Military fiction

[Ed Rotondaro]

Hi all:

I'm not sure if this thread belongs here or not (Chris will fix this if I make a mistake). I enjoy military based fiction, especially of the sci-fi or alternate history style. Baen books seems to have the market cornered on this genre, but other publishers certainly have strong entries. So with that background, I invite you all to weigh in any with fictional based military reading that you have enjoyed, whether it is sci-fi, or something like the Sharpe's series. What do you recommend and what have we possibly overlooked? There is no right or wrong here, just like music or good whiskey, it's what appeals to you. Have fun!:cool:

[old_pop2000]

Well, I like Harold Coyle's books. Team Yankee is good. Trial by Fire. I don't know the quality of Harry Turtledove, but I have the collection on the shelf. But I haven't read them yet.

[Ed Rotondaro]

Well, I like Harold Coyle's books. Team Yankee is good. Trial by Fire. I don't know the quality of Harry Turtledove, but I have the collection on the shelf. But I haven't read them yet.

Dennis:

Turtledove really knows his stuff, especially regarding the time frame of the Byzantine Empire. I have read his initial stuff and his future WWI/WWII stuff. It's believable and good.

[Kyle Holgate]

Turtledove's world war series - in which a race of reptile like beings invade Earth in mid 1943 forcing most humans to switch from battling each other to fighting them. I think the entire series now is 6 books or more - now dealing with post WW2 things also.
The books are well written and enjoyable.

Guns of the south is another of his - in which AK-47's and ammo are delivered to rebel forces by someone - with expected results in that the south wins the war. Things don't go quite as planned for the time travelers though.

[Ed Rotondaro]

Turtledove's world war series - in which a race of reptile like beings invade Earth in mid 1943 forcing most humans to switch from battling each other to fighting them. I think the entire series now is 6 books or more - now dealing with post WW2 things also.
The books are well written and enjoyable.

Guns of the south is another of his - in which AK-47's and ammo are delivered to rebel forces by someone - with expected results in that the south wins the war. Things don't go quite as planned for the time travelers though.


Kyle:

He actually handled that whole concept far more realistically than I could imagine. Basically he made Lee a more impressive leaders than history did.

[asnrobert]

I'm currently re-reading Jeff Shaara's Last Full Measure. I recently re-red his Gods and Generals as well as his father's book The Killer Angels.

[john964]

Well, I like Harold Coyle's books. Team Yankee is good. Trial by Fire. I don't know the quality of Harry Turtledove, but I have the collection on the shelf. But I haven't read them yet.
Try Coyle's other historical fiction like Savage Wilderness and his ACW books Look Away and Until the End, they are very good books. By the way Savage Wilderness takes place during the French and Indian War

[Kyle Holgate]

Kyle:

He actually handled that whole concept far more realistically than I could imagine. Basically he made Lee a more impressive leaders than history did.

I wonder. He took what we know of Lee and put him into a situation. Of course one can always argue about a book, but I didn' think his actions were too outside of what he'd be inclined to do.
Note - I am being very vague here for a reason, the book is much more fun to read if you don't know ahead of time what happens and I don't want to spoil it.

[Ed Rotondaro]

I wonder. He took what we know of Lee and put him into a situation. Of course one can always argue about a book, but I didn' think his actions were too outside of what he'd be inclined to do.
Note - I am being very vague here for a reason, the book is much more fun to read if you don't know ahead of time what happens and I don't want to spoil it.

Kyle:

A writer is allowed more leeway than a historian is. But they make about the same amount of money per book.

[clacton2]

Hi all:

I'm not sure if this thread belongs here or not (Chris will fix this if I make a mistake). I enjoy military based fiction, especially of the sci-fi or alternate history style. Baen books seems to have the market cornered on this genre, but other publishers certainly have strong entries. So with that background, I invite you all to weigh in any with fictional based military reading that you have enjoyed, whether it is sci-fi, or something like the Sharpe's series. What do you recommend and what have we possibly overlooked? There is no right or wrong here, just like music or good whiskey, it's what appeals to you. Have fun!:cool:


Hi
As I mentioned over on the other thread one of my favourite books of this genre is "The Foresight War" by Anthony G. Williams, you might want to give it a try if you get a chance. Its available from online book stores.
I also love Turtledoves books, especially Guns of the South and Harold Coyles books, especially The Ten Thousand.
Jon:)

[Ed Rotondaro]

I wonder. He took what we know of Lee and put him into a situation. Of course one can always argue about a book, but I didn' think his actions were too outside of what he'd be inclined to do.
Note - I am being very vague here for a reason, the book is much more fun to read if you don't know ahead of time what happens and I don't want to spoil it.


