Author Topic: Best Warfare Sci-Fi novels  (Read 5691 times)

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Offline waresky (OP)

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Best Warfare Sci-Fi novels
« on: November 19, 2009, 07:39:18 AM »
ehhh..The Skynnies..Bugs..1980,or before,best Warfare Sci-Fi novel..
Toghether "Neverending War" (Pournelle) or "Falkenberg's Legion"
Or a epic "Dominic Flandrys Earth Empire" absolutely indomitable.
 

Offline Steve Walmsley

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Re: Best Warfare Sci-Fi novels
« Reply #1 on: November 19, 2009, 10:00:27 AM »
While not really a scifi-novel, I am reading a series of books by Joe Buff about a submarine warfare in a future war between the US/UK + allies on one side and Germany/South Africa on the other. Coups have taken place in Germany (restoring the monarchy) and South Africa (restoring Boer rule). The SA coup happened first and the West (minus Germany) sent a large fleet to Africa. Ther German coup took place and then the allied fleet was ambushed in the mid-Atlantic with tactical nuclear weapons by the Axis (Germany/SA), taking out three carriers and many of the other ships in the force. Germany nuked Warsaw and Tripoli, the French surrended and Europe/North Africa was overrun. The Boers are pushing north as well.

That covers the first two pages of the first book :)

The six books are about a nuclear war at sea, plus a lot of raid-based combat featuring US Navy SEALs and their German equivalent - the KampfSchwimmers, mainly from the perpective of the US submarine Challenger, which is a ceramic hulled fast attack. 15,000 ft crush depth and 50+ knots. The Germans, South Africans and British also have a single ceramic-hulled sub each. It's a fascinating read. Well-researched, very realistic in terms of the naval warfare, even if the politics of the setup are a little contrived. HIghly recommended! The first book is called Deep Sound Channel.

Steve
 

Offline ShadoCat

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Re: Best Warfare Sci-Fi novels
« Reply #2 on: November 19, 2009, 11:38:14 PM »
Steve, Germany (or anyone) nuked a US fleet and then nuked civilian cities...   ...and they still exist?!?!?!?

That was obviously written by someone who didn't think we would do it.

Offline Steve Walmsley

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Re: Best Warfare Sci-Fi novels
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2009, 06:28:01 AM »
Quote from: "ShadoCat"
Steve, Germany (or anyone) nuked a US fleet and then nuked civilian cities...   ...and they still exist?!?!?!?

That was obviously written by someone who didn't think we would do it.
According to the story, the Axis have only used tactical A-bombs and have announced they have no H-bombs, wouldn't use them anyway and won't attack any more land targets. They have also rounded up all the US/UK tourists in Europe/Africa and put them in camps near all the primary targets. A barely neutral Russia has stated that any H-bomb attack on Western Europe will be regarded as an H-bomb attack on Russia. The US is apparently stuck because their deterrence is based on H-bombs and the Axis is only using small nukes, so they end up in a tactical nuclear war at sea. The author is making the old Russian distinction between tactical and strategic nuclear war. How realistic all of this is I don't know and it is plainly contrived to create the situation, but it does make for a fascinating series of books. I don't want to put anyone off the books because the scenario sounds unrealistic. It is just a background for the naval combat - pretty much like a lot of the Aurora setups I use :)

Steve
 

Offline AurZulu

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Re: Best Warfare Sci-Fi novels
« Reply #4 on: November 21, 2009, 08:52:37 PM »
A snippet of the Series I have and have read:

The Zone - WW3, gritty, in your face land combat involving everything from nukes to chemical warfare etc.
Starcruiser Shenandoah Series/Peace Company Series - SciFi, Space, planetbound - very very good series [A Favourite]. Roland J Green
Honor Harrington Series - SciFi Space, can be a bit formalic. David Weber
The Lost Fleet - Space, planetbound, Execllent space action.  [A Favourite]. Jack Campbell.
Starfist - SciFi planetbound, a good series me thinks, David Sherman
Helforts War - SciFi Space, planetbound, can be a bit formalic. Graham Sharp Paul.
Exordium - Space, planetbound, one ofthe best series out there, excellent action, galaxy sweeping, well written etc etc  [A Favourite]. Sherwood Smith, Dave Trowbridge
Serrano Legacy / Vattas War - Space, planetbound, Vattas War is the best of her books, multi faceted. Elizabeth Moon.
13th Spaceborne Series / Second Commonwealth War - Planetbound mainly, good reads. Rick Shelley
Jefferson's War Series - Space, planetbound, very good read.  [A Favourite]. Kevin Randle.
Cassandra Kresnov Series - a bit like the Manga, Appleseed/Ghost in the Shell series but in novel form.  [A Favourite]. Joel Shepherd.
Heritage Trilogy / Legacy Trilogy / Inheritance Trilogy - Space, planetbound, excellent action, galaxy sweeping.  [A Favourite]. Ian Douglas
Kris Longknife - Space, planetbound, excellent action, can be a bit formalic. [A Favourite]. Mike Shepherd
Without Warning / Axis of Time - A what if writer - Set on Earth. excellent, [A Favourite] John Birmingham
BattleTech
 

Offline waresky (OP)

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Re: Best Warfare Sci-Fi novels
« Reply #5 on: November 22, 2009, 01:23:16 PM »
Aur.
many of ur read,in italy NEVER show before ur list are there...
Damn,am an Sci-Fi addict from my 14's years,1979..pournelle,heilein,asimov,Anderson,carter etcetc..
 

