Robert Adams' Book of Soldiers

by Robert Adams (Editor), Martin H. Greenberg, Pamela Crippen Adams

An anthology collection of science fiction stories, featuring warriors and heroes. The best military science fiction isn’t just a bunch of space battles and cigar-chomping armed combat (although those are fun). The most interesting stories also examine what life in the military actually involves, and what combat can do to a person’s mind. The conflict, the tactics and weapons used for it, and the role of a military service and the individual members of that military organization form the basis for exciting stories of military science fiction.
Contents:
* Introduction (Robert Adams' Book of Soldiers) • essay by Robert Adams
* Clash by Night [Keeps • 1] (1943) / novella by Henry Kuttner and C. L. Moore [as by Lawrence O'Donnell]
* Among Thieves (1957) / novelette by Poul Anderson
* Despoilers of the Golden Empire (1959) / novelette by Randall Garrett
* Down Styphon! [Kalvan] (1965) / novelette by H. Beam Piper
* Three Soldiers (1978) / novelette by D. C. Poyer
* Dragons' Teeth (1975) / novelette by David Drake
* Cold Light [Kane] (1973) / novella by Karl Edward Wagner
* A Difficult Undertaking [Videssos] (1986) / novelette by Harry Turtledove
* Passage to Dilfar [Dilvish] (1965) / short story by Roger Zelazny
* Night on Mispec Moor [State/Leshy Circuit] (1974) / short story by Larry Niven
* Warrior [Childe Cycle] (1965) / short story by Gordon R. Dickson

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Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fiction, Short Stories

348 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 6, 1988

About the author

Franklin Robert Adams (August 31, 1933 - January 4, 1990) was an American science fiction and fantasy writer, formerly a career soldier. He is best known for his "Horseclans" books. He wrote as Robert Adams, an abbreviated form of his full name.

Adams was an early pioneer of the post-holocaust novel. His Horseclans novels are precursors to many of today's attempts at this type of story, many of which do not exhibit his painstakingly detailed world view or extraordinary plot follow-through (many of his Horseclans books are so interlinked that they make sense only when read in order; he did not create many "stand alone" books in the series).

Hallmarks of Adams' style include a focus on violent, non-stop action, meticulous detail in matters historical and military, strong description, and digressions expounding on various subjects from a conservative and libertarian viewpoint.

Reviews

[Rodney]

This is a collection of eleven warrior stories by some of the best military sci-fi authors. I enjoyed the stories and recommend this book to anyone looking for some stories full of action and good story plots.
Clash by Night by Lawrence O’Donnell
Among Thieves by Poul Anderson
Despoilers of the Golden Empire by Randall Garrett
Down Styphon by H. Beam Piper
Three Soldiers by D.C. Poyer
Dragon’s Teeth by David Drake
Cold Light by Karl Edward Wagner
A Difficult Undertaking by Harry Turtledove
Passage to Dilfar by Roger Zelazny
Night on Mispec Moor by Larry Niven
Warrior by Gordon R. Dickson

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

OK, maybe you can see, I like books about future war, and past war. I don't want to see real war but I enjoying reading about it in a fictional setting. This collection combines some SF and some fantasy, and has some really great stories by Drake and Karl Edward Wagner.

[Tome Addiction · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of short stories, some are better than others. I buy collections like these and read them periodically when I can't settle on a book. Quick short stories that entertain.