Book picks similar to
The Press Gang by Adam Hardy


historical-fiction
napoleonic
military
naval

Gray Tide in the East: An Alternate History of the First World War


Andrew J. Heller - 2013
    Really. The Kaiser did order the invasion of Belgium halted, and yet it went ahead, bringing Great Britain and the rest of the British Empire into the war.This book explores what would have happened if the Kaiser’s decision had not been reversed and his troops had not crossed the Belgian border. It is fiction, of course, but the characters are real and, most of them, precisely where they were and where they would have been fulfilling their historical roles at that time.The story is vivid, realistic and exciting, following the action, the intrigue, the political upheavals as well as political apathy and inertia, meticulously researched and accurate in military and historical detail.

Laos File (The Shake Davis Series)


Dale A. Dye - 2008
    Written by the bestselling author of 'Platoon,' Dale A. Dye.

The Expendables


Leonard B. Scott - 1991
    This is the story of the men who fought with them -- and the 304 who didn't return.

Hamfist Over Hanoi


G.E. Nolly - 2012
    He is based at Yokota Air Base, in Japan, and becomes comfortable flying generals and other VIPs around Asia in his Sabreliner executive jet. He is adjusting to his new marriage, and aside from the stress of TDY assignments, life is placid.But the war returns with a vengeance when Hamfist suffers a personal loss at the hands of the North Vietnamese. Hamfist knows that the only way he can find inner peace is to go back for another combat tour, to try to bring the horrific war to a speedy end. And this time, he will fly a fighter, the top-of-the-line F-4 Phantom II.Hamfist checks out in the F-4 and arrives at his base in Thailand just in time for the start of Operation Linebacker, the bombing offensive over Hanoi. He soon finds himself flying over the most heavily defended area in the world, dodging Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs) and dueling with enemy aircraft, the vaunted MiG-series fighters. And along the way he has picked up two new goals: completing 100 missions over North Vietnam and defeating a MiG in aerial combat.Only time will tell if Hamfist will achieve his 100 missions, score a victory over a MiG and, most important, help end the war.

The Sharpe Companion: The Early Years


Mark Adkin - 2003
    Named "the direct heir to Patrick O'Brian" by The Economist, Bernard Cornwell is the undisputed master of historical battle fi ction, and for more than twenty years, his Richard Sharpe series has thrilled millions of readers worldwide on both the page and on television.Now author Mark Adkin, a major in the British army, has created this indispensable guide covering Sharpe's early career, from his beginnings as an illiterate private fighting on the battlefields of India to his legendary command of the Light Company.A treasure not only for fans of the series but also for anyone interested innineteenth-century warfare, The Sharpe Companion includes:A chapter devoted to each Sharpe bookGlossary of characters, both real and fictionalIllustrations and photographsMaps of every battle and skirmishFull of fascinating historical details, thrilling contemporary accounts of actual battles, and impeccable research, The Sharpe Companion is a must for every student of military history and an essential addition to every Sharpe fan's library.

Gallagher’s Prize: An Historical Adventure Novel in the Age of Sail (Gallagher's Age of Sail Adventures Book 1)


Joseph O'Loughlin - 2015
     How did America prevail against such odds? With ships, guns and the fierce desire for freedom that lived in the hearts of American sailors. Many of these men were not even Americans yet. Some came from Ireland, including Jack Gallagher. “Gallagher's Prize” begins in southern Ireland when English law breaks up an Irish Catholic family's farmland and a young man longs for the sea. During his many adventures, Jack visits Portsmouth (England), Dublin, Tenerife, Recife, Boston and New Orleans. He learns about square sailing, naval gunnery and ship’s tactics, makes interesting new friends and acquaintances, repairs long-standing enmity with his brother, rescues his family from debt, defeats a powerful and dysfunctional adversary, and experiences sex and love.

47 Ronin


Dimetrios C. Manolatos - 2010
    We are born and raised to serve our lord and shogun. Our code dictates selflessness and death to be more honorable than failure, whether on the battlefield or even over the most insignificant dispute.In eighteenth-century Japan, the lord of a samurai clan is sentenced to death for an assault on castle grounds. As dictated by law, the clan must exact revenge on the one responsible for their lord’s death. However due to circumstances, the shogun forbids any such act, placing a band of masterless samurai at odds with themselves and the martial code by which they live and die. After much trial and hardship, the clan does the unthinkable and defies the shogun’s mandate in order to fulfill their duty to their late lord. In doing so, these legendary warriors will be forever remembered for inspiring the Way of the Warrior back into the hearts of their countrymen.If you like historical novels set in old Japan, martial arts action adventure stories or samurai films, discover 47 Ronin.

