Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blue Descent | 2019 | David Wood | Buy |
| 2 | Dourado | 2004 | David Wood | Buy |
| 3 | Cibola | 2009 | David Wood | Buy |
| 4 | Icefall | 2011 | David Wood | Buy |
| 5 | Quest | 2011 | David Wood | Buy |
| 6 | Buccaneer | 2012 | David Wood | Buy |
| 7 | Atlantis | 2013 | David Wood | Buy |
| 8 | Ark | 2015 | David Wood | Buy |
| 9 | Loch | 2017 | David Wood | Buy |
| 10 | Xibalba | 2017 | David Wood | Buy |
| 11 | Solomon Key | 2018 | David Wood | Buy |
| 12 | Contest | 2019 | David Wood | Buy |
| 13 | Serpent | 2020 | David Wood | Buy |
| 14 | Eden Quest | 2022 | David Wood | Buy |
| 15 | Thunder Mountain | 2023 | David Wood | Buy |
| 16 | Desert Gold | 2023 | David Wood | Buy |
The Dane Maddock series is David Wood’s flagship franchise. It stars Dane Maddock, a former Navy SEAL turned marine archaeologist, and his best friend Uriah “Bones” Bonebrake, a tall, loud Cherokee who provides both muscle and comic relief. Together they chase down lost artifacts, sunken ships, and ancient secrets that powerful people want to keep hidden.
Each book sends Maddock and Bones to a different part of the world with a different historical mystery at its center. Dourado follows a search for a lost Portuguese ship carrying Biblical relics. Cibola digs into the legend of the Seven Cities of Gold. Atlantis takes on the classic lost civilization. The books blend real history and mythology with fictional conspiracies, keeping the action moving at a steady clip. Fans of Clive Cussler and James Rollins will feel at home here.
The series has grown well beyond these core novels. Wood has published prequels (Dane Maddock Origins), a spin-off for Bones, an expanded universe with contributions from other authors, and even a set of Destination Adventure novellas. But the main series remains the best entry point for new readers.