Offline AurZulu

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Re: Best Warfare Sci-Fi novels
« Reply #6 on: November 22, 2009, 02:35:47 PM »
Hiya waresky,

I've been collecting/reading SciFi/Fantasy,Westerns, for a long long time.
A lot of what I list came from one book shop here in the UK called forbidden planet - unfortunatly most were bought years ago
[plus my I've lost a few as my father was a comic/book burner if I upset him as a child - he burnt issue 3 of the 2000AD comic!!!,
apropiatly on bomfires night..]

Some you can pick up on Amazon/Ebay, a lot I suspect you cannot - Exordium copies I understand is very rare these days, fantasticfiction is a place to head over to as I saw some 2nd hand linked there.

For the Naval and future conflict Buffs out there:

Treat Warning Red - NATO Standing Squadron confrounts USSR fleet as they declare 90,000 miles no-go area - very detailed, very knowledgeable. Anthony Fox.
The War that Never Was - Overview of WW3 NATO vs USSR, gives tactical/strategic view of conlfict. Michael Palmer.
Third World War / Third World War: The Untold Story - WW3 NATO vs USSR, gives tactical/strategic/Personal Descriptions view of conlfict. Sir John Winthrop Hackett
Pacino Series - Futuristic Sub action, Good Descriptions of the action & possible technology. Michael DiMercurio.
Frigate, Carrier, Submarine - a 3 book series charting naval conflict Nato vs Ussr. [A Fav]. John Wingate.
 

Offline AurZulu

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Re: Best Warfare Sci-Fi novels
« Reply #7 on: November 22, 2009, 02:49:25 PM »
Getting Back on track New list!

Starfishers /  - galaxy spanning. Space,planetbound combat, very good. Glen Cook.
Commonwealth / Nights Dawn / Void - Space,planetbound combat, very very good. [Fav]. Peter Hamilton
Culture - Space,planetbound combat, good. Iain Banks

Last post - unless I remmber more!
 

Offline welchbloke

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Re: Best Warfare Sci-Fi novels
« Reply #8 on: November 22, 2009, 05:10:31 PM »
Quote from: "AurZulu"
Getting Back on track New list!

Starfishers /  - galaxy spanning. Space,planetbound combat, very good. Glen Cook.
Commonwealth / Nights Dawn / Void - Space,planetbound combat, very very good. [Fav]. Peter Hamilton
Culture - Space,planetbound combat, good. Iain Banks

Last post - unless I remmber more!
I've been a fan of the CUlture novels for years; I would also recommend them.
Welchbloke
 

Offline James Patten

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Re: Best Warfare Sci-Fi novels
« Reply #9 on: November 23, 2009, 05:05:14 PM »
One of my favorite series is the Alliance/Union universe, written by CJ Cherryh.  It's pretty much Newtonian/Einsteinian physics, with the inclusion of jump points.  So ships have to spend days accelerating or decelerating or changing delta-v.  Ships rotate to generate gravity.
 

Offline Erik L

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Re: Best Warfare Sci-Fi novels
« Reply #10 on: November 24, 2009, 09:40:10 AM »
I moved this from Steve's fiction to here to keep the off-topic post out.
:)

Offline Charlie Beeler

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Re: Best Warfare Sci-Fi novels
« Reply #11 on: November 24, 2009, 10:46:31 AM »
The various Hammers Slammers stories from David Drake.  As well as his colaberations with SM Stirling for the General series.
Amateurs study tactics, Professionals study logistics - paraphrase attributed to Gen Omar Bradley
 

Offline ShadoCat

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Re: Best Warfare Sci-Fi novels
« Reply #12 on: November 25, 2009, 09:13:25 PM »
How about:

Lensman, E.E. "Doc" Smith

Offline welchbloke

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Re: Best Warfare Sci-Fi novels
« Reply #13 on: November 25, 2009, 09:18:08 PM »
Quote from: "ShadoCat"
How about:

Lensman, E.E. "Doc" Smith
I'd second that; great example of early Sci Fi!
Welchbloke
 

Offline ZimRathbone

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Re: Best Warfare Sci-Fi novels
« Reply #14 on: November 30, 2009, 12:20:23 AM »
Quote from: "welchbloke"
Quote from: "ShadoCat"
How about:

Lensman, E.E. "Doc" Smith
I'd second that; great example of early Sci Fi!

 and, in many ways, the initial source material for Starfire. The later works by David A Kyle are in the process of being read (They're not as immediatly engaging as Grey Lensman - my first ever SF book)

I always liked "The Forever War" (Joe Haldemann), and its antithesis "Starship Troopers" (R.A.Heinlien).  

I liked some of the early Honor Harrington books, but havent really enjoyed as much after "Honor Amoung Enemies" as HH and the politicos have become more two-dimensional and the Kingdom relies more on luck than good planning in the campaigns against the Havenites.

I liked the first two books in the NIght's Dawn trilogy, but the last book ended us too much as a Deux Ex Machina for me.  It was a bit like the effect of reading Pournelle's Footfall when I got to the last page!
Slàinte,

Mike