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  What's your personal favorite Military SciFi book/series?

  I love this genre but always struggle with what to read next (life is too short to not read great books). Which book or series holds your top spot in the genre? I'm not looking for the books you thought were the best, I'm looking for your favorites. My favorites are typically not the best written ;)
  
  Anyone?

  Kevin G started this discussion 1 year ago. ( reply )

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  Cody R 

  Have you read the Lost Fleet series, by Jack Campbell? It's probably the most realisistic space-combat series out there. It takes into account the vast distances of space, like when messages are sent from ship to ship, it may take 4 or 5 minutes for the message to reach a ship on the edge of your fleet. I'm still reading the series, but so far the first 2 books have been the best! Read the short descriptions of the books, and then read the books! Definently my favorite Military sci-fi series ever, and one of my favorite series of all time!!!

  posted 1 year ago. ( reply )

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  wernowhere 

  This is a tough one... I like the genre so much I enjoy them all...
  
  :-)
  
  Recently... I've enjoyed the Lost Fleet series but I've only read the first two... As mentioned above, this one is completely space centric... I enjoyed some of the Legion of the Damned books... Think cyborg ground pounders... I liked the Shelley series (OC-Colonel) since it was old school... It follows one guy's career through the ranks of a planet who's sole purpose is to hire out mercenaries... Reminds me of some stuff I read 20 years ago... I'm enjoying the Scali series (Old Man's War etc)... This is a classic Human/Alien struggle with an interesting twist... As is the Posleen series by Ringo... Although that one is a little over the top...
  
  
  

  posted 1 year ago. ( reply )

  show 3 replies

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    Trang The Troll (edited)

    I recently finished the Jason wander Books by Robert Buettner, Orphanage, Oprphans Destiny, Orphans Journey, very excellent books with two more coming.
    
    I also finished the Scalzi Series, Old Man's War, The Ghosts Brigade, The Last Colony, again excellent books, take the time to read.
    
    My favorite books in the genre are Starship Troopers and Forever war.
    
    Im reading The Sten Series by Chris Bunch and Allan Cole, on book five and it is pretty decent so far. Chris Bunch is passed away but I also have his Last colony series to read (4 books)
    
    Overall favorite series so far, Starfist and The three trilogies by Ian douglas, Heritage, Inheritance, Legacy. Both these are live with more books coming this fall and next year.
    
    I read 15 books written by Rick Shelley, which were average, but decent. Might look him up, deseased auther but big collection.
    
    While not the greatest literary tomes, I have collected the Wing Commander books, X-com, and a bunch of Terminator books. Have those stacked up to read also.
    
    
    IN the past year I have collected wll over 150 books in the genre, and I am plowing thru them as fast as I can read. Books by Weber, Harrison, Dickson, Dietz, Dalmas, Moon, Drake, etc.
    
    I also have The Lost fleet by Campbell and plan to read it soon.
    
    
    My problem is I also have vast collection from other authors I need to read:
    
    Robert Silverberg
    Frank Herbert (non dune books)
    Ray Bradury
    Asimov
    A. C. Clarke
    RA Heinlein
    
    On and on and on. The military sci-fi is my favoirte but have to break now and again for other.
    
    hope this gives you some Idea where to go.
    
    Trang

    posted 1 year ago. ( reply )

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    wernowhere 

    Starship Troopers and Forever War
    
    Two of my favorite novels... Ever... In any genre...
    
    

    posted 1 year ago. ( reply )

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    Aaron A 

    I would heartily second Starship Troopers and Forever War. I would also add Armor by John Steakly. Very underrated. I think that Scalzi's Old Man's War was excellent as well. As much as it seems lightweight, I really liked Ender's Game too.

    posted 1 year ago. ( reply )

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  anithri 

  My Favorite is the Honor Harrington series by David Weber. It's the best sci-fi version of classic sea-going adventure series like Horatio Hornblower and (my favorite) Aubrey/Maturin. At least it started out that way, Honor got promoted out of being a captain fairly quickly, and I'd love to see more adventures of her as a cruiser captain.

  posted 1 year ago. ( reply )

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  Dave M 

  Legacy of the Aldenata. A series by John Ringo, that is set in near/alternate future. Granted, we have a great deal of Jingoism, and almost a pandering to the American Conservative views, but it's well written, fast paced, and once started, is easy to continue... A Hymn before battle is the starting point. Highly recommended.

  The Bolo Series - Keith Laumer.

