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'Military' Space Opera > Help me find a new military space opera series

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message 51: by Krzysztof (last edited Apr 14, 2016 10:21AM) (new)

Krzysztof | 50 comments V.W. wrote: "Why is there so little/no discussion of the Warhammer 40K novels, of which there are a huge selection, written by very good authors and based on a rich back story and universe?"
so where is good place to star in Warhammer 40K universe looking for audiobook

for military series i can recommend Frontlines series just finish 4th book and each next book is better than previous
Terms of Enlistment by Marko Kloos Lines of Departure by Marko Kloos Angles of Attack by Marko Kloos Chains of Command by Marko Kloos


message 52: by V.W. (last edited Apr 14, 2016 02:16PM) (new)

V.W. Singer | 76 comments Krzysztof wrote: "V.W. wrote: "Why is there so little/no discussion of the Warhammer 40K novels, of which there are a huge selection, written by very good authors and based on a rich back story and universe?"
so whe..."


A good way to sample some of the highlights would be the Space Marine Battles series (the audio books are at the bottom of the page) -

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Space...

If you prefer female leads: Novels from the Sisters Of Battle:

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Sisters-B...

The collection of books in the universe are massive and continuously growing.

The standard intro for all the novels:

IT IS THE 41ST MILLENNIUM. FOR MORE THAN A HUNDRED CENTURIES THE EMPEROR HAS SAT IMMOBILE ON THE GOLDEN THRONE OF EARTH. HE IS THE MASTER OF MANKIND BY THE WILL OF THE GODS, AND MASTER OF A MILLION WORLDS BY THE MIGHT OF HIS INEXHAUSTIBLE ARMIES. HE IS A ROTTING CARCASS WRITHING INVISIBLY WITH POWER FROM THE DARK AGE OF TECHNOLOGY. HE IS THE CARRION LORD OF THE IMPERIUM FOR WHOM A THOUSAND SOULS ARE SACRIFICED EVERY DAY, SO THAT HE MAY NEVER TRULY DIE.

YET EVEN IN HIS DEATHLESS STATE, THE EMPEROR CONTINUES HIS ETERNAL VIGILANCE. MIGHTY BATTLEFLEETS CROSS THE DAEMON-INFESTED MIASMA OF THE WARP, THE ONLY ROUTE BETWEEN DISTANT STARS, THEIR WAY LIT BY THE ASTRONOMICAN, THE PSYCHIC MANIFESTATION OF THE EMPEROR’S WILL. VAST ARMIES GIVE BATTLE IN HIS NAME ON UNCOUNTED WORLDS.

GREATEST AMONGST HIS SOLDIERS ARE THE ADEPTUS ASTARTES, THE SPACE MARINES, BIO-ENGINEERED SUPER-WARRIORS. THEIR COMRADES IN ARMS ARE LEGION: THE IMPERIAL GUARD AND COUNTLESS PLANETARY DEFENCE FORCES, THE EVER-VIGILANT INQUISITION AND THE TECH-PRIESTS OF THE ADEPTUS MECHANICUS TO NAME ONLY A FEW. BUT FOR ALL THEIR MULTITUDES, THEY ARE BARELY ENOUGH TO HOLD OFF THE EVER-PRESENT THREAT FROM ALIENS, HERETICS, MUTANTS - AND WORSE.

TO BE A MAN IN SUCH TIMES IS TO BE ONE AMONGST UNTOLD BILLIONS. IT IS TO LIVE IN THE CRUELLEST AND MOST BLOODY REGIME IMAGINABLE. THESE ARE THE TALES OF THOSE TIMES. FORGET THE POWER OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE, FOR SO MUCH HAS BEEN FORGOTTEN, NEVER TO BE RE-LEARNED. FORGET THE PROMISE OF PROGRESS AND UNDERSTANDING, FOR IN THE GRIM DARK FUTURE THERE IS ONLY WAR. THERE IS NO PEACE AMONGST THE STARS, ONLY AN ETERNITY OF CARNAGE AND SLAUGHTER, AND THE LAUGHTER OF THIRSTING GODS.