Kydd


Julian Stockwin - 2001
    The ship sails immediately and Kydd has to learn the harsh realities of shipboard life fast. Despite all that he goes through in danger of tempest and battle he comes to admire the skills and courage of the seamen - taking up the challenge himself to become a true sailor.Kydd launches a masterly new writing talent and a thrilling new series. Based on dramatic real events, it is classic storytelling at its very best, rich with action with exceptional characters and a page-turning narrative.

Those in Peril


Chris KennedyRob Howell - 2019
    Fourteen worlds that never were. Throughout the human experience, historians have wondered, “What if?” What if Japan had been on the side of the U.S. in World War II? What if things had been just a little different in the Falklands? What if Russia had started World War Three? Wonder no more, for these questions, along with many others, are answered within the pages of this book. Told by a variety of award-winning authors, like Sarah Hoyt, the 2018 Dragon Award Winner for Alternate History, and Kacey Ezell, the winner of the 2018 Baen Reader’s Choice Award, “Those in Peril,” deals with naval warfare that never happened in our world…but easily could have. The first book in the exciting new “Phases of Mars” anthology series, there is something for everyone inside! From sailing ships, to steam, to today’s modern aircraft carriers, “Those in Peril” traces several centuries of naval warfare…that wasn’t. From adding a psychic…to making a different choice of friend or foe…to something insignificant toppling a kingdom, this book has it, so come aboard and find out “what if” all of these things had changed history…just a little. You’ll be glad you did! Inside you'll find: Naked by Kacey Ezell Captain Bellamy’s War by Stephen J. Simmons A Safe Wartime Posting by Joelle Presby Beatty’s Folly by Philip Wohlrab Martha Coston and the Farragut Curse by Day Al-Mohamed The Blue and the Red: Palmerston’s Ironclads by William Stroock Far Better to Dare by Rob Howell Off Long Island: 1928 by Doug Dandridge For Want of a Pin by Sarah Hoyt Nothing Can Be Said Sufficient to Describe It by Meriah Crawford Corsairs and Tenzans by Philip S. Bolger For a Few Camels More by Justin Watson Per Mare Per Terram by Jan Niemczyk Fate of the Falklands by James Young

Master and Commander


Patrick O'Brian - 1969
    Meanwhile—after a heated first encounter that nearly comes to a duel—Aubrey and a brilliant but down-on-his-luck physician, Stephen Maturin, strike up an unlikely rapport. On a whim, Aubrey invites Maturin to join his crew as the Sophie’s surgeon. And so begins the legendary friendship that anchors this beloved saga set against the thrilling backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars.Through every ensuing adventure on which Aubrey and Maturin embark, from the witty parley of their lovers and enemies to the roar of broadsides as great ships close in battle around them, O’Brian “provides endlessly varying shocks and surprises—comic, grim, farcical and tragic.… [A] whole, solidly living world for the imagination to inhabit” (A. S. Byatt).

Chimera


Vivek Ahuja - 2012
    A violent uprising has been instigated all across Tibet as Beijing moves to establish control while the Dalai Lama’s health deteriorates further and questions on the future of the Tibetan leadership are raised. As Beijing pursues the rebels and their benefactors within India, both nations are plunged into a spiraling descent to war. Now each side must navigate their widely different paths to victory as vast armies on both sides wage all-out war in their bid to become the dominant power in Asia… Book Edition: II

Hurricane Squadron


Robert Jackson - 1978
     Seated in the cockpit of his Hurricane, Sergeant George Yeoman — young, eager, and innocent in the ways of war — is on his way to join his first operational squadron. Meanwhile, the German Panzers advance unchecked through the Ardennes, and as the allied bombers plead to strike at them, the Luftwaffe is already set to launch a decisive blow. Disaster beckons and Yeoman and No. 505 Squadron soon find themselves courting death in a series of increasingly desperate sorties as the allied army begins its retreat towards Dunkirk. There are only a handful of them against the might of Hitler’s war machine, and with each sortie the ranks of the Squadron grow ever more depleted. The odds stacked against them are hopeless… A vivid tale of a fighter squadron at war, Hurricane Squadron is told with painstaking accuracy, charting a young man’s rise to maturity in the face of combat and sudden death. Praise for Robert Jackson 'Takes you to the heart of the action.' - Tom Kasey, best-selling author of Cold Kill Robert Jackson (b. 1941) is a prolific author of military and aviation history, having become a fulltime writer in 1969. As an active serviceman in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve he flew a wide range of aircraft, ranging from jets to gliders. Hurricane Squadron is the first book in the Sergeant George Yeoman series.