Favorite fictional Military War Story Books

I haven't read the book, but it has been discussed quite a bit over on CDF. One of my chief issues is that for all the supposed "credibility" of the book from various retired or serving military and think tank figures, the premise of the conflict is contrived to begin with. One of the biggest hurdles to a good techno-thriller involving China is ironically, the CCP, because their realistic actions in various likely scenarios just aren't that good, narratively speaking. I think that's why the authors had to replace them with a "Directorate" with intentions that can be written to become far more typical of a standard antagonist mold. It's disappointing, because a realistic conflict scenario could easily arise through an accidental happening through the

The book's hawaii surprise attack is also a bit eyebrow raising; I'm not sure if the authors really believed something like that would be possible with all the early warning sensors available today (let alone in a decade's time), or if they intended there to be pearl harbour/IJN esque parallels.

I also didn't know they had "steroid augmented" Chinese soldiers... lol, I imagine that does a good job of showcasing the opfor as unattractive and artificial antagonists O_O

I'm a bit disappointed that it sounds like they didn't even try to avoid cliches.

Seeing as we're on the subject of war novels, I've toyed around with the idea of writing one myself...

As I posted over on CDF, it'll chronicle a US-China conflict which begins and ends over a seven day period, in late August, 2023, with chapters from perspectives on both sides,
The American side would include a female USN admiral in charge of 7th fleet as main US protagonist with the most chapters of any POV character (think a mix of adama and harrington), the newly inaugurated US president, and an ambitious but hawkish/anti Chinese female CNN reporter.
The Chinese side will include a female hotshot Chinese J-20 pilot (think starbuck but with a slight "leftover woman" mentality in chinese society), male 052D CO (not 055 because I intend for some of the 055s to be sunk in engagements), and the Chinese vice president (cause having two presidents in a novel is poo-poo.... and also it can help a potential US reader to establish the American white house chapters as having greater "weight" from being POV of a president while zhongnanhai chapters is "only" a vice president).
There will also a couple of characters who are not strictly on "either side"; a Philippines Navy officer part of a VBSS party who apprehends the chinese fishing boat in disputed waters, leading to an accidental shooting that sparks the war, and a mixed race Chinese-American IT worker who runs an OSINT PLA watching blog and tries to be fair in judging the Chinese and the US as possible -- as a tribute to all us of course.

Unfortunately, writing is a hell of a time drain.

Bltizo said:

.....
The book's hawaii surprise attack is also a bit eyebrow raising; I'm not sure if the authors really believed something like that would be possible with all the early warning sensors available today (let alone in a decade's time), or if they intended there to be pearl harbour/IJN esque parallels.

I also didn't know they had "steroid augmented" Chinese soldiers... lol, I imagine that does a good job of showcasing the opfor as unattractive and artificial antagonists O_O

I'm a bit disappointed that it sounds like they didn't even try to avoid cliches.

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the directorate in the book was far more ambitious regarding the events in Hawaii then the Japanese empire in WW2.

As to the Roids, I pointed to it as one of a number of pharmaceutical augmentations used. It was one blatantly mentioned, however as I said almost every character on both the American and Chinese military side were popping stimulants like candy. And US SF are mentioned using a artificial performance enhancing compound that is said to stimulate blood oxygenation and was banned from the tour de France. And the USN is hinted at offering Hormonal therapy to its personal as a Petty officer named Parker exhibits in his description.
As to the steroid thing I mention it more as a mentality and a interesting choice by the author. Pharmaceutical products and the military are nothing new, there is a long history dating back to primitive times of troops being issued some form of performance enhancements.
Prewar Libyan government troops are known to have been using roids. Child soldiers in Africa and Latin America are know to use a recipe combining gun powder, and a verity of opiates and other narcotics to stimulate aggression.
American troops have long been issued pep pills, and for a time there were well know trial of LSD. WW2 German military issued amphetamines, medicine bags were carried and used by Native American warriors, Zulu warriors in the Zulu wars were known to be using hallucinogenic mushrooms and cannabis.( on the subject of which the book seems to indicate that recreational use will become legal going to far as to be baked in Pizzerias for customers up front.)

But I do kinda agree. At times the Author fails with reality or uses some outdated tech or products or notions. In example he arms the Zimwalt with Metal Storm CIWS, Metal storm however is defunct and has been for some time. Although the technology is still attainable it would have to be used by some other maker.
The retirement of the Zimwalt is another case where reality is the ships are coming along nicely with all indications that they will all enter service. And Rail guns which demand in the book a very special redevelopment.
In a smaller case there is a attack by divers planting mines where people try to shoot them with assault rifles from above the water. In reality bullets like those fired from a M4 into water would disintegrate inside a very short period due to surface tension.

OT
I recently bought a novel about a trade representative of the Dutch cocaine company during and after WWI. I haven't yet read it but it is said he meets British veterans who used his products during the war.
Conny Braam - De Handelsreiziger van de Nederlandsche Cocaïne Fabriek.
I should read it soon. I already have it since 2009!
I read on the wiki ( in Dutch ) that in 1920 it was the largest cocaine producer in the World with a market share of 20%.

Remember Delft at that time Cocaine was totally legit its was only towards the end of the period that narcotics really started to become taboo. At the time period products like Coca cola contained far larger amounts of coca then the faint traces found today.

Does military science fiction count?

If so, Footfall and The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle are fantastic reads for hard science fiction and military fiction fans.

siegecrossbow said:

Does military science fiction count?

If so, Footfall and The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle are fantastic reads for hard science fiction and military fiction fans.

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Read and liked both of them. Still pull them out for reading every few years.

Jeff Head said:

Read and liked both of them. Still pull them out for reading every few years.

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Check out the Ringworld series if you haven't already.

siegecrossbow said:

Check out the Ringworld series if you haven't already.

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Have done so many times...both of the original Ringworld and Ringworld Engneers, and then the follow on books that they wrote later, Ringworld Throne (1997), and Ringworld's Children (2005).

All very good. A great tale.

TerraN_EmpirE said:

Remember Delft at that time Cocaine was totally legit its was only towards the end of the period that narcotics really started to become taboo. At the time period products like Coca cola contained far larger amounts of coca then the faint traces found today.

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I know. The wiki refers to the 1925 opium treaty and the Dutch Opium Act of 1928 incorporating the stipulations of that treaty that limited the trade by a system of certificates to medical and similar use.