Best of
Military-Science-Fiction

2017

Spinward Fringe Broadcast 10.5: Carnie's Tale


Randolph Lalonde - 2017
    The material was recorded while he was on Iora, a technically advanced world as the holocaust virus struck it. She is to review all materials and create a report that includes insights into the young pilot's personality, strategic information about Iora and any other details that could help Haven Fleet. Before long, Alice becomes personally invested in the plight of her subject, and makes discoveries that could change her forever. Meanwhile, a permanent government is taking hold in Haven Shore, and the Fleet is undergoing one last shakeup that could break the Apex class apart. All the while Alice is left to wonder where her father and his ship, the Revenge have gone while they wait for the rest of their active fleet to return from the Iron Head Nebula. The Spinward Fringe saga continues in Carnie's Tale, the connective tissue between Spinward Fringe Broadcast 10: Freeground and Spinward Fringe Broadcast 11: Revenge, telling Alice's story between those books from a more personal perspective. Version 2.

The Hunters of Vermin


H. Paul Honsinger - 2017
    For reasons Max barely understands, the Vaaach decide that they have an obligation to train him to be a Vaaach warrior, or at least as close as a puny, fruit-eating human can come.     Max finds himself on a strange, unknown world, under the tutelage of a nine-foot tall, carnivorous Vaaach drill instructor, learning an alien way of fighting, and stalking and making war. Not only is the training like nothing Max has ever imagined, there's the small matter of the final exam: a real mission involving real combat against real Krag with the life or death of an entire Union naval task force hanging in the balance. Max is going to have to find resources of cunning, creativity, strength, endurance, and courage far beyond his years if he's going to survive and save thousands of his comrades who--unknown to them--are depending on the slender thread of the young officer's abilities for their very survival.      The Hunters of Vermin is a short novel (just over 62,500 words, slightly longer than such classic novels as Lord of the Flies and All Quiet on the Western Front), that can be read as a stand-alone adventure or as a part of the longer series of Max Robichaux space tales. Readers who have never met Max Robichaux or encountered Honsinger's fiction before will find a thrilling, self-contained adventure. Fans of Honsinger's other books will gain interesting insight into the events that helped make Max Robichaux the officer we meet in the "Man of War" series, as this novel covers events immediately after the conclusion of the novella Deadly Nightshade and twelve years before the beginning of the "Man of War" Series.     This novel packs everything Honsinger's readers expect--realistically staged combat, deep character development, believable aliens, and the thrill of deep space adventure--into a compact package. The Hunters of Vermin is a military coming-of-age story in the vein of the early Horatio Hornblower books, but set centuries in the future against the backdrop of an interstellar war that threatens the survival of the human race.

Rika Outcast


M.D. Cooper - 2017
    The local gangs would love to have her join their ranks, and the takings would pay her bills, but the only thing Rika hates more than what she's become, is killing for others.But morals don't buy repairs and she's at the point of utter desperation when her loan holder cashes in her debt and sells her to the highest bidder.When Rika wakes, she's in a warehouse on a planet she's never heard of, and a trio of mercenaries are reassembling her body. Their mission is to kill the world's president, and her mods and abilities are just what they need to get the job done.Whether she likes it or not, Rika is in the business of killing once more as she joins the ranks of the Marauders.An Aeon 14 seriesThe events of the Rika's Marauders series occur during the New Canaan timespan in The Orion War series. This series may be read at any time after reading Destiny Lost, New Canaan, or Orion Rising.

Rika Mechanized


M.D. Cooper - 2017
    But when faced with a five-year prison term, or conscription in the Genevian military, she chose war.She had no idea what that conscription would entail.Now little of Rika's human body remains, and she serves as an SMI-2 scout mech, the meat inside a cyborg body. She, and others like her, are sent in ahead of the human soldiers to tip the scales of war.But the enemy has upped the ante and the mechs of Rika's fireteam will have to go up against unimaginable odds if they want to serve their time and become human again.An Aeon 14 seriesThe events of the Rika's Marauders series occur during the New Canaan time span in The Orion War series. This series may be read at any time after reading Destiny Lost, New Canaan, or Orion Rising.