The publisher's site:

http://www.blacklibrary.com/


message 53: by Jessica (last edited Apr 15, 2016 07:56AM) (new)

Jessica Traverson | 6 comments I enjoy Military SF a lot, since my father was military. Some of my favorites:Redliners and The Fallen Race and Mutineer


message 54: by Mary (new)

Mary Catelli | 101 comments My Warhammer 40K recommendations would be the Ciaiphas Cain series by Sandy Mitchell (Ciaphas Cain: Hero of the Imperium and Ciaphas Cain: Defender of the Imperium) and the Gaunt's Ghosts by Dan Abnett (Gaunt's Ghosts: The Founding, Gaunt's Ghosts: The Saint, The Lost)


message 55: by Gaines (new)

Gaines Post (gainespost) | 234 comments Jessica wrote: "I enjoy Military SF a lot, since my father was military. Some of my favorites:Redliners and The Fallen Race and Mutineer"

Have you read any others by Kal Spriggs? Anything worth checking out? Thanks in advance :-)


message 56: by Rob (new)

Rob Crossland | 2 comments Try "Fear the Sky" trilogy by Fear the Sky - really good story with plausible consistent tech, military and political intrigue and realistic outcomes.


message 57: by [deleted user] (new)

What a fantastic recommended selection! I think Old Man's War, Pandora's Star, and Weber's Safehold Series are next on my Military Space Opera read list.


message 58: by AndrewP (new)

AndrewP (andrewca) | 99 comments Charles wrote: "What a fantastic recommended selection! I think Old Man's War, Pandora's Star, and Weber's Safehold Series are next on my Military Space Opera read list."

FYI - The Safehold series are not Space Opera except for the first few chapters of the first one. They are all accelerated alternative history 16th - 18th century naval and ground combat.


message 59: by Trike (last edited May 25, 2016 11:42AM) (new)

Trike | 779 comments Charles wrote: "What a fantastic recommended selection! I think Old Man's War, Pandora's Star, and Weber's Safehold Series are next on my Military Space Opera read list."

Safehold isn't Space Opera, FYI. The backstory is a space opera, but Weber dispenses with it in a couple lines. Mostly it's Horatio Hornblower on an alien planet with a main character who's an android. It's also a slog after a while, because the story develops very, very, very slowly.


message 60: by [deleted user] (new)

Thank you, Andrew and Trike.


message 61: by Matt (new)

Matt (imagination_hunter7) | 24 comments I have to recommend a couple:
1) The Forever War OBVIOUSLY!!! You can't recommend military sci-fi and not mention The Forever War, and I guess Haldeman is one of my favourites, so I'm slightly biased The Forever War (The Forever War, #1) by Joe Haldeman

2) The Alliance because it combines war between humans and aliens, and aliens against aliens, and there's so much in common with The Forever War. The only difference is the detail. The author (who is new) of the Alliance pays worthy attention to world-building and paints a clearer picture, and focus less on military lingo/starship troopers elements. The Alliance (The Evox Chronicles #1) by Chris G. Wright


message 62: by Aaron (new)

Aaron Nagy | 111 comments Columbus Day has been taking off pretty big in the audiobook field recently and it's great so far.


message 63: by Jonathan (new)

Jonathan Bergeron (scifi_jon) | 370 comments Outriders by Jay Posey


message 64: by Amelia (new)

Amelia (ameliabaldwin) | 41 comments I'm currently reading Dakiti which feels very military but they are supposedly special ops police rather than military. I'm about two-thirds of the way through and I'm quite enjoying it. I believe it's the first in a series of three by E.J. Fisch.


message 65: by E.J. (new)

E.J. Fisch (ejfisch) | 117 comments Amelia wrote: "I'm currently reading Dakiti which feels very military but they are supposedly special ops police rather than military. I'm about two-thirds of the way through and I'm quite enjoyin..."

Thanks for the plug, Amelia! So glad you enjoyed the book. Thanks for the review as well :) And yes, you're correct in that it's the first of three in the series.


message 66: by Piotr (new)

Piotr Wyleżoł | 2 comments There is so many to name. Definetly Jack Campbell Lost Fleet series. Of course Honor Harington series by Webber, and series about Lt.Leary by David Drake....


message 67: by Betsy (last edited Feb 27, 2017 05:18PM) (new)

Betsy | 1079 comments Mod
You might enjoy the Silver Ships series, beginning with The Silver Ships. I just started the second of eight books. It's about two different human space colonies who developed differently, but both were aggressively peaceful, if that's not an oxymoron. However, when an alien species attacks them they have to develop a military from scratch to respond to the attacks.


message 68: by Al "Tank" (last edited Feb 28, 2017 11:36AM) (new)

Al "Tank" (alkalar) | 45 comments John Bowers' Fighter Queen series starting with: A Vow to Sophia A Vow to Sophia by John Bowers .

If a fair amount of sex bothers you, skip this one, but the conflict is great and the main character is kick-ass.

I've read the first book in the Honor Harrington series, so I can 2nd that recommendation from Poitr. Good yarn.


message 69: by AndrewP (new)

AndrewP (andrewca) | 99 comments Al "Tank" wrote: "John Bowers' Fighter Queen series starting with: A Vow to SophiaA Vow to Sophia by John Bowers.

If a fair amount of sex bothers you, skip this one, but the conflict is great an..."


