Fiction Reading Lists

[Uboat509]

There are a lot of great professional reading lists located at various points on this site and in fact many of the books I will be taking with me to the desert this year will be off of those lists. I was wondering what people here read when they are not reading about Small Wars. I suspect that there are a few of you who cannot imagine why anyone would read about anything else but most avid readers I know like to occasionally break of the non-fiction cycle with a fiction book or two. I personally have developed a taste for Harry Turtledove's alternative fiction novels. I also recently read Gates of Fire and I regret that I did not read it sooner.

SFC W

[120mm]

John Steakley's "Armor" is one of my favorite fictional books.

John Dalmas "The Regiment" series is also a big one for me. Lots of theoretical war stuff in it too.

Not fiction, but "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" is a re-re-re-re-read book for me.

[SWJED]

I was wondering what people here read when they are not reading about Small Wars.

Anything by James A. Michener - I particularly liked Tales of the South Pacific, Hawaii, Centennial, Chesapeake, Caribbean, Caravans, Alaska, Texas, and Poland (I believe he wrote over 40 books). It may be fiction but Michener always set his stories against an accurate historical backdrop. If I had to pick one it would be Chesapeake - but then I was born and raised in Baltimore.

[carl]

I have found the following books, or series of books immensely enjoyable.

C.S. Forester's "Horatio Hornblower" novels. I think these are better than O'Brian's books. Forester can tell a better story in fewer words.

Robert B. Parker's "Spenser" series of detective novels. Spenser was an erudite tough guy.

"Killer Angels" by Shaara.

"Bridges of Toko-Ri" by Michener.

"A Soldier of the Great War" by Helprin.

"The Princess Bride" by William Goldman. Better than the movie.

"To Kill A Mockingbird" by Harper Lee.

"The Life and Times of the Last Kid Picked" by David Benjamin. Not a novel but the story of growing up in WI; as good as the title is clever.

"The Hunters" by James Salter.

"The Cruel Sea" by N. Monsarrat.

"The Caine Mutiny" by Wouk.

[tequila]

David Drake is probably my favorite military sci-fi writer, especially his earlier stuff. Hammer's Slammers stories are a favorite of mine.

My favorite fiction book is probably Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian.

George R. R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire is the most entertaining fantasy I've ever read.

[CPT Holzbach]

Any of the Warhammer 40,000 books about the Space Marines. These things are not high literature, but they're entetaining. I also loved a book called "Marching Through Georgia" by S.M. Stirling. The Georgia it speaks of is the Russian one. Interesting alternate history, World War 2 timeframe. And finally, slightly off topic, for those who loved "Gates of Fire", go and Google "300". Its an upcoming movie about the Battle of Thermopalye, based on a graphic novel of the same name by Frank Miller of Sin City fame. Watch the trailer. Undoubtably 100% historically accurate. And this movie CLEARLY has the answer to the riddle that is Iraq.

[marct]

I'd toss in Eric Flint, especially his 1812 series and the 1632 series. Also John Ringo, classic Heinlein, and David Weber (Space opera for the most part, but decent schlock a la E.E. Doc Smith). I have a major weakness for good SF .

Marc

[jonSlack]

In addition to "Gates of Fire," Pressfield's "The Virtues of War" and "The Afghan Campaign" were both enjoyable and I have got "Tides of War" in my tough box for my upcoming trip.

I have read about a 1/3 of the WEB Griffin's "Brotherhood of War" series that are titled "The Lieutenants," "The Captains," and so on. They are entertaining.

I second the judgement in favor of the Hornblower series over O'Brian's series. That being said, I plan to read both series eventually.

If you like SciFi make sure you check out Neal Stephenson's "Snow Crash" and "Cryptonomicon." I also enjoyed his "The Diamond Age" but not as much as the first two. I have not had a chance to sit down and read his "Baroque Cycle" triology yet.

Closer to realm of "literature," I have enjoyed Orwell and Steinbeck since I was first exposed to them in middle school. Also, I have got the complete Chronicles of Naria by Lewis and the Lord of the Rings triology in my tough box. I also second the recommendation of "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance."

[hsa333]

If you haven't read the Flashman series by George MacDonald Fraser I highly recommend it. These books detail the unlikely adventures of an English Victorian-era soldier/intelligence officer in every hot-spot of the British Empire from Afghanistan to Abysinia. They are ribald, politically-incorrect, heavily researched and the footnotes contain a wealth of primary sources. They've certainly introduced me to many distant, dusty corners of history and forgotten personages.

The author himself is a WWII infantry veteran of the Burma theater (check out his book "Quartered Safe Out Here") and post-WWII Libya. His collected "McAuslan" short stories are humorous, but are basically roman-a-clef memoirs of small-unit actions in a MOOTW environment. You can get a complete set of those in one volume from Amazon.UK ("The Complete McAuslan").