What is your favorite military sci-fi book?

Capt Byron Chen — Wed, 20 May 2015 23:17:08 -0400

I recently finished, "Angles of Attack," by Marko Kloos. Third book in his military sci-fi installment and I loved it. I've had trouble finding good reads in this genre since Ender's Game and Starship Troopers. Any books that you might recommend?

Response by GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad made May 20 at 2015 11:22 PM

GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad — Wed, 20 May 2015 23:22:18 -0400

I know it is dated (and has been made into a movie), but you did say favorite not recent.

Response by SPC Cassi Wyckoff made May 20 at 2015 11:30 PM

SPC Cassi Wyckoff — Wed, 20 May 2015 23:30:14 -0400

Lancejack by Philip Richards is a decent read.

Response by SGT Kevin Brown made May 20 at 2015 11:42 PM

SGT Kevin Brown — Wed, 20 May 2015 23:42:50 -0400

It's not necessarily military science fiction, but it is based in the future: I am currently reading "The Profession" by Steven Pressfield. It is an interesting fiction novel which depicts what war could be like in twenty or so years if private militaries all but replaced convential militaries.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/ [login to see] /ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid= [login to see] &sr=8-1&pi=AC_SY200_QL40&keywords=the+profession&dpPl=1&dpID=61iu6ZYnVcL&ref=plSrch#immersive-view_ [login to see] 31

Response by SSG Carlos Madden made May 20 at 2015 11:43 PM

SSG Carlos Madden — Wed, 20 May 2015 23:43:57 -0400

Enders Game

Response by SGT Jeremiah B. made May 21 at 2015 12:03 AM

SGT Jeremiah B. — Thu, 21 May 2015 00:03:13 -0400

Armor by John Steakley

Response by PO1 John Miller made May 21 at 2015 12:54 AM

PO1 John Miller — Thu, 21 May 2015 00:54:40 -0400

Anything Star Trek and Star Wars.

Response by MSG Greg Kelly made May 21 at 2015 6:42 AM

MSG Greg Kelly — Thu, 21 May 2015 06:42:32 -0400

As stated Starship Troopers could be in the top 3 ever right there with War of the Worlds. The Lost Fleet Series by Jack Campbell is excellent written by a retired sub guy he covers spaceships, Marines, Army everything I am hooked. Another if you like Zombies Written by a active soldier WJ Lundy the Whiskey Tango Foxtrot Series is also Excellent (He denotes part of his income on the books to military relief which cool) another Zombie series is Slow Burn By Bobby Adair Finally John Ringo has several series which are good But he never seems to finish them he leaves you hanging I got hooked on A Hymn Before Battle all the to Eye Of The Storm I have been waiting for the next book for sometime.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made May 21 at 2015 8:11 AM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Thu, 21 May 2015 08:11:40 -0400

Anything by Heinlein is great, and worth reading if just for the philosophic value.

But try the Phule's Company series by Robert Asprin as well. It's more of a comedy series, but enjoyable.

http://www.amazon.com/Phules-Company-Robert-Asprin/dp/044166251X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid= [login to see] &sr=1-1&keywords=phules+company

Phule's Company: Robert Asprin: 9780441662517: Amazon.com: Books

Phule's Company [Robert Asprin] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Meet the soldiers of Captain Willard Phule's Company--a handful of military rejects able to do more damage before 9 A.M. than most people do all day. Threatened by an alien enemy

Response by SrA Edward Vong made May 21 at 2015 8:54 AM

SrA Edward Vong — Thu, 21 May 2015 08:54:44 -0400

Starship Troopers, Ender's Game, and some of the more military based Star Wars books that involved less Jedis and more about Rogue Squadron.

Response by SN Joyce Sunderland made May 21 at 2015 1:32 PM

SN Joyce Sunderland — Thu, 21 May 2015 13:32:39 -0400

I've recently discovered & have thoroughly enjoyed David Drake's Hammer's Slammers series as well as Keith Laumer's Bolo series. My guilty pleasure is David Weber's Honorverse, because Honor Harrington & her treecat, Nimitz, are AWESOME. And when I want a deep story line, I'll head for my Gordon R. Dickson Dorsai books.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made May 21 at 2015 3:48 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Thu, 21 May 2015 15:48:45 -0400

Selfless plug to:

Discussion group "Books"

&

"RP Book Club" (search)

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made May 22 at 2015 9:53 AM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 22 May 2015 09:53:14 -0400

I really enjoyed the forever war by Joe Haldeman and the war against the chtorr series by David Gerrold. For more standard military sci if I recommend the synchronicity war series and the undying mercenaries series by BV Larson.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made May 26 at 2015 2:02 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 26 May 2015 14:02:00 -0400