Goodreads shows this as book #3 of the series. The first one is listed as The Fighter King, is that incorrect?


message 70: by Al "Tank" (last edited Mar 01, 2017 01:02PM) (new)

Al "Tank" (alkalar) | 45 comments No, you are correct.

Vow was written first, followed by "The Fighter Queen". They were originally one manuscript that the publisher broke into two.

Bowers wrote the other books in the series to flesh it out and "Fighter King" is indeed the first book chronologically (a "prequel", if you like). If you intend to read the entire series, start with "King" and follow along in chronological order.

Reading "Vow" and "Queen" first won't ruin anything for you however. At least it didn't for me.


message 71: by Krzysztof (new)

Krzysztof | 50 comments just finish Dead Man's Debt (Poor Man's Fight, #3) by Elliott Kay book 3 in Poor Man's Fight series highly recommended


message 72: by Prof. (new)

Prof. Bird | 26 comments Christian wrote: "The title says it all really. I'm looking for something along the lines of Leviathan Wakes or the Honorverse books. Specifically I want technology that's internally consistent and makes sense to so..."

Have you tried Neil Asher's books. Not really sure if they would be classed as Space opera but they are very entertaining. This is the one that got me hooked on his writing.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...


message 73: by Prof. (new)

Prof. Bird | 26 comments V.W. wrote: "Why is there so little/no discussion of the Warhammer 40K novels, of which there are a huge selection, written by very good authors and based on a rich back story and universe?"

Iv got too agree V.W. I love the 40k Novels


message 74: by Mary (new)

Mary Catelli | 101 comments 40k books are uneven. I would recommend starting with either Dan Abnett's Gaunt's Ghosts: The Founding or Sandy Mitchell's Ciaphas Cain: Hero of the Imperium


message 75: by Jason (new)

Jason Zavoda | 25 comments Mary wrote: "40k books are uneven. I would recommend starting with either Dan Abnett's Gaunt's Ghosts: The Founding or Sandy Mitchell's [book:Ciaphas Cain: Hero of..."

I've read a lot of 40K and found most of it annoyingly bad, but Sandy Mitchell's Ciaphas Cain stories are outstanding. I think they would stand alone but familiarity with the 40K setting is a definite plus. In 40K the universe is at constant war. The Empire of Man has fallen from its days of glory and is bleak and oppressive. Ciaphas Cain is a commissar, a political officer attached to a military unit with the power of life and death over every man and woman in is charge and meant to insure loyalty to the Emperor at any cost. His stories are hilarious.


message 76: by Ronnie (new)

Ronnie (ronnieb) | 322 comments Irecommend the "USS Merrimack" series by R.M. Meluch.

Take a bit of "Star Trek", a bit of "Battlestar Galactica", a pinch of "Starship Troopers", and a whole dollop of "I, Claudius" and stick it all in a food mixture.


message 77: by Aaron (last edited May 24, 2017 12:41PM) (new)

Aaron Nagy | 111 comments Ronnie wrote: "Irecommend the "USS Merrimack" series by R.M. Meluch.

Take a bit of "Star Trek", a bit of "Battlestar Galactica", a pinch of "Starship Troopers", and a whole dollop of "I, Claudiu..."


Same, though I would probably recommending skipping book 1. Book 1 is good...but it's more of a one shot story that got sorta reconneded but not really and lots of it's reveals get used in later books again.

My friend described it as Redneck Star Trek...it's fairly accurate.


message 78: by Ronnie (new)

Ronnie (ronnieb) | 322 comments But book 1 sets up the whole storyline. Plus there's that *huge* rug-pulling moment about three quarters of the way through.

Why would you skip it?


message 79: by Aaron (last edited May 24, 2017 01:30PM) (new)

Aaron Nagy | 111 comments Ronnie wrote: "But book 1 sets up the whole storyline. Plus there's that *huge* rug-pulling moment about three quarters of the way through.

Why would you skip it?"


I'm not sure how it sets up the whole storyline I guess it sets it up but books 2 and 3 set it all up again. Books 2 and 3 spent tons of time retreading ground in book 1, and you can't just say that's the point. The point was to turn it into a full series instead of a standalone book that could be dropped, I guess you would miss some nudge nudge wink wink moments but the story feels like it would be way more cohesive if you just started at #2.


message 80: by Ronnie (new)

Ronnie (ronnieb) | 322 comments Point taken. Fair enough.


message 81: by Trike (new)

Trike | 779 comments I see we've come full circle.

...just like the USS Merrimack!


message 82: by Brad (new)

Brad Cash | 24 comments On Basilisk Station Honor Harrington series by David Weber.

Lost Fleet series by Jack Campbell. These are the two best.


message 83: by Laz (new)

Laz the Sailor (laz7) | 220 comments Has anyone read this series: The Oncoming Storm?


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