Military Fiction
 

I'm putting together a couple of care packages for some Army folks and need some suggestions for contemporary military-oriented fiction that at least get the basics of Army culture correct.

Actually, any suggestions for military fiction would be great. Thanks.

Clancy is entertaining. No Remorse was perhaps my favorite.

I don't think I've seen any fiction that gets the culture right, but here's a few I've enjoyed.

By Vince Flynn:
Term Limits - Ex-military impose term limits on deserving polititions

Flynn also has a series that involves an anti-terrorist specialist from the CIA and SOF from the military. The titles are: Transfer of Power, Third Option, Separation of Power, Executive Power, Memorial Day, Consent to Kill.

Harold Coyle:

Against All Enemies - First mission for a new 2nd LT Platoon Leader
Gods Children - Mission gone bad in the Bauklans
They Are Soldiers - Regular Army Captain is integrated into a NG unit as company commander for deployment to the West Bank for peace keeping duties.

I consider all of these good reads. Some of the stuff is right and some isn't. At least the stories are good.

I've got others but they're not military related.

+1

robert heinlein's 'starship troopers' is probably one of the best works of military fiction i've ever read. john ringo wrote a series of really good military/sci fi

the best bet would be military non fiction, as most of the military fiction i've read has been fairly hokey. some good authors for non fiction:
mark bowden(blackhawk down, killing pablo(i think thats the title, something pablo))
stephen ambrose(band of brothers, anything else by him, really)

WEB Griffith is good.

I also really liked Gates of Fire and that about the Spartans.

Thanks, guys!

I try to send as many books as I can, since they get passed around. Any other recommendations you have will be greatly appreciated.

Starship Troopers is a good read...wasn't thinking of the Military (Science) Fiction category.

Lots of good military non-fiction...concur with you on Bowden.

...and military non-fiction that borders (or may actually be) fiction. Rogue Warrior was an entertaining read...not sure how much is true though.

For Whom the Bell Tolls-- not strictly military but pretty close.

Chris Ryan is a good fiction writer.

I mean his pure fiction, not his pseduo stuff.

The Redliners by David Drake (and of course anything Hammers Slammers-related)
The Janissaries by Jerry Pournelle
Space Cadet by Robert Heinlein
+1 for stuff by W.E.B. Griffin
+1 for books by Harold Coyle

Ird,
Re-reading your original post...I didn't much care for military books while down range. Was doing military stuff all day long, was nice to escape into something else through reading. John Grisham was one of my deployment favorites...Pelican Brief, etc. Might send another genre.
Just a thought,
JM

L:

"ONCE AN EAGLE" by Anton Myrer.

Great read for anyone!

Terry

The entire Dorsai series by Gordon R. Dickson - excellent books

I understand what you are saying.

This search actually started because of a comment about a murder mystery that had a retired Army Officer as the main character. I kept getting comments like: "he couldn't be an officer -- had to be a MSG," and "doesn't this guy know anything about the Army?" I was trying to find some good fiction that had current or former military who, at the least, didn't do or say things that would be completely out of character for the individual or the service.

Is there such a thing as unrealistic fiction? LOL