I need a book recommendation [Archive]

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Krazykarl

11-09-20, 05:47

It has been a constant diet of history and nonfiction books. Kind of feel in the mood for a sci fi. Give me direction...

maximus83

11-09-20, 05:54

TommyG

11-09-20, 06:26

Elliot Kay Poor Man's Fight The whole series is good.

https://www.amazon.com/Poor-Mans-Fight-Book/dp/B00XI3ZNB2/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1G8Z3H1YK546N&dchild=1&keywords=elliot+kay+poor+mans+fight&qid=1604924672&sprefix=Elliot+Kay%2Caps%2C159&sr=8-2

Krazykarl

11-09-20, 09:15

Thanks for the suggestions. They both look good.

Jellybean

11-09-20, 11:11

Gaunt's Ghost's series.

#1 - "The Founding" - 3-book omnibus
https://www.amazon.com/Founding-Gaunts-Ghosts-Omnibus/dp/1784966177/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1604938341&sr=1-3
#2 - "The Saint"- -4-book omnibus
https://www.amazon.com/Saint-Gaunts-Ghosts-Omnibus/dp/1784966274/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=gaunt%27s+ghosts&qid=1604938341&s=books&sr=1-2
#3 - "The Lost" - 4-book omnibus
https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Gaunts-Ghosts-Omnibus/dp/1784966746/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=gaunt%27s+ghosts&qid=1604938341&s=books&sr=1-1
#4 - "The Victory" - 2-book Omnibus, part 1
https://www.amazon.com/Victory-Part-Gaunts-Ghosts/dp/1784968153/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=gaunt%27s+ghosts&qid=1604938341&s=books&sr=1-5

This is a book series based in the Warhammer 40k sci-fi universe, and follows the adventures of a regiment of light/scout infantry.
It helps if you have a working knowledge of the 40K universe, BUT you don't really need it to get into these books. It's all understandable without a deep back-lore knowledge - I mean, it's infantry doing infantry things in the end.
Not only do they have great overall stories and characters, but the action is pretty darn good too.
You DO need to read them in order starting with #1, or you will ruin the story for later books. Some people think the first two books in the #1 "Founding" omnibus are a little slow; I think they're fine, but once you hit "Necropolis" it all picks up and the author really hits his stride and tone for the rest of the series on.
Seriously... this is one of, if not THE best 40k series in existence.

However, if you are not sure you will loike the author/content/universe, OR not sure you want to muck in on a 15+ book series, the standalone book "Titanicus" is a good starting point.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MRKVJXW/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i13
If you like Mech action complimented with infantry action and some socio-political intrigue on the side... it's a winner.
Takes place in the same conflict-era as the rest of the "Ghost's" series, but with none of the same characters, so you won't spoil anything whether you read this book first or last or somewhere in between.
Again, it helps to have a basic working knowledge of 40k, but it's generally understandable without it.
And frankly, if you had any questions, a search on youtube/google will get you ALL the answers pretty quick. There are quiote a number of channels dedicated to the lore of the 40K universe.

The other spinoff "Ghosts" book is Double Eagle. It's an air combat themed book that will have you hollering "aces high" at the top of your lungs as you read along. :laugh:
BUT... DO NOT read it without having read " Guns of Tanith" from omnibus #2, or you will ruin the outcome of the story from that book.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WGLT7QN/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i31

If you're like "hmm... this 40k universe seems interesting but not 15+ books worth, than the answer, aside from "Titanicus" up there is always... Space Marines. :cool:
A couple good standalone's;

"Rynn's World"
The Crimson Fist's homeworld is invaded by orks and their fortress monastery is destroyed. So now they have to kick everything's ass while holding out for reinforcements.
https://www.amazon.com/Rynns-World-Space-Marines-Parker/dp/1844168034/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=rynn%27s+world+space+marines&qid=1604941121&s=books&sr=1-3

"Helsreach"
The Black Templars are called to help defend a world the damnable orks are invading, and quickly find their detachment cut off from reinforcements. As always there are way more orks than their small numbers, along with the hive-city's defenders can kill, so it comes down to a battle to the end to see if anyone will be left standing when relief arrives...
https://www.amazon.com/Helsreach-Space-Marine-Battles-Dembski-Bowden/dp/1844168638/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1604941085&sr=1-1

Ok, so if you're thinking those sound really similar... yeah they kind of are. There are a LOT of ork invasions in the 40k universe, what can I say? It's like LOTR on 'infinite respawn', and ALL the orks are Urukai. :laugh:
Rynn's World is a bit more of a "shoot em up". Kinda like Die Hard, but with 8-foot-tall giants wearing light tank armor and carrying 20mm rifles like it's an M4...
Helsreach is a bit more drama-backed, but still has plenty of action to keep it moving along, as well as some side-characters that a re a bit more important to the story.