Valor's Child


Kal Spriggs - 2017
    Jiden wants more for herself and she is ready to step into a bright future, one which may lead her far from the frontier world of her birth. She has no dreams of following in the footsteps of her military family's heritage, no desire to live a life of hardship.She's just got one obstacle in the path to her dreams: five months of military school. She'll be away from her friends, subjected to long hours and a crushing work load. She'll learn to shoot, to fight... and how to kill.Jiden will need every skill she's learned, because her family's enemies have put her in their sights. She's going to have to rise to the challenges in order to survive. She soon learns that her dreams might not be as good as she imagined. With her life on the line, Jiden will need to fall back on the skills she learned and prove that she's a child of valor.

Forged in Blood


Michael Z. WilliamsonJohn F. Holmes - 2017
    WILLIAMSON'S FREEHOLD SERIES WARRIORS AND SOLDIERS TIED TOGETHER THROUGHOUT TIME AND SPACE. From the distant past to the far future, those who carry the sword rack up commendations for bravery. They are men and women who, like the swords they carry, have been forged in blood. These are their stories. In medieval Japan, a surly ronin is called upon to defend a village against a thieving tax collector who soon finds out it's not wise to anger an old, tired man. In the ugliest fighting in the Pacific Theater, an American sergeant and a Japanese lieutenant must face each other, and themselves. A former US Marine chooses sides with outnumbered Indonesian refugees against an invading army from Java. When her lover is stolen by death, a sergeant fighting on a far-flung world vows vengeance that will become legendary. And, when a planet fragments in violent chaos, seven Freeholders volunteer to help protect another nation's embassy against a horde. Featuring all-new stories by Michael Z. Williamson, Larry Correia, Tom Kratman, Tony Daniel, Micahel Massa, Peter Grant, John F. Holmes, and many more. Contributors: Zachary Hill Larry Correia Michael Massa John F. Holmes Rob Reed Dale Flowers Tom Kratman Leo Champion Peter Grant Christopher L. Smith Jason Cordova Tony Daniel Kacey Ezell Michael Z. Williamson At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management). About Michael Z. Williamson: “A fast-paced, compulsive read . . . will appeal to fans of John Ringo, David Drake, Lois McMaster Bujold, and David Weber.”—Kliatt “Williamson's military expertise is impressive.”—SF Reviews Novels of Michael Z. Williamson's Freehold Universe: Freehold series Freehold The Weapon The Rogue Contact with Chaos Angeleyes Freehold: Forged in Blood Ripple Creek series Better to Beg Forgiveness . . . Do Unto Others . . . When Diplomacy Fails . . . Standalone A Long Time Until Now Michael Z. Williamson is retired military, having served twenty-five years in the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force. He was deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Desert Fox. Williamson is a state-ranked competitive shooter in combat rifle and combat pistol. He has consulted on military matters, weapons and disaster preparedness for Discovery Channel and Outdoor Channel productions and is Editor-at-Large for Survivalblog, with 300,000 weekly readers. In addition, Williamson tests and reviews firearms and gear for manufacturers. Williamson’s books set in his Freehold Universe include Freehold, The Weapon, The Rogue, Better to Beg Forgiveness . . ., Do Unto Others . . ., and When Diplomacy Fails . . .. He is also the author of time travel novel A Long Time Until Now, as well as The Hero—the latter written in collaboration with New York Times best-selling author John Ringo. Williamson was born in England, raised in Liverpool and Toronto, Canada, and now resides in Indianapolis with his children.

