Been in the mood to read something about mercenaries causing trouble somewhere. I already read the classic Dogs of War, so I am looking for something similar. Any recommendations?
Thanks!
There's always the non-fiction version...
http://www.amazon.com/The-Last-Adventurer-Rolf-Steiner/dp/0316812390
If you also like Scifi there's always the Hammer's Slammers (David Drake) and Falkenberg's Legion (Jerry Pournelle) series.
Quote from: bayonetbrant on May 24, 2014, 06:46:45 AM
There's always the non-fiction version...
http://www.amazon.com/The-Last-Adventurer-Rolf-Steiner/dp/0316812390
Well, there's that! I'll take a look even though I was looking for some fiction. I was surprised to see not much else out there. Somewhat striking seeing how PMCs like Blackwater have been in the news a lot the last few years (I'm talking about fiction books).
Quote from: StaggerwingIf you also like Scifi there's always the Hammer's Slammers (David Drake) and Falkenberg's Legion (Jerry Pournelle) series.
I love Hammers Slammers! Never tried Falkenberg's Legion (must remember that one). Right now I am mostly interested in the here and now, a book like Dogs of War that involves some hellhole on planet Earth. :)
you could also check out this one - a bit more contemporary and very interesting
http://www.amazon.com/Unorthodox-Soldier-Lieutenant-Colonel-Tim-Spicer/dp/1840183497
Quote from: bayonetbrant on May 24, 2014, 05:04:24 PM
you could also check out this one - a bit more contemporary and very interesting
http://www.amazon.com/Unorthodox-Soldier-Lieutenant-Colonel-Tim-Spicer/dp/1840183497
Also a good recommendation! Thanks!
I finally found a fiction book. Not surprisingly, when the paper publishers drop the ball, the e-book community picks it up:
http://www.amazon.com/FIND-FIX-FINISH-Sheepdog-Thrillers-ebook/dp/B007UGJ27O/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1400969052&sr=1-6&keywords=private+military+contractors
QuoteFormer Delta operator Patrick Darwin leads Phalanx Security's best private security team, running protection details with Cal Wafer, former SEAL Team Six sniper, and Gabe Henderson, former Detroit SWAT assaulter. They're rotating out of Baghdad when VIP client Martin Lindy demands immediate protection along the Texas/Mexico border, where he and his crew are spending tax dollars building a virtual fence. Sounds like a paid vacation.
Then they run into Maro, a Cuban expatriate trained by the Soviets to kill Afghans. Now he's a mercenary working for the Luna Cartel, protecting drug shipments and dismembering troublemakers with his Russian entrenching shovel. On the hostile line in the sand between Texas and Mexico, Maro fights for money and the hell of it, using brutal guerrilla tactics to get what he wants. No way these new boys are going to stop him.
But he's never fought a crew like Darwin's before--Maro and his cartel lords better prepare for a level of professional warfare they have never seen.
And not to forget the great 'Dorsai' books by Gordon.R.Dickson.
according to a friend of mine, this one's supposed to be pretty good. I know nothing about it, so take it with a grain of salt
http://www.amazon.com/Rules-Vengeance-Christopher-Reich/dp/0307387836/ref=pd_sim_b_29?ie=UTF8&refRID=0SDKJKF1HH5RKWBF65HD
Quote from: bayonetbrant on May 24, 2014, 06:40:59 PM
according to a friend of mine, this one's supposed to be pretty good. I know nothing about it, so take it with a grain of salt
http://www.amazon.com/Rules-Vengeance-Christopher-Reich/dp/0307387836/ref=pd_sim_b_29?ie=UTF8&refRID=0SDKJKF1HH5RKWBF65HD
Thanks! I'll check it out!
