Cold is the Sea (Bluejacket Books)


Edward L. Beach - 1978
    Beach's extraordinarily successful first two novels, easily meeting their high standards. But unlike these earlier World War II novels, this book is set fifteen years after the war's end as the U.S. Navy converts its fleet of conventional submarines to nuclear-powered ships. The focus of the story is the USS Cushing, whose sixteen missile silos carry more explosive power than all the munitions used in both world wars. The Cushing is on a secret mission to the Arctic Ocean to determine whether her missiles are effective if fired from beneath the ice. When the submarine is incapacitated, with a suspicious Russian sub lurking in the vicinity, the scene is set for a dramatic thriller, rich in technical detail and submarine lore.

Founder of Rome: A Tale of the Ancient Republic


Ken Farmer - 2015
    The time of the story is in the 6th century B.C.E, long before that favorite trio of fiction writers of ancient Rome - Julius Caesar, Mark Anthony and Cleopatra - whose actions caused the fall of the Republic. It is the story of a fictional character but within the framework of the historical record (what little there is) and includes the well known names of that time, including Lucius Junius Brutus and Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus, the first Consuls of the Republic, and Tarquinius Superbus, the overbearing King with the insatiable appetite for conquest. And of course, the person of Lucretia, the wife of Collatinus - that woman of many romantic myths and tragic tales of that time.

To Kill the Potemkin


Mark Joseph - 1986
    The Barracuda, the most advanced attack submarine in the U.S. undersea arsenal is hunting the Soviet's amazing sonar-proof underwater nuclear weapon, Potemkin. And what starts out as a simple show of Superpower bravado soon escalates into an all-out nuclear showdown. "A deadly thriller...taut, seaworthy, plausible...more thrilling than The Hunt for Red October.--Kirkus Reviews. Fine, Inc.

East Wind Returns


William Peter Grasso - 2011
     East Wind Returns is a story of WW2 set in July-November 1945 which explores a very different road to that conflict’s historic conclusion. The American war leaders grapple with a crippling setback: their secret atomic bomb does not work. The invasion of Japan seems the only option to bring the war to a close. When those leaders suppress intelligence of a Japanese atomic weapon poised against the invasion forces, it falls to photo reconnaissance pilot John Worth to find the Japanese device. Political intrigue is mixed with passionate romance and exciting aerial action—the terror of enemy fighters, anti-aircraft fire, mechanical malfunctions, deadly weather, and the Kamikaze. When shot down by friendly fire over southern Japan during the American invasion, Worth leads the desperate mission that seeks to deactivate the device. Turning back the clock to 1942, follow John Worth’s exploits as an eager rookie pilot in Grasso’s Operation Long Jump.

The French Prize: A Novel


James L. Nelson - 2015
    Nelson - praised as "a master of both his period and the English language" by Patrick O'Brian - returns to the world of sea and sail in The French Prize, a page-turning historical novel.Jack Biddlecomb has much to live up to, being as he is the eldest son of the esteemed Captain Isaac Biddlecomb, wealthy merchant captain, leading light of the War for American Independence, and newly minted congressman. Jack finds himself off to a promising start, however, when he's given command of the merchant vessel Abigail bound from Philadelphia for Barbados.But even before the dock lines are cast off, the voyage, which should have been routine, begins to look like a stormy passage indeed. Jack is saddled with two passengers, one as unpleasant as he is highborn, the other a confidant of the Abigail's owner who cannot help meddling in the running of the ship. What's more, with the French making prizes of American merchantmen, Abigail's owner has armed the ship and instructed Jack to fight if need be, thrusting the first-time captain and his small crew into a naval war for which they are totally unprepared.What Jack does not know, but soon begins to suspect, is that he is being used as part of a bigger plot, one that will have repercussions on an international scale.

