues along these themes, with double agents, espionage, undercover and dark operations the name of the game. Because of the experience that Falconer has, he deals with a lot of modern terrorism threats in his books, and the stories are extremely pertinent to today’s society.
In fact, the seventh book in the John Stratton, Pirate, released in 2011, sees our hero sent off to Yemen on an operation to deal with al-Qaeda. But it all goes wrong when Stratton and his colleague encounter Somali pirates and are captured. All the while, there is a potential jihadi operation is underway which Stratton must try and stop. All of these issues are just as important today as they have ever been, and Falconer approaches them with a real deftness.
John Stratton was a British Royal Marine soldier that served in the British Special Boat Service just like the author. The service is one of the most highly skilled and trained division of the Royal Navy whose officers and duties correspond to those of the Navy Seal Division of the United States Marines. John Stratton is one of the best soldiers in the specialized unit that is used in demolition, reconnaissance, rescue, and infiltration all over the world.
“The Hostage” the first novel of the series begins with the chief protagonist as the top soldier in his division. Starting at breakneck speed, it tells of an undercover operation against the IRA that goes horribly wrong necessitating British intelligence to call in their best man Stratton to help them out. It is a dangerous race against time to recapture a taken colleague before he is killed and prevent the IRA from getting to the Republic.
Suspecting that there is a mole within MI5 a surveillance mission is launched, which does nothing but get Hank Munro a US Navy Seal seconded to the division kidnapped. What follows is a story of political intrigue as a crooked priest and the secret IRA use Munro’s wife to propagate a political message. Culminating in an earth-shattering finish, it shows why Duncan Falconer is regarded as one of the top writers in the genre.
JOHN STRATTON BOOKS INTO TV/MOVIES
In 2017, the John Stratton series of books were adapted into a film by SquareOne Entertainment, GFM films, and Atomic Arts. The movie is known as “Stratton” or “Stratton: First Into Action”. The UK released film featured David Cooper in the lead role of John Stratton.
BEST JOHN STRATTON BOOKS
The Hostage: The first novel in the series is one of the most popular among Duncan Falconer fans. It is an action packed story that is a return to the classic tradition of the spy novel. Jumping right into the novel, it introduces Stratton the no-nonsense alpha male protagonist that Falconer spends a lot of time developing. Taking the premise of an undercover mission gone wrong, Stratton comes in as the super hero who can go behind enemy lines to extract a kidnapped agent. Things go haywire when they realize that there may be a double agent in the division and that London may be under the biggest terrorist threat in its history. Stratton is the only man with the iron will determination and will to extract the captured agents and save the city from a potentially devastating attack.
Pirate: The seventh novel of the John Stratton series of novel is another highly regarded novel. John Stratton heads to Yemen on a mission to track down a dangerous Al-Qaeda cell at the behest of the Secret Intelligence Service. However, when ruthless Somali pirates kidnap them, they learn how it is to be mere bargaining chips in the hands of men with no regard for human life. What makes the situation even more dangerous is that the Pirates are no ordinary hostage takers, but rather a division of a sickening Jihadist organization. Now facing battle hardened warriors that have no fear, Stratton’s ingenuity and skill in difficult situations must be brought to bear if he is to hold on to values he holds dear while remaining alive.
The Operative: The third novel in the series sees the globetrotting Stratton head to war-torn Iraq after his friend is killed in an operation. He is not long in Iraq when he hears that the widow was killed in Los Angeles in mysterious circumstances. Convinced of a plot by the FBI to hide the crime, he is now set upon uncovering the person responsible for his friend’s death. The endeavor sees him go head-to-head with the FBI, CIA and an Albanian mafia deemed one of the most powerful and ruthless crime syndicate in the US.
OTHER BOOK SERIES YOU MAY LIKE
Many fans of the John Stratton series of novels also enjoy the “Tweed & Co.” series by Colin Forbes. These novels feature Paula Gray and Bob Newman two crazy but efficient agents working for the Tweed of British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) in a variety of specialized roles. John Stratton enthusiasts also love the “Death Force” series of novels by Matt Lynn. These action packed military thrillers expose the high danger and high stakes lives of modern mercenaries.
John Stratton FAQs
Q: What is the first book in the John Stratton series?
A: The first book in the John Stratton series is The Hostage, which was released in 2003.
Q: Is there a film based on the John Stratton character?
A: The film Stratton is based on the John Stratton series, starring Dominic Cooper as the titular character.
What Is The Next Book in The John Stratton Series?
There doesn't seem to be an upcoming book in The John Stratton Series. The newest book is Assassin and was released on July, 26th 2012.