Someone also did a neat animation of the Helsreach book on YT, BUT I highly recommend reading the book first... The animation, being done by a one-man studio, does miss/skip/shorten some events from the book, so you kind of need the whole story first for the animation to really go over well.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSWAxTw0FAGxkkqmuroxMwN5LviaBosJ5

BuzzinSATX

11-09-20, 11:12

I’ve heard good things about this and planning on putting on my Christmas list...

Death awaits in the Dark

https://www.deathwaitsinthedark.com/

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

jbjh

11-09-20, 13:31

The Expanse Book 1 (https://www.amazon.com/Leviathan-Wakes-Expanse-Book-1-ebook/dp/B0047Y171G), by James Corey

Just starting book 2 and it's hard to put down.

The whole 8-part series is available if you want to splurge on the set:
https://www.amazon.com/Collection-Leviathan-Calibans-Abaddons-Persepolis/dp/0678452547

+1 on this. Started reading after watching the series thru a second time.

The Cormoran Strike series written under a pseudonym by J.K. Rowling are really good (although like the later Harry Potter books, could use a bit of a heavier hand from an editor, but I don’t think anyone can reign her in these days).

Sent from 80ms in the future

SeriousStudent

11-09-20, 18:24

I’ve heard good things about this and planning on putting on my Christmas list...

Death awaits in the Dark

https://www.deathwaitsinthedark.com/

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That's not sci-fi, but it is an awesome book. I just signed up for the limited edition book with the coin to help support those guys.

I'm very much a fan of the 160th guys.

nick84

11-09-20, 18:42

Quick and easy read, but check out The Martian by Andy Weir if you haven't read it. The movie was based on it. It manages to be entertaining and informational at the same time in the fiction genre.

Krazykarl

11-09-20, 18:47

My teenage daughter supports the expanse selection. Just requested leviathan wakes through the library.

Straight Shooter

11-09-20, 18:55

ONE SECOND AFTER.
You wont put it down until finished- & you wont be the same after.

Krazykarl

11-09-20, 19:01

ONE SECOND AFTER.
You wont put it down until finished- & you wont be the same after.

That does look very good.

kaiservontexas

11-09-20, 19:11

Novak

11-09-20, 19:17

Science Fiction? How about something by Robert A. Heinlein or Frank Herbert. "Dune," of course, is a classic.

Jellybean

11-09-20, 19:26

http://https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Powder_Mage_trilogy

The Powder Mage trilogy is a good read. It is a fantasy book, but not wizards and dragons/sword & sorcery type fantasy. It is a neat world set in a Napoleon type era, and magic exists in three tiers in society: privileged, marked, and knacked. Privileged are able to throw fireballs and lightening, marked control gunpowder and are all excellent marksmen and snipers, and the knacked are folks who have a specialized talent like never needing sleep or perfect memory and recall. It is a fun read and gives me the desire to read more blackpowder era type fiction.

Hmmm...
Generally not a big fantasy fan (prefer sci-fi), but I see plenty of reviews from angry leftists, so I guess I'll have to give it a read. :laugh:

Per One Second After;
Not sci-fi, it's a prep-pocalypse story, BUT it will seriously have you bugging out over EMPs and your related lack of preparedness for the next year.
A really great book about a post-apoc situation involving a small town NOT full of "the usual" over-prepared folks in a country retreat.

Grand58742

11-09-20, 19:37

ONE SECOND AFTER.
You wont put it down until finished- & you wont be the same after.

One Cigarette After you mean?

kaiservontexas

11-09-20, 20:03

http://https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silo_(series)

Another recommendation is the Silo series. The DNC set up bunkers and have their political convention at that location. Nano tech bombs are then set off, which kill everybody outside those bunkers. They then run some sort of social experiment to see which silo (bunker) will inherit the world.

I may have given up some stuff about it, like the dnc thing, but honestly it did not shock me. I bet leftist are angry about this one also since their party is the reason in the story for the world being murdered. Lol this is a post apocalypse Sci fi story. Maybe more to your liking, or others on this forum.

signal4l

11-09-20, 22:38

Jack Carr writes some very enjoyable books. Terminal List was tough to put down.

Carr is a retired Navy SEAL sniper. Members of this forum would like his work.

Jellybean

11-10-20, 00:57

One Cigarette After you mean?

