A Book of Voyages [editor] (nonfiction) 1947

The Last Pool and Other Stories (short stories) 1950

Three Bear Witness (novel) 1952 [published in the U.S. as Testimonies]

The Frozen Flame (novel) 1953 [published in the U.S. as The Catalans]

The Walker and Other Stories (short stories) 1955 [published in the U.S. as Lying in the Sun and Other Stories]

The Golden Ocean (novel) 1956; revised edition, 1970

The Unknown Shore (novel) 1959

Richard Temple (novel) 1962

The Wreathed Head [translator; from the novel by Christine de Rivoyre] (novel) 1962

*Master and Commander (novel) 1969

*Post Captain (novel) 1972

*HMS Surprise (novel) 1973

The Chian Wine and Other Stories (short stories) 1974

Men-of-War (nonfiction) 1974

Picasso: A Biography (biography) 1976

*The Mauritius Command (novel) 1977

*Desolation Island (novel) 1978

*The Fortune of War (novel) 1979

*The Surgeon's Mate (novel) 1980

*The Ionian Mission (novel) 1981

When Things of the Spirit Come First: Five Early Tales [translator; from the short stories by Simone de Beauvoir] (short stories) 1982

*Treason's Harbour (novel) 1983

*The Far Side of the World (novel) 1984

*The Reverse of the Medal (novel) 1986

Joseph Banks: A Life (biography) 1987

*The Letter of Marque (novel) 1988

*The Thirteen-Gun Salute (novel) 1989

*The Nutmeg of Consolation (novel) 1991

*Clarissa Oakes (novel) 1992 [published in the U.S. as The Truelove]

*The Wine-Dark Sea (novel) 1993

*The Commodore (novel) 1995

The Rendezvous and Other Stories (short stories) 1995

*The Yellow Admiral (novel) 1996

*The Hundred Days (novel) 1998

*Blue at the Mizzen (novel) 1999

*Part of the Aubrey/Maturin series of novels.