3 ms·
I'd second the Hammer's Slammers rec. Don't be put off by the lurid pictures of ZOMG TANKS!!! on the covers of some editions; it's a lot more nuanced than the n
by mrec 11y ago
I'd second the Hammer's Slammers rec. Don't be put off by the lurid pictures of ZOMG TANKS!!! on the covers of some editions; it's a lot more nuanced than the name and artwork imply.
I'd also recommend his Redliners, which deals in large part with the need to re-establish empathy between soldiers and the civilians they fight for. Some elements of the plot get a bit silly, but Drake was exorcising some serious personal ghosts in that one, and his conviction really shines through.
- davidw 11y agoJerry Pournelle has some fun military sci-fi too. I don't care at all for the guy's politics, but some of the stories are good. Actually, I mostly read for entertainment, so I tend to favor stories that are first and foremost entertaining and interesting stories, rather than things trying to Send A Message.
- marktangotango 11y agoIf we're pulling old authors out of a hat, check out H. Beam Pipers stuff, in particular 'Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen' and 'Space Vikings'. Edit; my reference to Pournelle was in error, apologies!
- angersock 11y agoIf you can stand anime, find an old series called "Legend of the Galactic Heroes". It's long, it's decently hard sci-fi in places, and it's got wonderful reflections on war and politics. It very much feels like old Pournelle/Heinlen stuff, with a healthy amount of cynicism about the politicians causing the various conflicts. On the surface, it's just Space America versus Space Prussia, but there's so much more going on.