I would have to aggree with GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad on this one. Either Starship Troopers, or Glory Road, but that one wasnt so much military.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 1 at 2015 3:20 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 01 Jun 2015 15:20:39 -0400

The Honor Harrington books by David Weber are pretty decent for a space navy themed series.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 18 at 2015 9:08 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 09:08:08 -0400

Jim Butcher's Honor Harrington series

Response by LTC Ed Ross made Jun 29 at 2015 2:55 PM

LTC Ed Ross — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 14:55:18 -0400

Allow me to offer for your consideration my novel "The Transplants." It's a story about a warrior and his mate who flee their doomed planet to save their species from extinction, they land at sea and are separated in a hurricane. He washes up on the coast of Georgia. An Australian billionaire on his yacht rescues her and takes her to Australia. Pursued by an obsessed NASA official, an FBI agent and multiple foreign intelligence services, they must survive, find each other, evade and escape capture. It's a science-fiction story, an action-adventure story, a love story and a story about how the first human contact with extraterrestrial intelligent life changes everyone involved. http://ewross.com/transplants.htm

Response by Sgt Ken Prescott made Jul 11 at 2015 9:43 AM

Sgt Ken Prescott — Sat, 11 Jul 2015 09:43:52 -0400

For those looking for short fiction and some science fact pieces, Castalia House is republishing the "There Will Be War" science fiction and non-fiction anthologies from the 1980s. The series ceased publication shortly after the end of the Cold War, despite good sales. (Tor can be a bunch of wallies.)

Don't let the fact that these books are 25-30 years old stop you; they have aged very well, and they're still relevant. You'll find some classics by Clarke, Turtledove, Pournelle, and other greats, and good stuff by guys you've never heard of.

Also, Castalia has published "Riding the Red Horse, which is a new collection of science fiction stories and non-fiction in the tradition of the "There Will Be War" series.

You really can't go wrong with any of these anthologies.

Response by Sgt Ken Prescott made Jul 12 at 2015 3:21 PM

Sgt Ken Prescott — Sun, 12 Jul 2015 15:21:11 -0400

There's a very good book from the 1980s titled "White Wing" by "Gordon Kent" (actually, a pseudonym used by S. N. Lewitt and Susan Shwartz). S. N. Lewitt's also written "Angel at Apogee," "Cyberstealth," and "Dancing Vac." She hasn't done that much since the early 1990s, though. Some of her stuff is available on Kindle (White Wing isn't, for now; hit Amazon's page for White Wing and click the "I want to read this book on Kindle" link!)

All of these revolve around space fighters & such.

Another good writer is R. M. Meluch. Her "Tour of the Merrimack" is very good as well. Her older works (Wind Child and Wind Dancers come to mind) are also very good, but they're long out of print.

Another good one is "The Texas-Israeli War: 1999" by Jake Saunders and Howard Waldrop. Written back in the 1970s, it's Mad Max meets the Yom Kippur War. Laser-armed nuclear-powered Centurion tanks, anyone? (Again, out of print; last time I saw a fresh print run was 1983.)

Response by SFC George Smith made Nov 24 at 2016 6:18 AM

SFC George Smith — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 06:18:21 -0500

Star Trek Series By William Shatner

Response by Cpl Chris Cargile made Nov 24 at 2016 10:54 AM

Cpl Chris Cargile — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 10:54:29 -0500

Falkenberg's Legion series by Jerry Pournelle, you can't go wrong!

Response by LTJG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 24 at 2016 12:02 PM

LTJG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 12:02:42 -0500

I am a very big fan of the Halo Books as well as the Star Wars: Republic Commando Series.

Response by SN Greg Wright made Nov 24 at 2016 12:33 PM

SN Greg Wright — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 12:33:46 -0500

https://www.amazon.com/Earth-Strike-Star-Carrier-Book-ebook/dp/B0037B6QX4/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid= [login to see] &sr=8-1

This is VERY good. And if you like Fantasy, check out Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson. Hands-down the best military fantasy ever written IMO.

Amazon.com: Earth Strike: Star Carrier: Book One eBook: Ian Douglas: Kindle Store

Earth Strike: Star Carrier: Book One - Kindle edition by Ian Douglas. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Earth Strike: Star Carrier: Book One.

Response by SPC Erich Guenther made Nov 24 at 2016 3:06 PM

SPC Erich Guenther — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 15:06:31 -0500

Definitely, Ender's Game. Hit's the nail right on the head about some past conflicts and misunderstandings that led to them.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 24 at 2016 7:23 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 24 Nov 2016 19:23:45 -0500

Enders Game is classic of course, but the Phules Company series is hugely entertaining and well written. For the more hardcore military stories, Hammers Slammers is great.