What is your favorite military-themed fictional book that you have read?

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 11:21:18 -0400

For me, this is a tough choice, as I consider several military-themed works of fiction as my favorite. I would have to say the one that inspired me to rejoin the military (especially the Army) was "Team Yankee" by Harold Coyle.<br><br>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Team_Yankee<br><br>Anyway, I was in line at a now-defunct department store chain where I saw this red hardbound book with an M-1 Abrams on the cover in the check out line. Without any hesitation, I picked it up and purchased the book. The days after that and leading up to and after my medical procedure, I could not put the book down. I was enthralled by the technology of the M-1 Abrams, which was described in almost Clancy-like detail, and the leadership and team dynamics of the unit in the books title.<br><br>I was seriously considering being a Tanker- a 19K - M1 Abrams Crewmember. However, my recruiter who was a 63T- Bradley Mechanic, told me I can "do better" (those were his words, not mine- don't down vote me, LOL!). I did ignore him for a bit at the MEPS station (I did receive my medical waiver), but the only Armor MOS that was open was 19E- M60 Armor Crewmember. In the end, I chose 35R - Avionic Radar Repairer as my Army MOS. <br><br>Even though I was never a Tanker, I was inspired by that book to join the Army in order to "Be All I Can Be".<br><br>What is your favorite military-themed fictional book that you have read? Did it inspire you to join a particular Service Branch? What else did it inspire you to become?<br><br><br><div class="pta-link-card"><div class="pta-link-card-picture"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/50px-Question_book-new.svg.png"></div><div class="pta-link-card-content"><div class="pta-link-card-title"><a target="_blank" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Team_Yankee">Team Yankee - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</a></div><div class="pta-link-card-description">Team Yankee is a speculative fiction novel written in 1987 by Harold Coyle, then a major in the United States Army, whose subject is the actions of a company-sized armor unit of the United States Army...</div></div><div style="clear:both"></div><div class="pta-box-hide"><i class="icon-remove"></i></div></div>

Response by SFC Christopher Walker, MAOM, DSL made Apr 21 at 2014 11:52 AM

SFC Christopher Walker, MAOM, DSL — Mon, 21 Apr 2014 11:52:47 -0400

Mine would be The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy.

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made Apr 30 at 2014 3:41 PM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 15:41:23 -0400

Starship Troopers, by Robert Heinlein... Hands down.

Response by LTC Joseph Gross made Apr 30 at 2014 3:45 PM

LTC Joseph Gross — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 15:45:13 -0400

Team Yankee is an awesome book. Did you read his other military fiction? My all time favorite has got to be Starship Troopers. All real Heinlein fans have to make note that this is about the book and not that worthless movie based on the title of the book. Starship Troopers was not just about the military but about a different society based on service and duty. Got to love that! Also love everything by Clancy.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 30 at 2014 4:16 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 16:16:57 -0400

Enders Game

Response by SFC Christopher Perry made Apr 30 at 2014 4:24 PM

SFC Christopher Perry — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 16:24:58 -0400

I don't know about my favorite, but I am working my way through the Brotherhood of War series right now. The Lieutenants was really quite enjoyable. Enough so that I added The Captains to my Kindle immediately upon finishing it.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 30 at 2014 4:55 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 30 Apr 2014 16:55:12 -0400

Enders Game...Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide (the original three)

Starship Troopers

In Her Name (the entire series...its military themed but might not completely count.

Response by SPC Charles Brown made May 5 at 2014 7:18 PM

SPC Charles Brown — Mon, 05 May 2014 19:18:28 -0400

I really enjoyed reading the Brotherhood of War series as well as The Corps series both written by WEB Griffin. Great story telling and are in many cases set in actual battles during WWII and other wars.

