Charles Martin is a well-known author of Christian fiction, with almost 15 books under his belt. Two of them are part of a series titled Awakenings, while the rest are standalone novels that touch on deep human issues.
While the author’s works are not like as those of Tim LaHaye, he is still considered a Christian fiction novelist. His books always start with the main character starting with a hardship of some sort and then trying to find his way to light and peace.
Here are the Charles Martin books in order of publication and reading order, which in this case only refers to the Awakening series, in which case the order is the same.
New Charles Martin Books
Send Down the Rain, 2018
What If It’s True?, 2019
Awakening Series
- The Dead Don’t Dance (Awakening #1), 2004
- Maggie (Awakening #2), 2006
Standalone Charles Martin Books
- Wrapped in Rain, 2005
- When Crickets Cry, 2006
- Chasing Fireflies, 2007
- Where the River Ends, 2008
- The Mountain Between Us, 2010
- Thunder and Rain, 2012
- Unwritten, 2013
- A Life Intercepted, 2014
- Water from My Heart, 2015
- Long Way Gone, 2016
- Send Down the Rain, 2018
- What If It’s True?, 2019 (non-fiction)
Awakening Series Summary
The Dead Don’t Dance
Dylan and Maggie Styles are a happy couple living in a small town in South Carolina, who are expecting their first child. Sadly, complications arise and Dylan’s religious beliefs are put to the test when his newborn child dies and his wife ends up in a coma. Now Dylan takes a job at the community college to teach English, and by this, his love for teaching is reawakened. A sweet and moving story that shows what love and faith can do when all seems to be lost.
Maggie
When Maggie finally awakes from the coma, Dylan feels he can release his long-held breath once again. But now Maggie has to face her own loss of which she was not aware while in the coma and her resulting deep grief. And the two have to face their past if they want to move to a new, hopeful future. But now that Maggie lost her baby, it seems the couple needs to adopt if they want to have a new child. Tragedy, lost, and finally, a light at the end of the tunnel is what the author offers in his breathtaking two-book series.
Charles Martin Biography
The author Charles Martin was born in 1969 in the US. He grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, where he enjoyed fishing and canoeing on the St. John’s River during his childhood.
He started writing short stories at the age of 15, where he was struggling with lots of questions that an introvert of that age would have to deal with. He soon realized that one way for him to deal with those questions is to write them down in prose form. Actually, not the actual issues he was struggling with, but more the emotions those created in him.
Charles Martin attended Bolles High School, during which time he loved playing football. He attended Georgia Tech, but then he transferred to Florida State, during which time he enjoyed racing bicycles on the East Coast.
He started with accounting, however, after getting a D, he moved to the English department, from where he actually graduated with a B.A. in English.
Next, he moved again, this time to Atlanta, where he worked as a waiter at Houston’s Restaurant, where he saved enough money to buy his fiancee a ring. He married his wife, Christy, in 1993, and then they moved to Virginia Beach where he enrolled in grad school.
At night Charles was working at the UPS loading packages, and during the day he was in classes. He got his M.A. in Journalism and Ph.D. in Communication from Regent University in Virginia.
When his wife got pregnant with their first child, they moved back home to Jacksonville, to be around family.
He tried getting jobs at various school, but nobody would hire him. So he became an insurance salesman, where he worked for two years until he got a job at a Fortune 500 company for a VIP position.
He didn’t accept the high-paying job, however. He also quit his job as a salesman, and got some other jobs doing random stuff such as tree surgeon’s helper, pressure washer, dock builder, cabinet maker, handyman, all while he tried selling his debut novel, The Dead Don’t Dance, which would become the first book in his Awakening series, published in 2004.
Charles Martin started writing his book in 1996, but he had to put it on hold while being at the university. He shelved it for a few years until he picked it up once again in 1999 when he finished his dissertation.
After finishing the book, some eight months later, when he got the job offer of a vice president at a large insurance firm, with his encouragement from his wife, Chrissy, he decided that he would get his story published.
He sent the book to around 100 publishers, out of which he got back 86 rejection letters.
Two of the most important people who taught him the various parts of becoming a writer were John Dyson, an editor with Reader’s Digest, who pushed him to the max, and Davis Bunn, a writer who believed in him and helped him with the business side of the craft. He was also the author who made a few phone calls to some publishing houses and eventually, it worked. Charles Martin got his first novel published.
Soon after, Hallmark Hall of Fame optioned the movie rights for the first Charles Martin book. And then the ball started rolling. His publisher offered a second contract for more books, so now Charles Martin has become a real book author.
He did say once that he always wanted to write, but Charles Martin never really cared for being labeled a writer. However, as he mentioned in an interview, “Being published, and ‘being a writer’ has just come with the package.”
The Charles Martin books are all full of soul, pain, suffering, but also hope. There is always light at the end of the tunnel in the books by Charles Martin. He usually starts the books by throwing his main character into turmoil, and then gently guides them to the light.
Currently, the author Charles Martin lives with his wife and three kids in Jacksonville, very close to the same river he used to fish at as a child.
His book, The Mountain Between Us, has been made into a romantic survival drama film in 2017 featuring Kate Winslet and Idris Elba.