We Are The Wolf


Toby Neighbors - 2017
     With human colonies on 45 worlds and space stations in over a hundred different systems, serving with the elite Force Recon branch of the Extra Solar Defense Force is the most prestigious career anyone could hope for. Warfare is almost exclusively the domain of remotely operated drones, but when things go wrong, in space or on a colony world, the Off World Recon gets the call and they always come prepared. Dean is a young man with plenty of prospects ahead of him, but when he gets selected for the most coveted job in the world, he jumps at the chance. Little does he know the rigors of training to become an elite Force Recon specialist or the dangers waiting for him in off-world tours of duty that sometimes last for years on end, but it’s always been his dream to charge into the unknown with a band of brothers, facing any threat to humanity’s expansion across the galaxy and etching his name into the annals of history. The only question is does he have what it takes to stand between the threats of the galaxy and the rest of the human race? We Are the Wolf is the first book in an exciting new military space opera that will have you riveted from the very first page. Toby Neighbors reimagines what service in a militarized space force would look like and takes his readers on a roller coaster ride that introduces them to a whole new world of adventure. From training across the globe to missions in outer space, We Are the Wolf will capture your imagination and have you cheering for more.

Alliance


Jonathan P. Brazee - 2017
    Humanity is involved in a limited war with the alien Klethos, where gladitorial combat decides the fate of worlds, but that doesn’t affect the common Marine or sailor. His career has been training hard but never seeing actual combat. All of that changes when a new enemy invades the galaxy, one that threatens both humanity and Klethos. Mankind hasn’t fought an all-out war in centuries, but they’re about to. McKeever is assigned to a special task force with the mission to find out what makes this new enemy tick, and, if possible, stop them in their tracks before humanity is eliminated like so much insignificant vermin.

Invasion: Book I: Resistance


J.F. Holmes - 2017
     Eleven years before, General David Warren was the best and brightest, in charge of defending the Earth from an attacking fleet. Overmatched in battle, the Earth forces were devastated, and the enemy moved into the high ground and proceeded with orbital bombardment. Civilization fell, and then two years later, the enemy landed and the occupation began. Now Warren lives with his sister and nephew, trying to farm the land while avoiding detection by the occupiers, the Invy. When two travelers show up at his doorstep, his carefully constructed life starts to unravel. Earth, and humanity, may be down, but not out. In the grand tradition of Ender's Game, Footfall, and War of the Worlds comes a tale of human struggle against immense odds.

Rimworld- Into the Green


J.L. Curtis - 2017
     Unfortunately, he's about to find out that he's not as retired as he wants to be, and that his new home system comes with dangers, politics, and Dragoon sightings of its own. What promised to be a boring retirement will turn out to be anything but.

The Space Lore Boxed Set: Space Lore Volumes 1-3


Chris Dietzel - 2017
    Epic space fantasy will never be the same. For the first time, all three Space Lore books are included in one volume. Each will transport you to a world that combines mythology with Sci Fi action and adventure. See why critics have said: "Dietzel proves a master at swashbuckling space opera." Kirkus "Great characters, great action, great plot...get this book!" Sam Joseph, moderator of the largest Star Wars fan group on Facebook "An amazing sci-fi journey into fun. A must read for galactic war sci-fi readers." The Full-Time Book Reviewer "Stirring sci-fi action that should appeal to fans who applaud the introduction "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away."" Kirkus Reviews "An absolutely wonderful Sci-Fi adventure." The Quilting Tangent "Nothing in this tale was disappointing, from the great world building, to the vivid battle scenes, to the depth and heart of the central characters." Amazon Top 100 Reviewer Contents: The Green Knight - Space Lore I - Near the border between two kingdoms, a vessel full of innocent passengers is destroyed. While the extent of the impending retaliation is unknown, its inevitability is not. Galactic war is approaching. In a seedy bar in a distant corner of the solar system, a knight clad entirely in green armor puts forth a grisly challenge. The only person to accept the knight’s game is a woman who spends her time drinking and thieving. These two acts, occurring in different parts of the galaxy, both lead to the same spot: the planet that will soon fall under attack. The Excalibur - Space Lore II - Six years ago, two fleets met in a battle that changed the course of the galaxy. In the time since, the CasterLan Kingdom and the Vonnegan Empire have been rebuilding their forces. The clock is ticking down to another inevitable confrontation. In the face of insurmountable odds, Vere CasterLan’s only hope lies in freeing a legendary weapon from the stone that encases it. It has been said that whoever can free the Excalibur will possess unimaginable power. The only problem, as certain death approaches, is that for thousands of years no one has been able to figure out how to release the Excalibur from the asteroid surrounding it. The Round Table - Space Lore III - The CasterLan forces have withdrawn to the edges of the solar system. Vere CasterLan, their leader, struggles to survive in the galaxy’s most feared prison. Meanwhile, the Vonnegan Empire looks to find more planets to rule over. Seeing firsthand the cruelty and suffering that the Vonnegan Empire is capable of, Vere begins to understand that only one thing that can bring peace to the galaxy and stop Mowbray Vonnegan once and for all. It’s a simple notion, only three words: the Round Table. But as the call goes out for armies from every corner of space to unite against a common evil, will anyone listen to a ruler who has already lost everything she once had?

