MIllitary SF recommendation

[Aedan]

So as name says, I need some millitary sf to read, except starship troopers, forever war and miles vorkosigan, i finished those. Thanks very much! :)

[murphy]

C. J. Cherryh's Down Below Station and Rimrunner

David Weber's Honor Harrington series starting with On Basilisk Station

David Drake's Hammer's Slammers series

[a wooden chair]

Armor, by John Steakley.

[Tormund Ukrainesbane]

Some folks don't like it, but I enjoyed Old Man's War and it's sundry sequels by John Scalzi.

[madking]

Fallen Dragon by Peter F Hamilton. Good stuff as everything else from hamilton

[Werthead]

Dan Abnett. I'd recommend The Founding, the first omnibus in the Gaunt's Ghost series. The final novel in that omnibus, Necropolis, is one of the finest military SF novels I've ever read. The later omnibuses are almost as good, and there isn't a duff one in the bunch (though the first two novels are actually fix-ups of short stories, and can be a little uneven).

In the same universe is Sandy Mitchell's Ciaphas Cain series, also available in omnibus. The first book is Hero of the Imperium! and is excellent, basically being a cross between Blackadder and Flashman BUT IN SPACE.

[Leofric]

Here's a few suggestions:

David Feintuch's Seafort Saga starting with Midshipman's Hope

F.M. Busby - Rissa Kergulen books (may have spelt that wrong)

Sten books by Chris Bunch & Allan Cole

[nickg]

Dan Abnett. I'd recommend The Founding, the first omnibus in the Gaunt's Ghost series. The final novel in that omnibus, Necropolis, is one of the finest military SF novels I've ever read. The later omnibuses are almost as good, and there isn't a duff one in the bunch (though the first two novels are actually fix-ups of short stories, and can be a little uneven).

In the same universe is Sandy Mitchell's Ciaphas Cain series, also available in omnibus. The first book is Hero of the Imperium! and is excellent, basically being a cross between Blackadder and Flashman BUT IN SPACE.

Second this. Wert, you got me hooked on Dan Abnett. Seems like I pick up one of his books everytime I stop at the bookstore now.

[Berglad]

C. J. Cherryh's Down Below Station and Rimrunner

David Weber's Honor Harrington series starting with On Basilisk Station

David Drake's Hammer's Slammers series

second the Honor Harrington recommendation, "Horatio Hornblower in space", is the typical description.

David Weber's Starfire-based books (Crusade, Insurrection, and In Death Ground/The Shiva Option) are also quite entertaining, if simplistic.

[Ira]

About the only books I've ever read in this genre would be Tanya Huff's Confederation novels, but I'm not entirely sure if they'd fit what you're looking for. They're light, humorous reads, so if you're looking for something to read quickly and then move on, then I'd definitely recommend them.

There's obviously Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, but it's about super-genius children, which does tend to turn some people away.

[Stego]

Ok, so you read the two basics (Starship Troopers and Forever War) and then read the most award winning (Vorkosigan) series ever. Good stuff, you show great taste.

Here's what you should read:

-Hammer's Slammers by David Drake

-Anvil of Stars by Greg Bear

-Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (kinda qualifies)

-Old Man's War by John Scalzi (but ignore the sequels)

-Dorsai! by Gordon Dickson

-Armor by John Steakley

But honestly? You've read the best.

[Noroldis]

If you don't mind short stories, The Best Military Science Fiction of the 20th Century has some good ones, including one by none else than George R.R. Martin.

[Stego]

If you don't mind short stories, The Best Military Science Fiction of the 20th Century has some good ones, including one by none else than George R.R. Martin.

That short story by George is the worst thing he ever wrote.

He'd probably agree with me on that assessment.

[red snow]

I've never read them but i've heard nothing but good things about the Warhammer 40K books (Wert mentioned the Dan abnett ones). Abnett's "cosmic" marvel comics have been pretty good. They started with "annihilation" and while super-hero based, they have a military angle.

The second of Richard Morgan's Kovac's novels "Broken Angels" features some military scenes but they are mainly in the form of small squadrons.

[SkynJay]

Blackcollar- Zahn

Armored has been mentioned, so i guess im out of ideas.

Oh, and believe it or not a few of the star wars books actually are more military than not, but you have to dig.

[Mjolnir]

I haven't kept up with the franchize in many a long season, but I believe one of the main series of those Starwars novels that tend more toward the military is the X-wing books [Rogue Squadron, Wedge's Gamble, etc], some of which are written by Michael Stackpole and some by Aaron Allston. I remember them fondly but haven't read them since my mid teens.

I basically came in here to make sure Vorkosigan got recommended, but since you've already read those I'd definitely second Old Man's War by John Scalzi. I wouldn't say the sequels need to be avoided, I found them varying degrees of quite entertaining, but Old Man's War is certainly the best by a noticeable margin. It stands alone well.

Second Ender's Game, if you don't mind reading about genius children it is indeed a great book. The much more recent branch of Card's Enderverse series that follows the character Bean retains far more military overtones than the later Ender books, if you care to continue on to them [Ender's Shadow, Shadow of the Hegemon, etc.] Note, however, that far as I can tell these were written during that period of Orson Scott Card's career when he was in the process of going batshit, or was no longer as successful in concealing how batshit he already was, or whatever the fuck was going down. Maybe I just became more alert to it at some point, I dunno, but I remember it was somewhere right in the middle of this series that the uncomfortable elements in Card's work blossomed into full flower and his crazy really started to bring the funk.

Author named Joel Shepherd wrote a trilogy about a superkickass female android military operative [handled so it comes off more intelligent than it sounds like it could be, though there are some problems] that I remember enjoying: Crossover, Breakaway, Killswitch.

Dan Abnet has his first mil sf standalone in his own universe coming out soon doesn't he? Think it's called Embedded, sounds quite interesting. Still need to check out the Gaunt's Ghosts books based on Werthead's recommendation.

[Noroldis]

That short story by George is the worst thing he ever wrote.

He'd probably agree with me on that assessment.

Aww, come on. That story clearly demonizes Republicans. In this day and age, who can't get behind that? ;)

[needle]

Nice to see David Feintuch getting a recc in here. Insufferable lead character, but only in the way Hornblower is. I kinda liked 'em, and they are the very definition of Military sci-fi.

Also, a lot of Heinlein's YA stuff is fairly military sci-fi. Citizen of the Galaxy, Time for The Stars, Tunnel in the Sky, Space cadet. Sure they're YA but I think YA is actually Heinlein's strongpoint. ( Ok, Stego, you can kill me now :P)

[Werthead]

Probably not Altered Carbon, but the later two Kovacs books also seem to be quite big on military action (if more at the mercenary-mission level).

Peter F. Hamilton doesn't write military SF per se, but both The Night's Dawn Trilogy and The Commonwealth Saga duology feature lots of military action, which he is spectacularly good at. The Void Trilogy de-emphasises this angle a lot.

Paul Kearney has written a military SF novel which he is apparently reluctant to publish (apparently he wrote it very early in his career). I think he should (possibly revised, though), as based on his military fantasy it should be very good.

[Stego]

Aww, come on. That story clearly demonizes Republicans. In this day and age, who can't get behind that? ;)

It's just too awful. He's told me he was shocked that someone wanted to reprint it.