Strategic Services (Raiding Forces Book 12)


Phil Ward - 2019
    Germany has an eight month supply. The only way the Germans can get more diamonds is for DeBeers Diamond Company to supply them through neutral Switzerland. Raiding Forces has been tasked with shutting down the illicit diamond buying. Meanwhile, Col. John Randal and a party of the 575th PIR aka Rangers make a combat jump on an artillery battery on the flank of Dieppe working in conjunction with Lord Lovat’s 4 Commando. And later, during OPERATON TORCH, Col. Randal leads a party of the 10th Ranger Battalion up a 12 mile river onboard the destroyer USS Dallas to capture the Port Layety airfield in one of the most daring operations of WWII.

We Stand Alone


David Lee Corley - 2018
    A deadly trap. Will Vietnamese rebels take the bait and attack French paratroopers in a winner-take-all battle? “A historical novel that reads like a modern political thriller, full of exciting action, larger-than-life characters, and unforgettable events.” —Kirkus Reviews Hanoi 1953. France struggles to retain control of its Indochina empire after World War II. Communist rebels under the leadership of Ho Chi Minh fight for freedom in Vietnam. With both sides determined, the war is developing into a stalemate until…A French general devises a plan to secure victory in one decisive battle. To achieve success the French must square off with the elusive rebels. Bait is needed. A brigade of elite paratroopers is sent into the Muong Thanh Valley far from French supply lines. A dilapidated airport is rebuilt into a fortified air bridge – the paratroopers’ lifeline and only means of escape.If Ho Chi Minh takes the bait, the French will use their artillery and aircraft to destroy the Viet Minh rebels as they attempt to overrun the garrison with their superior numbers.It seems like such a good plan…Events unfold from multiple points of view: the French General Cogny, who devises and executes the plan; the American pilot Tom Coyle, recruited by the CIA to fly for the French Air Force; the war correspondent Brigitte Friang, who jumps with the French paratroopers into the valley and Viet Minh Commanding General Giap, considered by military historians to be the most brilliant strategist of the 20th Century.We Stand Alone is the first book in the gripping Airmen historical military fiction series. If you like riveting action, accurate details, and larger-than-life characters, then you’ll love David Lee Corley’s unforgettable novel. Pick up your copy of We Stand Alone today!

Body Count: A Special Forces thriller set in the Vietnam War


Eric Helm - 1984
    BUT CHARLIE OWNED THE CLOCK! One morning there was nothing but hot, thick jungle and steaming swamp. And the Viet Cong. The next morning there were three hundred sweating, groaning men chopping and chain sawing a hole in that particular hunk of hell. And that's where Captain Mack Gerber and his Scorpion Squad were going to set up shop. Right in the VC's backyard. Gerber's orders were simple: Let the VC know they didn't own the delta anymore; let them know they were in a lastditch fight; and make sure it was the last thing they'd ever know. But Victor Charlie had their own plans. A clock was ticking. Soon all hell would break loose and there wouldn't be enough survivors left to do a ... body count.

Blood in the Water Trilogy: The Lieutenant Oliver Anson Thriller Box Set


David McDine - 2018
     The Napoleonic wars are brought to life with grit and gunpowder in this trilogy of hugely popular novels: Strike the Red Flag, The Normandy Privateer and Dead Man's Island. With a clear knowledge of the period, McDine skillfully uses actual events in the Royal Navy’s history as the backdrop to Anson's swashbuckling adventures. For fans of Hornblower, Bolitho, Ramage or Aubrey, Oliver Anson will be your next naval hero. David McDine, OBE, is a former Admiralty information officer, Royal Navy Reserve officer and Deputy Lieutenant of Kent, and the author of Unconquered: The Story of Kent and its Lieutenancy.

Bonaparte's Sons


Richard Howard - 1997
    Thrown together under the leadership of the ambitious Cezar, they are pronounced expendable.

