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A short reading list of military Science Fiction

Ground Warfare 

David Drake Hammers Slammers

series (Rolling Hot,

Butchers Bill, etc.)

Good stories of low level combat. High Tech

forces – usually with the Slammers having

technological superiority – using hover tanks andhover APC’s. David Drake served in Vietnam. 

Gordon R. Dickson Classic Dorsai series A little dated, but an enjoyable read with some

very good ideas.

David Sherman

and Dan Cragg

Starfist series (10+ and

spin of ‘Marine Recon’

series – 2+)

A very good set of stories. Based upon a high tech

platoon within a ‘Marine’ Battalion used as a

rapid response and ‘first in’ unit. They come

across a variety of foes including an alien race.

The authors are ex-military.

Jerry Pournelle Janissaries Good book in which aliens take ‘modern’ troops

from Cuba or Vietnam, just before they are wiped

out in action. They are transported to anotherplanet, which they are supposed to conquer in

order to plant and harvest a crop for the aliens.

Tanya Huff Confederation series Very good series which places in a mixed race

‘confederation’ platoon in a series of situations

which result in combat. Some are based on

historical situations (e.g. Rorkes Drift).

Space Warfare

David Webber Honour HarringtonSeries

Very good space fleet novels. The series followsHonour Harrington from study and graduation

from the academy through commissioning as a

lieutenant in a destroyer and subsequent career

and promotions to command slots on bigger ships

and control of fleets.

Randolph Lalonde Spinward Fringe series Very good series of books which starts with a

group of friends who hack into a military

computer and ‘play’ the combat sims. They are

re-activated by the military and given a ship to

run. Later books digress from this original

premise, with the introduction of some‘interesting’ technology – still good stories, but

you need to accept the leap in concepts.

C.J. Cherryh Merchanter War –  

selected novels ) e.g.

Heavy Time and

Hellburner)

Very good series with a mix of fleet engagements

and evolving ships and tactics to allow survival

during a ‘jump’ into a potentially hostile star 

system.

Ian Douglas Earth Strike (star carrier) Reasonable book on fighter carriers in space.

Some interesting fleet actions.

David Drake Daniel Leary RCN series Good series with a fair bit of space warfare.

Others

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C.J. Cherryh Chanur Series Very good series of books about a spaceships

crew who go around trading and get into trouble

and a few firefights. Reminiscent of Traveller.

Elizabeth Moon Vattas War series Good series on trading family who are being

taken out of business. Prime character escapes

with one ship, and then builds a trading fleet.

Only to find that someone is trying to invade theirarea of space, and so she sets about arming her

ships, learning fleet tactics, and then fighting the

invaders.

Lois McMaster

Bujold

Vorkosigan saga series A very good, humorous take, on the far future

with some combat. Lord Vorkosigan has medical

problems which exclude him from a military

career. So he ends up as a sort of spy and manages

to acquire a mercenary fleet, which he proceeds to

operate under a pseudonym. As his career

progresses he mixes personal aims with

mercenary fleet contracts and covert missions forhis Emperor.

Elizabeth Moon Serrano Legacy series Good series on Starfleet academy candidate who

is forced out and has to make her way in the

world. Space opera plots means she finds her way

back into the fleet and continues her adventures.