Response by LTC Paul Labrador made Aug 25 at 2014 5:13 PM

LTC Paul Labrador — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 17:13:08 -0400

For fiction military techno thrillers:

Team Yankee - Harold Coyle
1) Hunt for Red October - Tom Clancey
2) Red Pheonix (modern Korean War)- Larry Bond
3) 38 North Yankee (modern Korean War) - Ed Ruggero
4) Armor Corps, Engage and Destroy, Attack By Fire (modern Korean War) - Pete
Callahan
5) Fire Arrow (hostage rescue in the vein of Entebbe Raid) - Franklin Leib
6) Flight of the Old Dog - Dale Brown

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 25 at 2014 5:26 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 17:26:16 -0400

SGT Private RallyPoint Member Anything by John Clancy!! lol

Response by PO2 Craig Ignatowitz made Aug 27 at 2014 12:43 PM

PO2 Craig Ignatowitz — Wed, 27 Aug 2014 12:43:04 -0400

Vertical dive or voyage of the devil fish by Michael DiMercurio. He's a former nuke officer and bubblehead. Reading his books put me back on the boat.

Response by COL Jean (John) F. B. made Aug 27 at 2014 1:29 PM

COL Jean (John) F. B. — Wed, 27 Aug 2014 13:29:24 -0400

The whole W.E.B Griffin "Brotherhood of War" series. I could really relate to the characters and to the locations. Very true to life.

Would make a great TV series.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Sep 9 at 2014 11:16 PM

SFC Mark Merino — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 23:16:49 -0400

Hunt For Red October

Response by SGT Richard H. made Sep 9 at 2014 11:22 PM

SGT Richard H. — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 23:22:09 -0400

I really enjoyed the "Charlie Mike" series by LTC Leonard B. Scott back in the day....but then I've actually read very few Military based fictions, because like movies, it drives me nuts when they lack realism.

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Sep 10 at 2014 10:36 PM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Wed, 10 Sep 2014 22:36:32 -0400

Killer Angels

Response by MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca made Sep 10 at 2014 10:40 PM

MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca — Wed, 10 Sep 2014 22:40:55 -0400

Anything that has "Barak Obama" and Military Strategy" in the title.

Response by SPC Joseph Walker made Sep 11 at 2014 12:50 AM

SPC Joseph Walker — Thu, 11 Sep 2014 00:50:04 -0400

I don't know if they would count, however Z.A. Recht's Zombie trilogy about the morningstar strain is probably my favorite as it is all about how the military reacted in that fictitious event. Really loved reading a zombie trilogy that didn't have the military simply get crushed under like they never existed.

Response by CPO Jeff Burns made Sep 11 at 2014 3:27 AM

CPO Jeff Burns — Thu, 11 Sep 2014 03:27:30 -0400

Enders Game.
Old Man's War

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 12 at 2014 11:48 PM

COL Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 12 Dec 2014 23:48:28 -0500

Tom Clancy Red Storm Rising!

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 13 at 2014 1:52 AM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 13 Dec 2014 01:52:56 -0500

SGT Private RallyPoint Member.

I read this powerful historical novel when I entering my teens . . . Mila 18 (title), Leon Uris (author), 1961 (1st ed)

Mila 18 is set in Nazi occupied Warsaw Poland before and during WW-II . . . based on actual events . . . covers the Nazi occupation of Poland and the atrocities of systematically dehumanising and eliminating the Jewish People of Poland. The term ghetto takes on a clearer meaning as the courageous Jewish resistance fighters pursue a losing battle against not only the Nazis and their henchmen, but also profiteers and collaborators amongst themselves. Eventually, as the ghetto is reduced to rubble, a few courageous individuals with few weapons and no outside help assume command of ghetto defence, form a makeshift army and make a stand . . . attacking Nazi tanks with Molitov cocktails. Later, this army led to the formation of the State of Israel.

The reader will get depressed . . . and yet this powerful story instills wonderful hope for belief in human nature and man's ability to survive. As a young girl . . . I found the stories of small band of resistance fighters awe inspiring.

Response by CPL Rick Stasny made Dec 13 at 2014 1:32 PM

CPL Rick Stasny — Sat, 13 Dec 2014 13:32:09 -0500

Jackdaws by Ken Follett. Excellent read.

