Military Science Fiction Recommendations

My goto novels have always been in the fantasy genre. Lately, I’ve read a couple military science fiction series and have been enjoying them. So - I’m looking for recommendations on what I should read next! My preference is for plots that don’t involve aliens (somehow, elves and gnomes are OK but BEMs will take me out of the story).
If it’ll help, I’ve liked the following authors (for the most part): Lois Bujold, David Weber, Mike Shepherd and Elizabeth Moon.
John Scalzi, Tanya Huff and David Feintuch were just OK.

Two mostly low-tech but science fictional military sci fi works.

Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen by H. Beam Piper; Calvin Morrison a Pennsylvania cop & veteran is dropped by accident in an alternate low tech world and proceeds to, well, make himself “Lord Kalvan”.

The Belisarius series by David Drake & Eric Flint. Set during the Byzantine empire, in a timeline where two competing far-future factions have sent agents into the past to reshape it. With that kind of interference it rapidly diverges from real world history, including the introduction of ever more advanced technology like gunpowder & telegraphs.

For military SF, I highly recommend S.M. Stirling and Jerry Pournelle. Stirling, in particular, writes the most vivid battle-scenes I have ever read. I especially recommend The General series, co-authored with David Drake.

Or you could just combine the two suggestions above and go straight to David Drake. His “Hammers Slammers” books and stories are excellent. Incredibly vivid and realistic combat scenes. He’s a Vietnam vet, and it comes through in his writing.

Starship Troopers, by Robert Heinlein. Pretend there never was a movie that shared the name, just read the book.

Then go pick up just about all of John Ringo’sstuff. After that, maybe some Alan Cole/Chris Bunch (Sten series).

TVTropes, of course, has a whole page on Military Science Fiction.

Oh, yeah; I love the Sten series.

I have, but have yet to read, The Forever War.

I hear it’s supposed to be pretty good.

*Starship Troopers *by Robert A. Heinlein and *The Forever War *by Joe Haldeman
“No Truce with Kings”, “The Queen of Air and Darkness” Fire Time, and just about all of the Dominic Flandry books, save A Stone in Heaven, by Poul Anderson
“Superiority” and “Hide and Seek” by Arthur C. Clarke

“The Lost Fleet” series by Jack Campbell features a fleet of starships trying to limp back home after being defeated and stranded deep in enemy territory. If you enjoy the political side of military command and exploring ways that starship combat could realistically work, it’s good fun. It’s mostly all humans vs humans, although aliens do eventually come into one of the subplots.

I love the naval battles, described in excruciating detail, in David Weber’s Safehold series. I mean, I love the court drama and the political maneuvering as well, but the naval battles arguably are the best parts of the books. Come to think of it, the infantry/calvary battles have been pretty damned good as well.

His Starfire series, written with Steve White, was also very good.

For Stirling and Pournelle together, get the Janissaries books (incomplete)(damn you, Jerry!), and the various books that deal with the CoDominium (Falkenberg’s Legion).

Ender’s game? Most people would have already read it of course, but if Starship troopers is being recommended, I figured Ender should be :slight_smile:
It’s a pretty good read. if you can get past the lead characters being 11 or so years old.

If you’re near a used bookstore that has lots of paperback SF, look for the Tor There Will Be War series of anthologies of SF war-stories, edited by Jerry Pournelle. Imperial Stars is good too.

Also, The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress, by the same guy.

OK you said elves were OK – how about Christopher Stasheff’s Warlock in Spite of Himself – it is not military but it has your fantasy elements and some of your science fiction elements too

What have you got against the OP, that you would recommend Stasheff to him/her?

I assume that the OP has read Elizabeth Moon’s Deed of Paksennarion trilogy, as well as her military SF. There’s the trilogy, the Gird duology, and now Moon has released at least two more books in that series. I never could get into Moon’s SF, but I love her fantasy.

Maybe World War Z? It’s about everyone (including the military) vs. zombies.

Agreed, but feel free to skip ahead a little when it gets too preachy.

Absolutely!

Let me recommend the Bolo series by Keith Laumer. Intelligent tanks, oh yeah.