The Third World War: August 1985


John W. Hackett - 1978
    A sensational international bestseller, it is a vivid, detailed, and often blood-curdling on-the-spot report from the battle fronts of a "real war", from tank assaults to air clashes to ICBM launchings, based on an insider's knowledge of weaponry and actual NATO and Soviet battle strategies. In the light of changes in Eastern Europe the question now is: Could it ever have happened? Could it ever happen again?

Full Fathom Five


Bart Davis - 1987
    TARGET: U.S.A. The Soviet nuclear submarine Kirov has been stolen by Central American rebels to prevent a CIA invasion. As nuclear weapons aim toward the U.S. from the ocean depths, sparks begin to fly between Moscow and Washington. THE MISSION THAT-RISKED IT ALL Navy Captain Peter Mackenzie receives the ultimate assignment: recover the Soviet sub before it launches its deadly payload. The stakes have never been higher, and time is running out. Using state-of-the-art, top-secret underwater high technology, Mackenzie dives through the silent sea toward a rendezvous that may very well threaten the future of the world. Powered by non-stop suspense, sudden violence and impossible love...sweeping from the Oval Office to the Kremlin to the shadowy world of modern undersea warfare...FULL FATHOM FIVE races toward a chilling and unforgettable climax. About the Author Bart Davis is the author of ten novels, five non-fiction books, two feature films, and a wide range of print articles. He is a graduate of the Bronx High School of Science and Stony Brook University. His books have been published internationally, and translated into Japanese, Italian, Chinese, Norwegian, Hungarian, Bulgarian, German, Dutch, Portuguese, British, Spanish, and Korean. His novels include the five-book Peter MacKenzie submarine series and the bestselling A CONSPIRACY OF EAGLES and THE MIDNIGHT PARTNER. He has also written for the New York Times and NEWSDAY, and his work has appeared in “Psychology Today” and “People” magazine. Bart’s screenwriting credits include the feature film FULL FATHOM FIVE adapted from his novel; and the feature film LOVE OR MONEY. He lives with his family in New York.

The Devil Dragon Pilot


Lawrence A. Colby - 2016
    Somewhere between Dale Brown and early Ward Larsen books, Colby’s series is fresh, original, and plotted in such a way that each book is impossible to set down." -The Real Book Spy"Move over Jack Ryan, there's a new coolest dude in town named Ford Stevens." -Frank "Gus" Biggio, Author of The Wolves of HelmandFrom military veteran and pilot Lawrence A. Colby comes a #1 AMAZON BESTSELLING series made for fans of Vince Flynn, Jack Carr and Mark Greaney. Read the electric story that started it all!"...impressive command of subject, Colby keeps the reader turning pages...old-fashioned cliffhanging drama." -- Reserve Officers Association How do you capture the fastest airplane in the world without anyone finding out?Concealed deep within China's inland borders is one of the most secretive airplanes ever flown, known as Devil Dragon. She's sleek, unbelievably fast, and mysterious--her test pilots have one mission in mind: make her test flights successful for operational use as soon as possible. Or sooner.But when strange transmissions of pilots are recorded without an aircraft appearing on radar, and bizarre cell phone signals are detected at towers hundreds of miles apart, the Defense Intelligence Agency team is set in motion, and U.S. Air Force Reserve pilot Ford Stevens is asked to take on the most dangerous assignment of his life.What begins as a friend helping a friend explodes into a globe-trotting action packed military-aviation adventure. Against an atmosphere of Washington, DC government red tape, an intimidating Chinese General, DIA leadership, and carrier aviation, all airways lead to a stunning international plot. Crammed with deceitful government employees, smoke and mirrors tradecraft, and the blackest, most secretive aviation flight ever undertaken, you will be unable to put it down. Zip up your flight suit and hold on for the ride.

Upon Dark Waters


Robert Radcliffe - 2003
    A thrilling story of endurance and survival.

The Mercenary


Dan Hampton - 2013
    A former military officer haunted by a personal tragedy in his past, the Sandman embarks on a quest for revenge that pits him against friend and country and leads him straight to the heart of the American military establishment.