Kyle:

I won't spoil it for you, but he realistically shows how the South would have to deal with their victory and the outside world. His other series regarding a Southern victory which follows onto both world wars is very well done. He gives the bes plausible reason for a southern triumph that I have ever seen.

[Lancer]

I recently read Torpedo by Jeff Edwards...why they haven't made a film based on this story is unthinkable, it just reminds you that even your closest ally may just turn out to be the devil himself.

[Scott Chisholm]

Hi,

Larry Bond has written several military techno-thrillers: Red Phoenix, Cauldron, Vortex are some that pop into my mind. I particularly liked Red Phoenix.

John Ringo's Posleen books are some fun aliens-invade-present-day-Earth sci-fi. My favorite character is Cally.... Chicks with guns, gotta love 'em!

I cannot remember the author of The Med, The Gulf, The Circle, etc, but The Med was okay.

David Drake's Princess Cecile sci-fi novels are fun reads. Very much tall ships in space. Also, more chicks with guns....

David Weber's written a book or two....

[clacton2]

Hi,

Larry Bond has written several military techno-thrillers: Red Phoenix, Cauldron, Vortex are some that pop into my mind. I particularly liked Red Phoenix.

John Ringo's Posleen books are some fun aliens-invade-present-day-Earth sci-fi. My favorite character is Cally.... Chicks with guns, gotta love 'em!

I cannot remember the author of The Med, The Gulf, The Circle, etc, but The Med was okay.

David Drake's Princess Cecile sci-fi novels are fun reads. Very much tall ships in space. Also, more chicks with guns....

David Weber's written a book or two....

Hi Scott,
I think it was David Poyer who wrote The Med, The Gulf etc, known collectively as the Dan Lenson novels ( the name of the hero ) if I remember correctly.
Jon:)

[Scott Chisholm]

Hi Scott,
I think it was David Poyer who wrote The Med, The Gulf etc, known collectively as the Dan Lenson novels ( the name of the hero ) if I remember correctly.
Jon:)

Jon,

I thought it was Poyer, but I couldn't be sure. Thanks!

[Ed Rotondaro]

Hi,

Larry Bond has written several military techno-thrillers: Red Phoenix, Cauldron, Vortex are some that pop into my mind. I particularly liked Red Phoenix.

John Ringo's Posleen books are some fun aliens-invade-present-day-Earth sci-fi. My favorite character is Cally.... Chicks with guns, gotta love 'em!

I cannot remember the author of The Med, The Gulf, The Circle, etc, but The Med was okay.

David Drake's Princess Cecile sci-fi novels are fun reads. Very much tall ships in space. Also, more chicks with guns....

David Weber's written a book or two....

Scott:

Seems like we're on the same page here, but Ringo's Cally novels don't do anything for me othe than being in the Posleen universe. I think he may be going to the well a little too often here.

Weber and Honor Harrington absolutely rule and I like Drake's pale imitation thereof, but prefer his Slammers stuff.

[Scott Chisholm]

Scott:

Seems like we're on the same page here, but Ringo's Cally novels don't do anything for me othe than being in the Posleen universe. I think he may be going to the well a little too often here.

Weber and Honor Harrington absolutely rule and I like Drake's pale imitation thereof, but prefer his Slammers stuff.

Ed,

I liked Cally when she was a pre-teen with a pistol.... I've read Cally's War, but not Sister Time.

No one's mentioned the Patrick O'Brien Jack Aubrey books yet....

[Ed Rotondaro]

Ed,

I liked Cally when she was a pre-teen with a pistol.... I've read Cally's War, but not Sister Time.

No one's mentioned the Patrick O'Brien Jack Aubrey books yet....

Scott:

Now those can be a lot of fun, especially if you have a knowledge of sailing (which I don't). Funny thing, I came in tonight and found my oldest boy reading a new Squadron/Signal book I picked up on Arleigh Burke class DDGs. I mean really getting into it. Even asking smart questions. Kids are smarter than they look;)

[john964]

Ed,

I liked Cally when she was a pre-teen with a pistol.... I've read Cally's War, but not Sister Time.

No one's mentioned the Patrick O'Brien Jack Aubrey books yet....

I'v read some of O'Brien's books and found them long winded and realy boring. I much prefered Hornblower.

If you want some more recomendations try James H Cobb and Joe Buff Cobbs books are Choosers of the Slain, Sea Strike, Sea Fighter and Target Lock. Some of Buff's books are Crush Deapth, Deep Sound Channel and Tidel Rip.

[clacton2]

I'v read some of O'Brien's books and found them long winded and realy boring. I much prefered Hornblower.