Praise for Charles Martin
Martin’s latest is another beautifully written winner. . . Amazingly heartfelt statements about love, loss and the true meaning of friendship will resonate deeply with readers. (RT Book Reviews)
Martin (The Mountain Between Us) explores themes of grace, mercy, and forgiveness in this sweeping love story. . . In this relatable tale of recovery from physical and emotional trauma, Martin beautifully captures the essence of Christian principles of sacrifice and forgiveness. (Publisher Weekly)
A beautiful story of love, redemption, and football. A winning combination. (Library Journal about A Life Intercepted)
Charles Martin’s latest, A Life Intercepted, takes the football novel to the next level….A modern classic. (The Florida Times-Union)
References
Books Reading Order » Christian Fiction Authors »
I have listened (audio books) to almost all of Charles Martin’s books. I am now starting to do again. Love his books!
Absolutely our favorite author! We have read all of his books, and just finished “The Last Exchange”. Wow!
Please keep following the leading of the Holy Spirit and keep writing the same quality of books. We have shared your books with many, and have even read them out loud to others. We can’t put them down!
I just finished The Record Keeper and immediately rushed to my computer to buy copies of his works for my permanent library. I generally borrow books from the public libraries.
I had previously read a couple of his books and found them to be free from foul language, explicit sexual content and filled with wonderful prose and spiritual guidance.
Keep writing, but do not start cranking them out with great speed thereby lowering the standards you have already achieved.
One of the best authors ever! Read them all!!
I love this author an have read or reading all his novels. I have also recommended his books to my children and granddaughters. They love them too. I recently lost my husband so I’m reading a lot. We both read all the time and shared our books. Thank you and keep writing. DeAun
Just now discovered your books.
Question: Will there be another book in the series with Murphy and Bones. I have read all 3.
Your writing touches my soul and heart. In a good way.
I am wondering if there is a sequel to “Chasing Fireflies”?
Thank you,
When Crickets Cry was my first book which sold me on Chrales Martin. I am working my was through all of his books. They then go into my chruch library where I encourage others to read his books. They are all good.
I started reading Charles Martin with When Crickets Cry and had my book club read it. We kept going with Fireflies and all his other books. The Mountain Between Us is probably my favorite though the movie was not. I can’t wait to see what he will write next!
I read the Mountain Between us twice in one month….because I wondered what I missed? How did I not see this coming? It is one of my favorite books of Charles Martin. I have read each one of them and am now on The Record Keeper. He is by far the best author because his characters come alive and he writes with a Christian view on life. You want to climb into each book and fight along side of him. His topics are so relevant, especially his Murphy Shepherd books…The Water Keeper, The Letter Writer, and his latest, The Record Keeper. They deal with sex trafficking and he writes powerfully about this evil in our society. Please don’t ever stop writing!!!
I have loved Charles Martin since I read When Crickets Cry. The movie they made based on The Mountain Between us does not measure up to the book.
Love Charles Martin books. What is title of his newest book snd when will it be out??
So where does “The Water Keeper” fit in Charles Martin’s chronology of titles? When he writes about women needing fathers and men needing to be raised by a real dad, I was so grateful to see Biblical FAITH and TRUTH in Charles’ writings. I am looking forward to reading all his works.
Spellbinding and griping leaving me waiting for the next book…a whole year. A rare author to write books which pull you into the story so completely that you lose yourself in the scene….no longer reading but visualizing it playing out before you….you are there…watching.
Though not in sequential order, my first book was, “When Crickets Cry” and I was hooked. Having read them all, I cannot wait for the next. Thank you, your talent is God given….
I’m glad he doesn’t crank out books like some do. The quality of his books is exquisite.
I’ve read 3-4 of his books over 3-4 years. I am not that emotional when reading books. But I choke up frequently with his crafting of love, hurt, healing and other emotions. I am currently reading Long Way Gone. I’ve read 100 pages, and I honestly wish it was 1,000 pages!
I first read ‘The Mountain Between Us” and I was hooked! Several I have read twice, am looking forward to his new one.
I happened upon a book written by Charles martin as I was browsing thru my Kindle app. I thought it sounded interesting and decided to download it……..WOW. I didn’t want to stop listening. It had so many twists and turns that kept my interest. I was listening on Audible and had to keep rewinding as it was well into the night and I kept dosing off.
I drive 45 minutes to work and as I kept listening to his books, I couldn’t wait to get in my car to resume listening.
I was so sad when I had finished the last book on his website and am anxiously waiting for another !!
Did Charles Martin really write My Life Underwater? If so why? It’s totally out of character and a major disappointment in an author I hold in the highest regard
I never heard of that book. It is not on Charles Martin’s list of books.
It’s written by a Charles E. Martin, however it’s NOT the same author that we know and love.
Charles Martin has a very distinct gift of bringing each character to life and they are multi dimensional. His works are extremely engaging and powerful. I do not buy many paper books, but these are certainly some I will buy and pass on to fellow readers!
I am 74 and have read and reread Charles Martin’s books in ebook form. I am now in the process of buying them to have on my shelves so others can ‘discover’ his books. Thank you for helping me to re-establish my faith. P. S. I also now own a brass plumb-bob…to remind me of my corner stone. The plumb-bob gets heavy sometimes!.
After reading Charles Martin’s first book, I devoured every other one within a few months and eagerly await the next one. I wish he would become a prolific writer and publish a new book every year. One can always expect a new and fresh plot, not basically the same plot with new characters.
After reading seven of his books he is becoming a favorite author. I look forward to reading more.