# Recommend "action" SF literature
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-action-sf-literature/601100
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [October 28, 2011, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-action-sf-literature/601100 "2011-10-28T17:42:50Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2011, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-action-sf-literature/601100/41 "2011-10-30T00:11:22Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#):
>
> How about Tanya Huff’s “Valor Confederation” books? I read the first and quite liked it… which might be a bad sign. 😃
I liked that too, keep meaning to read the rest of the series.
> [@drachillix](#):
>
> Don’t remember the author, pohl I think “mutineers moon”. I loved that book if only for creative weaponry.
That’s another David Weber book, the first in his _Empire From the Ashes_ trilogy. _Mutineer’s Moon_ happens to be available for download at the [Baen Free Library](http://www.webscription.net/s-108-david-weber.aspx?CategoryFilterID=1&ManufacturerFilterID=0&), by the way. Along with some of the other Weber books mentioned in this thread.
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### Author:  [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2011, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-action-sf-literature/601100/42 "2011-10-30T00:37:16Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#):
>
> That’s another David Weber book, the first in his _Empire From the Ashes_ trilogy. _Mutineer’s Moon_ happens to be available for download at the [Baen Free Library](http://www.webscription.net/s-108-david-weber.aspx?CategoryFilterID=1&ManufacturerFilterID=0&), by the way. Along with some of the other Weber books mentioned in this thread.
And the second book in the trilogy has all the action you could ask for: huge space battles, noble sacrifices, overwhelming odds, neat weapons, sentient planetoids…you name it.
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### Author:  [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2011, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-action-sf-literature/601100/43 "2011-10-30T01:50:25Z")
> [@](#):
>
> I’ve read Heinlein’s Starship Troopers, and liked it.
If you haven’t read his _The Moon is a Harsh Mistress_, go do so now.
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### Author:  [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2011, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-action-sf-literature/601100/44 "2011-10-30T02:48:22Z")
Couple of mentions of Harry Harrison here, so I’ll throw out another: _[The Stainless Steel Rat](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stainless_Steel_Rat)_ series. Plenty of futuristic pulpy action, with a wicked sense of humor to boot.
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### Author:  [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2011, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-action-sf-literature/601100/45 "2011-10-30T03:18:13Z")
The [Sten](http://www.amazon.com/Sten-Chris-Bunch/dp/1841490075) series is also a good action/intrigue sci-fi series.
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### Author:  [@ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ryan)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2011, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-action-sf-literature/601100/46 "2011-10-30T10:43:30Z")
Military science fiction is a genre I read quite a lot of. I think I’ve read most of the stuff mentioned.
Try the Succession “series” by Scott Westerfeld. It’s pretty “hard” sci-fi with no FTL and relativistic time dilation is a bit of a cultural problem with ship crews. No real “magical” high tech, but some very well thought out ideas on advanced weaponry and technology. It’s not much of a series, just two books.
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### Author:  [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2011, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-action-sf-literature/601100/47 "2011-10-30T20:05:43Z")
The Golden Globe, by John Varley
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### Author:  [@Normal\_Phase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Normal_Phase)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-action-sf-literature/601100/48 "2011-10-30T20:18:55Z")
The space battles in Dread Empire’s Fall are amazing.
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### Author:  [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-action-sf-literature/601100/49 "2011-10-30T20:36:02Z")
And if you like The Stainless Steel Rat, don’t miss the Bill the Galactic Hero books, also by Harry Harrison.
eta - Harrison only wrote the first of the series - several writers added thier own offerings in the next five books
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### Author:  [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2011, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-action-sf-literature/601100/50 "2011-10-30T20:40:22Z")
The Saga of Pliocene Exile, starting with The Many-Colored Land, by Julian May.
Also I’m a big fan of the Vorkosigan novels–no surprise, considering I call myself Dendarii Dame!
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### Author:  [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2011, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-action-sf-literature/601100/51 "2011-10-30T21:00:07Z")
> [@silenus](#):
>
> And the second book in the trilogy has all the action you could ask for: huge space battles, noble sacrifices, overwhelming odds, neat weapons, sentient planetoids…you name it.
…_fleets_ of Death Stars fighting each other…
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### Author:  [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)
#### Post date: [October 31, 2011, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-action-sf-literature/601100/52 "2011-10-31T13:44:42Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#):
>
> There’s the [Bolo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolo_%28tank%29#Books) series, centering on (naturally) Bolos; immensely powerful sentient AI controlled tanks. Tanks with firepower measured in megatons per second, and AIs designed as the perfect honorable warriors; “for the honor of the regiment!” The short story collections are especially good for highly concentrated action.
> That reminds me; there’s the series that he co-authored with Steve White, the [Starfire](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Weber#With_Steve_White) books. Those have a higher action-to-politics ratio I believe.
Oh frack! I forgot the Starfire books. Exactly what the OP is looking for.
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