What are the best military sci-fi novels in your experience?

[Sangheili811]

I am an avid reader. My normal fair is technothrillers and military nonfiction. My favorite author is easily Stephen Hunter and his Bob Lee Swagger and Earl Swagger novels. And obviously, being a Halo fan, I've read and greatly enjoyed the Halo novels. But now I'm starting to wonder about other, maybe more mature, military sci-fi stories.

The thing is, aside from the Halo novels, I've tried to stay away from sci-fi because I hate fantasy novels. If the story doesn't have at least some basis in reality I almost never become engaged in it. So I think the term I'm looking for is "hard" sci-fi. Add to that the stories I find most compelling are war stories, and the grittier the better. From that, you may have some idea what I'm looking for.

So now I bring the question to you, 405th: what are your favorite military sci-fi novels? With an idea of what I like to read, what would you recommend? Or does what I'm looking for not exist? Are there no small unit, tactical, dare I say "realistic", sci-fi reads out there?

 

[ventrue]

Well, off the top of my head: Birmingham's "Weapons of Choice". It's classified as a "techno-scifi-thriller" or something like that and plays in kind of an alternate timeline. Namely, a superadvanced battlefleet (the wet kind, not spaceships) somehow gets thrown back in time and lands right at the beginning of World War II. Definitely mature and an interesting read, has some action, but also lots of story in between. There's also sequel, "Designated Targets", but I didn't like that as much. It's slightly more "extreme" at a few points and a bit boring overall. Reminds me of Tom Clancy a bit, although it comes nowhere near his kind of complexity.

Regarding Clancy: I haven't managed to actually read one of his novels, because my brain kind of shut down after a few chapters. Too much useless side info and political drama for my taste. But you may want to try it, Rainbow Six might deliver your tactical small unit story and he generally writes military stuff, both fiction and non-fiction.

You could also have a look at Matthew Reilly, he's written a lot of novels around a hero called Schofield (hope I'm spelling this right). "Ice Station", for example. Lot's of people die, lots of things get destroyed. It's "realistic" in the sense that they use real weapons, but not in the sense that it's likely to happen. What it definitely is, is fast. You'll find it in the thriller section, but it's really more like fast food on paper, quite literally. There's so much action in there, he almost forgets to tell a story.

 

[Roadkiller]

Individual novels (WARNING: Links may contain spoilers!):

"The Forever War" by Joe Haldeman, a vietnam veteran. An excellent postulation of interstellar war being waged with real science (the light-speed barrier is real, no "hyper-space" here): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Forever_War

"Starship Troopers" by Robert Heinlein, who had been a naval officer until forced to retire due to a medical condition. The movie of the same name is drek, and has nothing in common with the book. Someday I hope they make a movie called "Robert Heinlein's Starship Troopers" so we can see the real vision in the novel. Note that politics in the book are controversial even today, making the book an even more interesting read. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starship_troopers

"Ender's Game" by Orson Scott Card. What would it be like if we really did start training our soldiers when they were 5 years old? What sort of interstellar war forced us into this? What would the kids themselves be like, and how would you train them? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ender's_Game


As for series:

Jerry Pournelle's novels about the Co-Dominium. Pournelle is an ex-military scientist, it's hard to get a better background for writing military SF. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CoDominium

David Drake's tales of Hammer's Slammers tell the story of an armour unit in the future. Drake is a Vietnam veteran: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammer's_Slammers

 

[Sangheili811]

Venture: Weapons of Choice sounds interesting, might have to check that out, but not really what I'm looking for. I've already read about a half-dozen of Clancy's novels, and some of his apostrophe novels. I loved Rainbow Six (so much that I wear a Team Rainbow patch when I play airsoft), but I agree, his other novels are somewhat hit and miss. My point is that I've already read plenty of thrillers from the modern era, I'm looking for that type of story set in the future. Thanks for the suggestions, though, I'll probably look them up regardless.

Roadkiller: I believe these are more along the lines of what I'm looking for, Thanks for the list!

 

[Roadkiller]

... Roadkiller: I believe these are more along the lines of what I'm looking for, Thanks for the list!

No problem, it's my favourite genre! I had to restrain myself from putting up a LONG list

If you test the waters with some of these and find some to your taste and others not, let me know. I can likely recommend others that would appeal to you once you've hand time to discover what you like.

 

[Sangheili811]

No problem, it's my favourite genre! I had to restrain myself from putting up a LONG list

If you test the waters with some of these and find some to your taste and others not, let me know. I can likely recommend others that would appeal to you once you've hand time to discover what you like.

Thanks I'll take you up on that once I've read some of those! BTW, have you read any of the novels in the Starfist series? If so, what did you think (I see they are written by a pair of 'nam vets)?

And from one reader to another, I mentioned Stephen Hunter in my first post and I can't recommend him highly enough. I highly suggest Point of Impact, his first Swagger novel, and if you like that, there's more where that came from!

 

[RadioactiveMicrobe]

I'm pretty sure I'll post what everyone else does with; Ender's Game.

 

[Hickeydog]

Regarding Clancy: I haven't managed to actually read one of his novels, because my brain kind of shut down after a few chapters. Too much useless side info and political drama for my taste. But you may want to try it, Rainbow Six might deliver your tactical small unit story and he generally writes military stuff, both fiction and non-fiction.

I will agree that Clancy's books can be dull at times. They're best "read" by book on tape. The work great for making those long road trips go by in a snap. I don't know if they would qualify as science fiction. More like the delusions of a cold war fantasist with his head stuck in a lathe. Don't get me wrong, I love the books. They're just just a little heavy on the whole "US vs USSR" scheebang.