Hey, it's still better than Prepping With Pancakes. :laugh:

JediGuy

11-10-20, 10:31

My favorite sci-fi series in a very long time is The Spiral Wars by Joel Shepherd. It’s good stuff.

ddbtoth

11-11-20, 15:38

Started the "Destroyermen..Into the Storm" by Taylor Anderson and have enjoyed the first book.

Krazykarl

11-11-20, 18:12

30 pages into Leviathan Wakes. I like it. Only 30 pages? I had to pry it out of my teenagers hands. She can get her own book. Besides, she has homework to do.

Korgs130

11-11-20, 20:40

I’ve been on a sci-fi reading kick the past couple of year. Here are some of my favorites:

Forever War - Joe Halderman

Artemis - Andy Weir

Sixth Column - Robert Heinlein

Tunnel in the Sky - Robert Heinlein

Red Shirts - John Scalzi

Not Sci-fi but still very good reads:

The Dog Stars - Peter Heller

The River - Peter Heller

Tomorrow War: The Chronicles of Max [Redacted] - JL Bourne

If I was going to recommend just one book, I’d have to agree with some of the others here, it would be:

One Second After - William Forstchen

Jellybean

11-12-20, 11:29

Forgot to mention "Contest" by Matthew Reilly.
Not super hardcore sci-fi, but sort of. Basically a random guy gets trapped inside the NY library that has been chosen as the site for an intergalactic gladiator/hunger games type tournament with nothing but his bare hands, half a telephone... and his kid daughter.
https://www.amazon.com/Contest-Matthew-Reilly-ebook/dp/B000FA66TE/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1605200219&sr=1-19
Not sure why it's so expensive on Amazon; maybe it's out of print, but you can likely find it cheaper somewhere else.

Well, since we're also recommending non-sci fi now, I'm going to go ahead and recommend Reilly's "Scarecrow" series.
The first book is "Ice Station" followed by "Area 7" and "Scarecrow".
https://www.amazon.com/Ice-Station-Shane-Schofield-Thriller-ebook/dp/B00FO81XPO/ref=sr_1_10?crid=27TOY1QR7N9QG&dchild=1&keywords=matthew+reilly&qid=1605200219&s=books&sprefix=matthew%2Caps%2C288&sr=1-10
The series is a military action-adventure, with enough of a dose of conspiracy theory to keep it interesting. Basically, Scarecrow and his crew are a team of marines that get themselves in deeper trouble than they expect throughout the series. Secret government projects, rogue military units, plans to destroy the world, you know... the usual every day ho-hum. :laugh:
Ice Station is about an antarctic research station that has found something...unexpected. And now special ops units from our erstwhile allies are on the way to snatch it for themselves.
There are shootouts, hovercraft chases, people get eaten by killer whales, and that's all before they even get to discovering what's under the ice.

Some of the things in the series are a little over the top... but in a good way. What Reilly really excelled at in his early days that these books are from is taking a small, confined space, and making a big action story out of it (in fact if you read Contest, his first book, you can see that idea just get bigger and bigger with sub subsequent books). So what ends up making these books great is the insane pacing of the events, topped of with bullets and explosions and enough underlying intrigue to keep you up till 3Am finishing it off in one go.
I know, I sound like a spiel, but... they're just damn fun books to read.

Unfortunately, some of the later books he produced weren't as great...
BUT... Contest and the first three "scarecrow" books are solid.
Temple is also a great standalone read if you don't want to start a series (it's a neat split-view historical and modern action adventure about a secret Mayan temple in the jungle).
The first Three books of the Jack West series are also decent; not quite as good as the Scarecrow trilogy, but a fun "Indiana Jones" type read. Worth checking out after finishing the Scarecrow trilogy story arc.

HCrum87hc

11-12-20, 13:45

There's some good recommendations here, especially One Second After (don't forget to read the follow ups as well: One Year After and The Final Day). The Jack Carr books are great too.

I've been finishing up the Harry Dresden series by Jim Butcher lately. These aren't really SciFi, but are more of a modern fantasy type books. They're pretty non PC, and very entertaining.

I'd also recommend the Monster Hunter International books by Larry Correia. Think gun nut meets supernatural. Larry's a libertarian gun guy, so that brings a lot to the series. They're also very entertaining and sure to tick off the lefties.

sndt1319

11-12-20, 18:20

I enjoyed the Old Mans War series greatly. It’s an Army where you have to be 80 to enlist.

TommyG

11-12-20, 19:30

Sixth Column - Robert Heinlein - Great story. Have read this one more than once.

Also, if you have not read Starship Troopers it is worth your time. Nothing like the movie they made of it.

AwaySooner

11-12-20, 22:38