If anyone wants a classic, I'd advise picking up a copy of Starship Troopers by Robert A Heinlein. First published in 1958 as a serial, and as a hardcover in 1959. Won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1960.
Forget the film of the same name, it does the novel no justice. Starship Troopers is as much a political essay as it is a novel.
Starship Troopers the novel is a first person narrative told by Fillipino soldier Juan "Johnny" Rico and follows his exploits in the Mobile Infantry from raw recruit to non-commissioned officer and finally to officer.
In the novel, Heinlein shows us a future war fought against an unknown alien species by men and women in heavily armed and armored power suits - more akin to the mecha inspired games and novels we read today.
While Heinlein was criticized for the political and social views expressed in Starship Troopers (not so much a Fascist society but one where limited democracy based on meritocracy), but the novel stands the test of time well and many of the themes that were explored - both moral and military - can still be appreciated today.
The Best Military Science Fiction of the 20th Century
I'm usually not into military science fiction - I enjoy sci fi, but I consider this to be a little too hardcore (and maybe too cerebral for this pretty brown girl) but when my father handed it to me our last trip up, I decided to give it a try.
Among Thieves by Poul Anderson - A story about a small warring planet who finally strikes back against the great 'Civilization'. Civilization being mother Earth and its colonies who's northern borders are being protected by this small planet that is in a 700+ year war against another small, conquering planet. Seeing an opportunity to end its troubles and reap the benefits of 'civilization' - it goes forms an alliance with its mortal enemy and declares war on Earth.
- A clever story of one dictators simple plan for peace through war.
Second Variety by Phillip K. Dick - The Sci Fi channel made a movie based on this short story. I only got about 15 mins into it, but now I wish I had finished it. This is a story of the aftermath of war between Russia and the US and the little toys of destruction that got a little out of hand.
The machine vs man genre is a popular one and PK Dick, author of Blade Runner, is the king.
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card - the original short story that spawned a series of timeless books about the future of military warfare, the fate of Earth - is in the hands of children.
Four Winds
17 years ago