When asked for suggestions in Military SciFi I’m always happy to share! A friend just finished reading Forever War and Armor and asked for a few more books in the Military SciFi genre that they might enjoy! So naturally I had a few lined up!

Of course Starship Troopers by Robert A Heinlein is amazing and one of my personal favorites in the genre. A true classic that remains applicable in some fashion through the years. It is a standalone and while it is short it is packed with meaning. 

 A contemporary book that also stands the test of time is Gordon R Dickson’s Dorsai! Ok sooooo maybe it doesn’t stand the test of time as well as it should… GRD really loved the concept of human evolution into the superman, and his books contain some offbeat philosophies at times BUT they are so good! Dorsai! Is the start to his masterpiece series The Childe Cycle and I am slowly working through the overall series. I personally love it, and think Dorsai! can be read alone or as a part of the overall series. (Perfect read for #VintageSciFiMonth in January and so a few of us will be reading it then and you should join in) 

The Cobra Trilogy by Timothy Zahn probably won’t top anyone’s best of lists but this little tale of Jonny Moreau exploded in my imagination when I was younger and stayed with me for ages. Zahn is an under appreciated master of Military SciFi and this trilogy has a little bit of everything the genre needs to be great. From the young man idealistically signing up to defend the innocent and put his life on the line for others, to his excelling in the art of war, to his desire for peace, to his struggles with PTSD and attempting to fit back into society, to his moving into political circles. This book is worthwhile. 

Glen Cook’s passage of arms is best described by Jeff Vandermeer as “…the Das Boot of SciFi.” This. Book. Is. Amazing. So dense and intense it is the sort you find yourself mentally chewing on for a while after each time you set it down. SciFi warfare in spaceships in a realistic style that leaves you feeling as if you are experiencing the mental breakdown that the crew of the ship faces themselves. This is a work of art and should be on everyone’s list.

Fifteen Hours by Mitchel Scanlon is an excellent introduction to the GrimDark galaxy of Warhammer40K as it portrays a young grunt’s First and quite possibly last combat experience in the far flung future of war and death! A story that makes you pause and consider the human in the story and the high cost of war.