 

[Patryn]

I have read Enders and Starship and a slew of others but one of my favorites I stumbled upon was The Lost Fleet series by Jack Cambell (John G. Henry). Excellent story line with some surprises to keep you flipping the page just to see what happens next. The bonus of this series is he brings in technical aspects that are normally glassed over by other writters. The author was naval commander and so brings in a nice first hand perspective of ship to ship combat that happens a lot in this book. Just another recommendation and I will post a link to the Wiki on it for you to check out.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lost_Fleet

 

[SchizophrenicMC]

I can't believe no one's pointed out Ringworld by Larry Niven. It's a great sci-fi novel, and it's centered around the basis of the Halo series: a giant artificial ring construct, used as a space colony.

Anyway, as far as military sci fi goes, try Tom Clancy's works (and works penned by people using Tom Clancy as a pseudonym). Rainbow Six was great, the whole Splinter Cell series amazed.

 

[Roadkiller]

I can't believe no one's pointed out Ringworld by Larry Niven. It's a great sci-fi novel, and it's centered around the basis of the Halo series: a giant artificial ring construct, used as a space colony.

...

"Ringworld" is an awesome SF novel by an outstanding SF author Larry Niven, but it is not Military SF. Niven has never written any Mil SF, he has never served in the military and says he does not feel comfortable with the topic and could not do it justice. He was even contacted to do the original Halo novel but turned it down for that reason (had he known it would be military science fantasy, would he have tried?)

He has however, let other authors play with some of his militaristic ideas in the "Man-Kzin War" series. But the quality of these stories varies hugely and are not, IMHO, a good introduction to Mil SF.

 

[Purrie]

Well, I know my following suggestions may not seem like what you're looking for, but these are way more military-esque than you may think from the names

the Republic Commando series by Karen Traviss- it's not the standard "Good vs. Evil" that everyone thinks about when they hear Star Wars but it's a really great series IMO.

the Gears of War series, also by Karen Traviss- I'm not sure if you like the GoW series but again, she makes an awesome series that I got completely wrapped up in and have read them all

 

[SchizophrenicMC]

Well, Roadkiller, you've got a point there. I skipped over MilSci and went straight for hard scifi.

 

[Specter 1]

I second Republic commando series it kinda sucks the last book aint gonna be finished

 

[Sangheili811]

Lots of info here, thanks guys! The Lost Fleet sounds interesting, and I see Ender's Game is on the USMC reading list. Looks like good stuff.

I have to say, I'm surprised people keep bringing up Tom Clancy as a sci-fi author. As I said, I've read a lot of his stuff, and sci-fi is one tag I would not put on it.
BTW, schizophrenicMC, I have read two of the Splinter Cell series (among other apostrophe books), and frankly, I thought they stunk. Sam Fisher was flat and the plots were simplistic and predictable. In fact, the only apostrophe book I liked was Ghost Recon. Ringworld looks like one I should look up, though.

 

[Roadkiller]

... I have to say, I'm surprised people keep bringing up Tom Clancy as a sci-fi author. As I said, I've read a lot of his stuff, and sci-fi is one tag I would not put on it.
...

Neither would I I've noticed lately that Stephen King is being called a SF author in some circles! The term must be good for marketing again.

Highly recommend Ringworld as "hard" SF. If you wish to read the closest Niven has gotten to Mil SF, read the brilliant "The Mote in God's Eye", co-written with his friend Jerry Pournelle (of the co-dominium books I pointed out above).

I also did a quick tour through Google of the books and authors you recommended and they seem interesting! I will try some, thanks, always good to find new material.

 

[Nintendude]

Crud I wish I knw the writer or the names of the books, it was a series of books about a fighter pilot that had telekenesis, set during the time during and after WW3. The pilot would go against Nazis in South America, After a train with terrorists, and I think the Vice President started WW3 and other stuff and ends up on a flying prision, I just wish I knew the books, they were old from sometime during the 90's because I remember reading a few of them.

 

[ventrue]

I have to say, I'm surprised people keep bringing up Tom Clancy as a sci-fi author. As I said, I've read a lot of his stuff, and sci-fi is one tag I would not put on it.

I think Clancy came up because of your preference for military stuff, not because people think he's writing scifi ;-)

 

[Sangheili811]

Neither would I I've noticed lately that Stephen King is being called a SF author in some circles! The term must be good for marketing again.

Highly recommend Ringworld as "hard" SF. If you wish to read the closest Niven has gotten to Mil SF, read the brilliant "The Mote in God's Eye", co-written with his friend Jerry Pournelle (of the co-dominium books I pointed out above).

I also did a quick tour through Google of the books and authors you recommended and they seem interesting! I will try some, thanks, always good to find new material.

Even though Ringworld isn't milsci, I'm thinking that as a self-respecting halo fan I need to read it ! If that's good, then I'll most likely look up The Mote in God's Eye.

You're talking about Hunter and Point of Impact, right? Because I mentioned Starfist, but I only picked up one book in that series and I didn't like it and didn't finish it. I was just wondering how it stacked up by true sci-fi reader's standards. From what I read (and it's not much), I don't recommend Starfist (just to clarify).

 

[SchizophrenicMC]

I think Clancy came up because of your preference for military stuff, not because people think he's writing scifi ;-)

Well, "Tom Clancy" (Dave Michaels) wrote Splinter Cell, which is Military, and it includes fictional technologies, based in real science, but not in the real world, which means you could argue that Splinter Cell is a MilSci novel series... /rolleyes