If you want some more recomendations try James H Cobb and Joe Buff Cobbs books are Choosers of the Slain, Sea Strike, Sea Fighter and Target Lock. Some of Buff's books are Crush Deapth, Deep Sound Channel and Tidel Rip.

If you want sailing period books, try the Bolitho novels by Alexander Kent ( a pen-name of Douglas Reeman ) or the Nathanial Drinkwater novels by Richard Woodman.
I also agree about the Joe Buff novels being good, and if you want a bit of light entertainment the WWIII series of novels by Ian Slater are worth a mention.
Jon:)

[clacton2]

Hi all,
One of my favourite books in this genre is "Down to a Sunless Sea" by David Graham, its the story of WWIII as seen through the eyes of an airline pilot aloft at the time of a full-blooded nuclear exchange, and how he tries to save his passengers and crew. Well worth a read, if you can get hold of a copy, although it is quite difficult to find.
Cheers
Jon:D

[asnrobert]

Speaking of WWIII, anyone here every read On The Beach, by Nevil Shute? Excellent book.

[Scott Chisholm]

Speaking of WWIII, anyone here every read On The Beach, by Nevil Shute? Excellent book.

Outstanding book! Read that back in my "We're all going to die!" days. Lucifer's Hammer, Childhood's End, Blood Music.

[john964]

Outstanding book! Read that back in my "We're all going to die!" days. Lucifer's Hammer, Childhood's End, Blood Music.

How about The Last Ship

[clacton2]

Speaking of WWIII, anyone here every read On The Beach, by Nevil Shute? Excellent book.

Hi,
Definitely an outstanding book.
Jon:)

[clacton2]

How about The Last Ship

Hi,
Just read this book, very good it was too.
Jon:D

[john964]

Speaking of WWIII, anyone here every read On The Beach, by Nevil Shute? Excellent book.I've watched both versions of the movie.

[Ed Rotondaro]

Outstanding book! Read that back in my "We're all going to die!" days. Lucifer's Hammer, Childhood's End, Blood Music.

Scott:

Childhood's End is a great book! I read it the summer after I took a course in sci-fi literature. I knocked off a lot of sci-fi that summer:) I've never read Blood Music but have heard good things about it.

[Ed Rotondaro]

Hi,
Just read this book, very good it was too.
Jon:D


Hi Jon:

Who's the author?

[Ed Rotondaro]

I've watched both versions of the movie.

John:

I didn't know that they remade the movie. I'm familiar with the Gregory Peck version. Very powerful and subtle film.

[clacton2]

Hi Jon:

Who's the author?

Hi Ed,
It's by William Brinkley, I bought it in paperback format, online via an auction site.
Jon:D

[Ed Rotondaro]

Hi Ed,
It's by William Brinkley, I bought it in paperback format, online via an auction site.
Jon:D

Jon:

Thanks, sounds like it worth checking out.

[john964]

John:

I didn't know that they remade the movie. I'm familiar with the Gregory Peck version. Very powerful and subtle film.
This movie remake was done in Austrilia IIRC. Arman Asanti was in it

[asnrobert]

Lucifer's Hammer was about a killer asteroid or comet, wasn't it? My Mom read the book years ago. I started reading The Last Ship, but never finished it.

[Ed Rotondaro]

This movie remake was done in Austrilia IIRC. Arman Asanti was in it


John:

Ahh, that's interesting. Maybe worth a rental?

[clacton2]

Lucifer's Hammer was about a killer asteroid or comet, wasn't it? My Mom read the book years ago. I started reading The Last Ship, but never finished it.


Hi,
Yeah it was about an asteroid on a collision course with Earth, by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle if I remember correctly?
Try picking The Last Ship up again, I think its well worth it.
Jon:D

[clacton2]

This movie remake was done in Austrilia IIRC. Arman Asanti was in it

Hi,
Wow, did'nt realise it had been remade, I'll have to try and get a copy of it.
Jon;)

[john964]

Lucifer's Hammer was about a killer asteroid or comet, wasn't it? My Mom read the book years ago. I started reading The Last Ship, but never finished it.
You may be refering to Hammer of God by Arthur C Clark

[asnrobert]

You may be refering to Hammer of God by Arthur C Clark

No, I looked on a bookselling website. Lucifer's Hammer is about a comet hitting the Earth.

[Kyle Holgate]

No, I looked on a bookselling website. Lucifer's Hammer is about a comet hitting the Earth.

Yep. I've read it, and probably have it lurking somewhere in my piles and shelves of books. I liked it - pretty good book.

[john964]

No, I looked on a bookselling website. Lucifer's Hammer is about a comet hitting the Earth.IIRC so is Hammer of God, but a very, very, very near miss.