  The Honor Harrington Series by David Weber. - but don't ignore his other works. He has a number of single titles that could well bear expansion into a series.

  posted 10 months ago. ( reply )

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  T-Man 

  I really love all well written military Sci-Fi, but I also loved the Legacy of Aldenata series by John Ringo (at least the first 4, then it kind of fades off), I also love the StarFist and force recon series by David Sherman and Dan Cragg. Another series that is enjoyable is the Orphanage (Jason Wander) series by Robert Buettner. I read this blog earlier and found mention of the Lost Fleet series. In the past month I have read the first 4 and am anxiously awaiting the arrival of number 5. I have also started reading the Clone Republic by Steven L Kent. If anyone knows of some others let me know.

  posted 9 months ago. ( reply )

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  Leonid K 

  I love Military SciFi genre and especially crazy about "The History of the Galaxy" series written by Andrey Livadny. Unfortunately it's written in Russian, but there might be translations. I didn't find any of his books on shelfary, but there's some info on Wikipedia site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrey_Livadny
  His books have everything, battles, giant robots (think Mechwarrior on drugs), birth of AI, worlds inside tiny microchips (afterlife for aliens), creation of live, etc.
  My favorite 2 books from the series are "DaBog" which shows birth of battle mech where a giant agricultural machine's (armed with mining lasers) operator had to fight off evasion from the Earth and "Orion Nebula" where an astronaut encounters (and tries to save) sentient star, that actually invented DNA and created life in the Universe... :)

  posted 8 months ago. ( reply )

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  Simon E 

  Another vote for Ringo here, but I'd have to say /not/ the Aldenata/Posleen War series (since Sister Time, anyway...), but his and Doc Travis' Looking Glass books.

  For a single book... Hmph....

  Iain M. Banks - Excession

  posted 7 months ago. ( reply )

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  Craig B (edited)

  For a single book - I'd have to go with Armor or Starship Troopers. I don't know about the best series - perhaps the Deathstalker series by Simon R. Green, but he starts to lose me on the later books.

  I've just started Ringo's "A Hymn Before Battle" over at Baen's Free Library , and if the rest of the series holds up - it should be fantastic.

  posted 6 months ago. ( reply )

  show 2 replies

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    wernowhere 

    I preferred ST over Armor... I reread ST a couple months ago for first time in about 25 years (feeling old with that comment) and enjoyed it again... I was concerned that I might not like it as much now since that has happened to me for other books I read when I was younger... However, this one held up well...

    I haven't read the Deathstalker series but maybe I should add it to the list???

    The Ringo books are decent... Over the top? Yes... But decent... As the series moves on, I like some of the books better then others but isn't that always the way?

    Let us know what you think...

    posted 6 months ago. ( reply )

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    Dave M 

    Starship Troopers is a book from a differerent era. It holds a certain position - amongst the early works of Heinlein, it's a classic book of right and wrong, the heroes and villains easily defined, and it has held up well over the years. The science part of the fiction had some meat and potatoes to it.

    The legacy of the Aldenata series holds up very well, and if you are more gentle with sister time, allowing that it's a transitional piece, it's worth the read (*slog through*) to get to the Honor of the Clan. The next two books are available as advance reader copies to be downloaded from Baen books. They are both well worth reading.

    posted 6 months ago. ( reply )

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  rlbiggar 

  Hammer's Slammers series or the Northworld Trilogy by David Drake
  Dorsai series by Gordon R Dickson
  The Damned series by Alan Dean Foster
  And for a good sword warrior type series is
  The Sunset Warrior Cycle by Eric V Lustbader
  The Morgaine Saga or The Faded SunTrilogy by C J Cherryh
  A funny type of Military Sci-Fi is
  Phule's Company series by Robert Asprin

  posted 6 months ago. ( reply )

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  Zare I 

  On top of all these books I would also recommend Starfisher trilogy by Glen Cook and "Dragon never sleeps" by the same author. One of my favorites is "Redliners" by David Drake.

  If you like high-tech military sci-fi you may try some books by Neal Asher (Polity/Ian Cormac) or Richard K Morgan (Takeshi Kovacs series).

  posted 5 months ago. ( reply )

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  Chris H 

  Someone who hasn't been mentioned yet is Elizabeth Moon and the Serrano Series.

  posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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  Chris H 

  Just started the Starfist series because of the recommendations that were here. Thanks, it seems to be an interesting and fun read, three books in.

  posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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  Magiske 

  Trust me.. ANY thing by William C. Dietz..
  And the first 4 of David Feintuch's Seafort Saga are awesome.

  posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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