Response by CMDCM Gene Treants made Dec 13 at 2014 7:37 PM

CMDCM Gene Treants — Sat, 13 Dec 2014 19:37:42 -0500

I was about 12 years old in 1959 when Robert Heinlein came out with "Starship Troopers." This book changed how I saw the world and what I really wanted for myself. The concept of "Service" in order to become a "Citizen" jelled in me for some reason and I decided at that time I wanted to do more than just earn a living. (Maybe this is TMI and too good a look into my psyche, but...) At 12 years old I decided I wanted to be more than just another person in the USA. I was not sure if it was the military or some other way, but there had to be something I could do.

The next book the really WOWed me was "Hunt for Red October." I was in the Navy and working as and Electronics Tech. when this book came out. Shortly after As I was reading it, I was in the Senior Enlisted Academy and we were discussing all of the information Tom Clancy had disclosed in his book, much very close to TS information. None of us could understand how he had gotten his information without being in the Navy, unless he was really a pseudonym for some person. Suck a well written book and so close to reality.

Along the way - well anything by Leon Uris, W.E.B. Griffin, and many of Clive Cussler's.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 9 at 2015 3:36 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 09 Jan 2015 15:36:04 -0500

Hard to choose a single best book but it would likely be Once an Eagle by Anton Myrer. Much to learn from this story.

I've also consistently enjoyed the books by Tom Clancy (the ones he wrote himself; not a big fan of the series and later books that he coauthored with others), W.E.B Griffin, and Harold Coyle.

Response by LTC Troy P. Thomas made Jan 9 at 2015 4:34 PM

LTC Troy P. Thomas — Fri, 09 Jan 2015 16:34:56 -0500

"Gates of Fire" by Steven Pressfield.

Response by SrA Jay Strauser made Jan 9 at 2015 5:58 PM

SrA Jay Strauser — Fri, 09 Jan 2015 17:58:51 -0500

The Five Fingers was a book A friend in Jr. High loaned to me. Loved it.

Response by CW3 William Couch made Jan 11 at 2015 4:10 PM

CW3 William Couch — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 16:10:36 -0500

One of the most powerful fictional books I have ever read is Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield. A must read for Military Professionals.

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 22 at 2015 8:51 AM

CW2 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 08:51:05 -0500

I like W.E.B Griffin books

Response by GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad made Feb 17 at 2015 3:10 PM

GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 15:10:15 -0500

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made Feb 17 at 2015 10:46 PM

SGM Mikel Dawson — Tue, 17 Feb 2015 22:46:35 -0500

I've read this book, Red Storm Rising, so many times and I enjoyed it each time.

My next one is Last of the Breed. The first time I read it, I sat down and did it all in one read. Only breaks were for coffee and pee. It's special to me because the main dud is from my neck of the woods. Louis L'Amour always did his research very well. A fantastic read.

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 18 at 2015 5:10 AM

Cpl Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 05:10:22 -0500

Currently plowing through W.E.B. Griffin's historical-fiction 10-part "The Corps" series - again. Absolutely love his storytelling. Right now I'm on the third book "Counter-Attack". Any other Griffin fans?

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 18 at 2015 9:54 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 18 Feb 2015 09:54:15 -0500

1. Hunt for Red October
2. Any other Jack Ryan book.

Response by SPC Christian Ziegler made Apr 28 at 2015 10:47 AM

SPC Christian Ziegler — Tue, 28 Apr 2015 10:47:49 -0400

I would have to say "Charlie Mike" followed by "The last Run"

Response by CPT Chris Newport made Mar 25 at 2017 11:55 PM

CPT Chris Newport — Sat, 25 Mar 2017 23:55:07 -0400

"Starship Troopers" by Heinlein

Response by SSG Michael Needham made Aug 22 at 2017 9:50 PM

SSG Michael Needham — Tue, 22 Aug 2017 21:50:16 -0400

"Terms OF Enlistment" by Marco Kloos it is the first book in the authors series ,I found he writes a believable story with believable people

Response by SSG George Holtje made Oct 22 at 2019 5:35 PM

SSG George Holtje — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 17:35:25 -0400

Thank you. I read that and couldn’t remember the author and title.