# Recommend my next Heroic He-Man binge read series **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 22, 2020, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-my-next-heroic-he-man-binge-read-series/918747 "2020-08-22T14:15:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2020, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-my-next-heroic-he-man-binge-read-series/918747/1 "2020-08-22T14:15:29Z")
It didn’t use to be my favorite, but the last 18 months or so I’ve been tearing through novels about super-competent he-men who take on the odds. I’ve gone through all the Longmire, Joe Pickett, Jack Reacher, and Parker books – who’s next? Pretty much any era, any setting, any genre (I mostly dislike Mob or War stories.) Whatcha got for me? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2020, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-my-next-heroic-he-man-binge-read-series/918747/2 "2020-08-22T14:20:48Z")
John Sandford’s Lucas Davenport (Prey) series, and Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch series. EDIT: Also, if you like the idea of a sci-fi murder mystery (a murder on a big spaceship!), you could try [Spindown](https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07HVWCFFJ/ref=smi_www_rco2_go_smi_4368549507?_encoding=UTF8&%2AVersion%2A=1&%2Aentries%2A=0&ie=UTF8), which happens to be by a Doper who goes by @iiandyiiii. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2020, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-my-next-heroic-he-man-binge-read-series/918747/3 "2020-08-22T14:34:54Z")
There is also Clive Cussler’s _Dirk Pitt_ series. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2020, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-my-next-heroic-he-man-binge-read-series/918747/4 "2020-08-22T15:41:23Z")
Cú Chulainn maybe other legendary badasses like Odysseus ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2020, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-my-next-heroic-he-man-binge-read-series/918747/5 "2020-08-22T17:04:01Z")
John D McDonald’s Travis McGee certainly fits the he-man bill. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2020, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-my-next-heroic-he-man-binge-read-series/918747/6 "2020-08-22T18:05:45Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > maybe other legendary badasses like Odysseus …and I don’t know how I mentioned the classical connection without explicitly mentioning the Labours of Hercules, the ultimate he-man. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2020, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-my-next-heroic-he-man-binge-read-series/918747/7 "2020-08-22T19:20:04Z")
Two words: Repairman Jack. (OK, more than two words. Start with “The Tomb”. If you don’t like it, fine. If you do, there’s more. Lots more.) ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2020, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-my-next-heroic-he-man-binge-read-series/918747/8 "2020-08-22T19:23:22Z")
Richard K. Morgan’s Takeshi Kovacs novels for science fiction. Richard K. Morgan’s _A Land Fit For Heroes_ trilogy for fantasy. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2020, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-my-next-heroic-he-man-binge-read-series/918747/9 "2020-08-22T19:28:55Z")
Chris Bunch and Alan Cole’s **Sten** series. Set in a far distant future, Sten, Alex Kilgour and the rest of the gang serve as the Eternal Emperor’s troubleshooters, until things go from bad to worse to catastrophic. Great series! ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2020, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-my-next-heroic-he-man-binge-read-series/918747/10 "2020-08-22T19:43:27Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > and Parker books Did you mean Spenser books (by Parker), or something else? ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2020, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-my-next-heroic-he-man-binge-read-series/918747/11 "2020-08-22T20:19:35Z")
The Parker books by Richard Stark (pseud. of Donald Westlake.) Professional ‘heister’ who masterminds some complex capers. Not out to commit murder – but if the circumstances require it… BTW, I’ve seen others multiquote, but I cannot figure out the trick, so clumsy improve will follow. **iiandyiiii** Ah, Davenport! I forgot, he was part of my binge already, as was “that fuckin’ Flowers,” but Harry Bosch is a new name for me. Also have to see if can track down that other guy you mention. 😉 **Czarcasm** Hmmm. I tried one of the first Dirk Pitt books and wasn’t captivated, but maybe I should give him another try. Heaven knows there are plenty of 'em. **DPRK** Chulainn is new to me, but Odysseus I read decades and decades ago. Too bad they didn’t go in for endless series the way authors do now. 😁 **Wolf333** Whoa, I’d forgotten all about Travis McGee. I read two or three from a ‘lending library’ run by a place that rented cottages on a New Hampshire lake, a service to the renters to make up for the all too common rainy days. Hmm. I wonder why they haven’t made a TV or movie series about him? **E-DUB** Another totally new to me name, excellent! And apparently a long series, even better! Thanks. **Snowboarder\_Bo** and **Silenus** And the same to both of you for new-to-me names! I love both SF and fantasy. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2020, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-my-next-heroic-he-man-binge-read-series/918747/12 "2020-08-22T20:49:14Z")
I have it on good authority that that Mickey Spillane sure can write. Y’know, if that’s what you want to do tonight… ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2020, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-my-next-heroic-he-man-binge-read-series/918747/13 "2020-08-22T23:39:23Z")
The Jack books simply must be read in order. (Says the guy who discovered the series around book 4.) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2020, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-my-next-heroic-he-man-binge-read-series/918747/14 "2020-08-23T00:01:55Z")
Here is your Heroic He-Man binge read series: > **[He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (2012 DC comic)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/He-Man_and_the_Masters_of_the_Universe_(2012_DC_comic))** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is a comic book series by DC Comics based on the Masters of the Universe. The series began with a digital mini-series, followed by a six issue standard mini-series. Two ongoing series, 'He-Man and the Masters of the Universe' and 'He-Man: The Eternity War', were produced and are now concluded. There have also been two crossover mini-series with the DC Universe, and one with ThunderCats. Several origin one-shot... ---
**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecc23a/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada_Jr)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2020, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-my-next-heroic-he-man-binge-read-series/918747/15 "2020-08-23T00:52:57Z")
There are the Spenser, books, by Parker, and the Parker books, by Stark, but somehow no-one has gotten around to writing the Stark books, by Spencer. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2020, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-my-next-heroic-he-man-binge-read-series/918747/16 "2020-08-23T01:26:32Z")
The early [Matt Helm](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Helm) books, by Donald Hamilton. (The last few sucked. So did the movies.) [Johnny Fedora](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Fedora), by Desmond Cory. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2020, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-my-next-heroic-he-man-binge-read-series/918747/17 "2020-08-23T03:33:03Z")
Not exactly a He-Man series but The Expanse series is definitely a good read. I guess Amos kinda qualifies; he’s pretty bad ass. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2020, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-my-next-heroic-he-man-binge-read-series/918747/18 "2020-08-23T03:43:28Z")
Dashell Hammett’s one of the greats in this genre. [Red Harvest](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Harvest) is supposedly the inspiration for Yojimbo, which is in turn the inspiration for Last Man Standing. When I read the book, I’d recently seen Last Man Standing, and I thought the latter was a more-or-less direct adaptation. Plot: detective comes to town. Everyone in town is a murderous asshole. Detective manages to turn all the violent assholes against one another and kill the ones who aren’t killed by another one. The end.