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Series · political thriller
J.B. Collins
The J.B. Collins series by Joel C. Rosenberg has 3 known books (3 published) and is best read in publication order, starting with The Third Target (2015). The latest book with a fully recorded publication date is Without Warning.
- Books
- 3 known books (3 novels)
- Published
- 3
- First published
- 2015
- Status
- completed
- Shelved under
- Thriller
- Last checked
Start here: The Third Target (2015) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
The Third Target
The Third Target is the book that opens Joel C. Rosenberg's J.B. Collins series, first published in 2015. It's followed in the reading order by The First Hostage. It runs 496 pages. The series ran to completion in 2017 across 3 books.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Third Target - Book 2:
The First Hostage
The First Hostage is the second book in the J.B. Collins series, published in 2015. It sits between The Third Target and Without Warning in the reading order. It runs 430 pages.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The First Hostage - Book 3:
Without Warning
Without Warning is the third book in the J.B. Collins series, published in 2017. It follows The First Hostage, closing out a series that ran from 2015 to 2017. It runs 453 pages.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Without Warning
About the J.B. Collins series
J.B. Collins is a veteran New York Times foreign correspondent based in Jerusalem, and Rosenberg's third series follows him through the rise of ISIS and its threat to the wider Middle East. The Third Target opens with Collins investigating rumors that ISIS has captured Syrian chemical weapons, before the story escalates into a race to stop the group from using them against Israel, Jordan, or the United States. The First Hostage picks up almost immediately, with an American president taken hostage during a Middle East peace summit and Collins forced from observer into active participant. Without Warning completes the trilogy with an ISIS attack timed to a prophetic countdown centered on the Syrian town of Dabiq, a location ISIS's own propaganda had identified as the site of a foretold apocalyptic battle.
As with Rosenberg's other series, the trilogy pairs journalist-thriller mechanics -- sourcing, deadline pressure, on-the-ground reporting under fire -- with his recurring interest in reading current Middle East events (here, ISIS's actual territorial claims and end-times rhetoric) as confirmation of biblical and Islamic prophecy.
Frequently asked questions
How many books are in the J.B. Collins series?
Three: The Third Target (2015), The First Hostage (2015), and Without Warning (2017).
Who is J.B. Collins?
A veteran New York Times foreign correspondent based in Jerusalem who gets pulled from reporting on an ISIS chemical-weapons threat into the middle of the crisis itself.
Is this connected to Rosenberg's other series?
No -- separate lead character and storyline from The Last Jihad, the Twelfth Imam/David Shirazi books, and the later Marcus Ryker series, though all four share Rosenberg's Middle East political-thriller style.
If you like the J.B. Collins series
Reading order last verified .