Eric Olafson : Space Pirate


Vanessa Ravencroft - 2017
    The majority of the known civilisations have formed a multi-cultural mega organization called the United Stars of Galaxies. This Union is protected by the brave men and women of the United Stars Space fleet against external threats.Eric Olafson, born and raised under harsh conditions of the traditional and inward looking society of Nilfeheim, left his planet to fulfil his dreams of becoming a Starship captain.When Eric gets kidnaped by an unknown organization and brought to Sin4, he slowly starts to discover his central role in an ancient conflict of cosmic proportions.

The Merrimack Event (Shieldclads #1)


David A. Tatum - 2017
     After some meddling on the part of the Admiralty, many of the Academy's best are assigned to the oldest, smallest hulk in the Wargame, the unfortunately named corvette Chihuahua. Thanks to a genius engineer, an Army veteran loaned to the Navy for the war game, and an unconventional captain, they make a new discovery which turns her into the most valuable warship in the fleet: The first ever Shieldclad warship. The crew abruptly finds itself center stage in a real combat action, however, when Earth is attacked by an unknown foe, and a lone squadron of these once-mothballed ships is the Alliance's only hope to respond…

Vows: The Champions of 1944 - Part 2


Kenneth Tam - 2017
    Decades later, as he, his wife and daughter all prepare to take part in a momentous wedding, he must pause to reflect on the life he has built, and the good fortune he has enjoyed. While the forces of Jimmystown prepare to fend of an attack by Emily that is almost sure to come, Smith tours his adopted home, and realizes the importance of the vows he once made –– and the vows he still must keep, when the bedlam begins. For more information, visit icebergpublishing.com/champions.

Iron Legions


Michael G. Thomas - 2017
    It's twenty years since the failed British Mutiny left London a burnt-out husk. A reminder of the new world order that covers most of the globe. Yet even in this dark time there are rumours of growing resistance movements deep inside North America. The patriotic freedom fighters of New York City have the willpower to succeed, but what can they do against the unending numbers of Reich soldiers that occupy their defeated nation, and their monstrous walking machines of war, known as Landships?Iron Legions is the first book in the brand-new 'Soldiers of Tomorrow' science-fiction series by the bestselling authors, Michael G. Thomas and Nick S. Thomas.Other books in the series: Soldiers of Tomorrow: Iron Legions Soldiers of Tomorrow: The Winter War' (due end of April 2017)

Bedlam: The Champions of 1944 - Part 3


Kenneth Tam - 2017
    After years of lonesome struggle against so-called ‘civilization’, Emily can finally deploy her army to destroy the myths that have kept Champions subservient for decades. Her war will fundamentally reshape the future of humanity, so any lives lost will be for the greater good… though, many of those destined to die will have triggered her violence, and thus be deserving of their fates. Emily is fighting for justice, and when she is confronted by opposition from deluded children like Alex, Stephanie, and Strong, she will do whatever it takes to prove her righteousness. Bedlam is coming… and it’s all about her. For more information, visit icebergpublishing.com/champions.

Innocents: The Champions of 1944 - Part 1


Kenneth Tam - 2017
    With massively expanded resources and improved methods, Champions loyal to civilization hunt those who seek to join Emily’s cause. When the President of the United States makes plans to commemorate one of the fallen heroes of 1943, Alex, Stephanie and Strong must see to his safety… but the whitecoat is no longer herself, and as her best friends try to help restore her humanity, they must come to terms with what has been lost, and all that continues to loom over the innocents of two worlds… For more information, visit icebergpublishing.com/champions.