You might want to have a look at the Nick Stone novels by Andy McNab as well. They're about a former SAS soldier who gets out and then works as a deniable operator for MI-6 on a contract by contract basis. He really just wants to get on full time so he can get medical and a pension but things always seem to get a little worse for him. They're quite enjoyable and it's interesting how the events in the books predict a lot of real world events. There are 15 in the series so far.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_kk_1?rh=i%3Adigital-text%2Ck%3Aandy+mcnab&keywords=andy+mcnab&ie=UTF8&qid=1401201988 (http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_kk_1?rh=i%3Adigital-text%2Ck%3Aandy+mcnab&keywords=andy+mcnab&ie=UTF8&qid=1401201988)
another good not-quite-a-mercenary-but-still-a-good-modern-adventure-yarn to check out is The Gold of Exodus
http://www.amazon.com/The-GOLD-EXODUS-Howard-Blum/dp/0671027328
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If you liked Hammer's Slammers, the Falkenberg Legion stories by Jerry Pournelle will be a real treat. He also wrote Januassaries and King David's Spaceship which had a Merc flavor in different universes.
The Falkenberg Legion books are among my most read military SF or military fiction books of all time.
I recently finished Tank Lords. not bad.
dont forget about all of the old Battle Tech books.
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on May 28, 2014, 09:23:03 PMI recently finished Tank Lords. not bad.
Of the standalone books, The Sharp End is the best, and Rolling Hot next, but Tank Lords isn't far below Rolling Hot. The best stories are still the short stories collected in the first book.
Quote from: GDS_Starfury on May 28, 2014, 09:23:03 PMdont forget about all of the old Battle Tech books.
The William Keith / Gray Death Legion books are great
Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on May 27, 2014, 09:49:46 AM
You might want to have a look at the Nick Stone novels by Andy McNab as well. They're about a former SAS soldier who gets out and then works as a deniable operator for MI-6 on a contract by contract basis. He really just wants to get on full time so he can get medical and a pension but things always seem to get a little worse for him. They're quite enjoyable and it's interesting how the events in the books predict a lot of real world events. There are 15 in the series so far.
+1
i highly recommend
....there are the small things in between the narrative: for example when he write about weapon, tactics, reece on foot and stalking or getting stalked (especially if you have some tinny experience in some fields too) you really sense that he knows the trade.
it is presumed, that he 'transforms' actions or exercises he lived through in all his SAS years into other settings and times in the NickStone novels (well, i doesn't matter if you field-improvise zeroing a captured scoped rife in a damp hot environment here or there, if it still a jungle-setting, or how you shaken off a potential follower in the streets of Belfast on foot or some other 'urban environment' today, or how to blend into a crowd as if you belong there,... )
his real autobiography is called ,,Immediate Action" and describes his life before the well known "Bravo Two Zero", both a worthwhile read
^Good one, Mike. I enjoyed all the Nick Stone books.
Try the Phule's Company series by Robert Asprin. It's a great read if you don't mind some comedic elements to your mercenary'n.
I guess the real question is, based on Dogs of War as the starting point, are you looking for ...
... mercenaries of any stripe going about their business? If so, you're looking for Drake, Pournelle, et al
... mercenaries / combat / stories from post-colonial Africa that have a lot of bush combat, with a heavy mercenary component? That's Steiner, Spicer, the Africa's Commandos book (http://grogheads.com/?p=2294), et al
The Deed of Paksenarrion. This is fantasy, not scifi. But fantastically good as a fantasy story and a tale about being a mercenary.
Of course, The Black Company is probably the definitive fantasy mercenary series.
Quote from: bob48 on May 24, 2014, 05:48:08 PM
And not to forget the great 'Dorsai' books by Gordon.R.Dickson.
Good grief! I HAD forgotten about the great Dorsai books. Thank you for the reminder.
I know
exactly how to punish myself. . .
Quote from: skeptical.platypus on June 11, 2014, 06:37:13 PM
Quote from: bob48 on May 24, 2014, 05:48:08 PM
And not to forget the great 'Dorsai' books by Gordon.R.Dickson.
Good grief! I HAD forgotten about the great Dorsai books. Thank you for the reminder.
I know exactly how to punish myself. . .
You are welcome. Dammit, I quite fancy reading 'em again myself now. Amazon, here I come.......