Jonathan Cain Books In Order

Publication Order of Saigon Commandos Books

Author Nicholas Cain was born in Colorado and wrote as Jonathan Cain, among others. Under this name, he writes the “Saigon Commandos” series, which is from the men’s action and police procedural genres. It began publication in the year 1983 when the novel “Saigon Commandos” came out.

Only one book was released this year, while five were released in the year 1984. Another three were released in the year 1985, while the final three books were released in the year 1986. The series ended after the twelfth book, which was called “Suicide Squad”, was released in the year 1986.

A film producer once called the “Saigon Commandos” series has been called the “Hill Street Blues” of Vietnam.

The “Saigon Commandos” series is a fictionalized account of Cain’s own tour of duty with the 716th MP Batallion during Nam, right around 1972 to 1973, although the books are set around the year 1967.

One of the officers declares that they are cops first, and then they are soldiers. This solidifies who exactly they are and their mindset when it comes to investigating and being police officers.

Other pen names include: Nik-Uhernik, Robert Baxter, and Jack Hawkins. He also wrote the “Little Saigon” series.

The series was adapted by Tom McElvery Cleaver into a movie that was called “Saigon Commandos”, which was released in the year 1987. The movie now has a cult following. Roger Corman, a big Hollywood producer, was so impressed by the books that he sent every book to the writer and had him write a script around the books. Cleaver settled on book number nine (which is called “Mad Minute”) to write his screenplay.

Starting in the nineties, he quit writing and became a private investigator based in Los Angeles. By this time, he had written more than thirty books.

“Saigon Commandos” is the first novel in the “Saigon Commandos” series, which was released in the year 1983. The men of the 716th unit had an extremely tough job in Nam. They had to make sure the streets in Saigon did not explode. There are hate filled bar girls, Cong sympathizers, killers, deserters, and hustlers jam the city and prey on the men that come in from the field or the guys that come in from The World. Everyone might end up a victim and the city is just waiting for each and every one of them.

This was a surprising read, and was more than what some thought it would be, and it made some glad that they gave this one a shot. Fans of the novel like the way that Jonathan Cain is able to combine the police procedural with the men’s action genre to make for a winner of a book. He is also great at weaving together a great procedural and readers hope that the rest of the books are just as good as this one.

“Boonie-Rat Body Burning” is the fifth novel in the “Saigon Commandos” series, which was released in the year 1984. Sergeant Mark Stryker and the MPs he is in charge of having the toughest beat in the city of Saigon. To make things worse, though, Stryker is looking for someone who is torching GIs.

The books are easy to read, and readers wind up putting off the other things they have to do so they can continue the incredible ride they are on. Some love this series, and enjoy reading about these characters. These are guys that are easy to root for the entire way through. Readers can’t get enough of these guys investigating crime, and getting justice by the end after catching the bad guy.

“Tortures of Tet” is the tenth novel in the “Saigon Commandos” series, which was released in the year 1986. The NVA and the Viet Cong start up the Tet Offensive in the year 1968, and it is up to former Green Beret Sergeant Mark Stryker, along with his MPs in the 716th to make sure Saigon does not fall into bloody chaos.

Rockets and mortars are blowing up the city, and American war cops are the only worthwhile law and order on the streets made of death. There are reports of firefights and snipers on every corner in Saigon. It makes Stryker wonder which nameless alley he is going to die in.

He finds out about the enemy storming the American Embassy, and Stryker knows just where he would like to make his last stand. Whatever it takes, the American flag has to to keep on flying. Even if it should mean his life or even the destruction of his own Saigon Commandos.

This series is the defining military police procedural of the eighties, featuring a tried and true formula of violence and sex every fifteen pages or so. Fans of the novel find that the characters are very courageous and, at times, add in touches of comedy when it is least expected of them. The books are highly enjoyable, and show just what a life as a member of military police is like. Jonathan Cain brings out each and every facet of the work an MP does in the combat area.

“Abel’s War” is the first novel in the “Little Saigon” series, which was released in the year 1989. The biggest community of Vietnamese immigrants in America is Little Saigon, California. It was once a quiet Los Angeles suburb which was dedicated to prosperity and hard work, is now a war zone. Asian crime lords are terrorizing legitimate businessman with murder and extortion. Youth gangs are in hot cars with Uzis, and patrolling the “Bolsa Strip”; they deal death and destruction in the bloody turf battles raging all over. Regular cops are unable to keep the peace, as they are outgunned and outnumbered.

They need Luke Abel (who is a Police Lieutenant). He is a former MP from Old Saigon’s war torn streets, and knows all about the culture, language, and the people. Not to mention Viet-style guerilla crime.

Abel and his men go into action, lowlifes and punks alike know that they are fighting Abel’s War.