Suggested Reading While We Wait on PS

DevilWhiskey · 2003-01-09, 05:23 PM

While waiting for PS to go beta I have been reading a series of books by David Drake called the Hammer's Slammers series.
While not an exact parallel to PS it involves a troop of space mercenaries and their battle efforts for the highest bidder.

It is militarily realistic and quite graphic. The weapons and technology are explained in detail.

The latest is called "Paying the Piper."

Check your local bookstore or library or go by
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...196864-2292740

DW

Airlift · 2003-01-09, 05:31 PM

Or use Barnes & Noble, who aren't trying to strongarm the intern... nevermind.

I suggest A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge. It's the best sci-fi book I've read recently.

Sputty · 2003-01-09, 05:34 PM

DevilWhiskey is the author of "Playing the piper" and is just trying to sell more books. Get him! And BTW, next time you make a topic like this one jsut put it ni the lounge. This has nothing to do with PS.

DevilWhiskey · 2003-01-09, 07:12 PM

So I'm David Drake?

Thats funny. I don't feel British.

As for this being off topic Did you see the Post Subject?

It is a bit tough to discuss a game most of us have not had a chance to play yet and these books are a way to get in the mood for open beta.

You were saying?

DW

Hamma · 2003-01-09, 07:13 PM

I dont read.

PSU keeps me busy

Sputty · 2003-01-09, 07:14 PM

I don't read. I'm illiterate..wait a minute....

Hamma · 2003-01-09, 07:15 PM

DarkJaguar · 2003-01-09, 07:46 PM

Hammer's slammers was a great book
you should all go buy it, hehe the 2nd in command was gay wasn't he?

Airlift · 2003-01-09, 09:42 PM

Starship Troopers is a really good book that has some of the same feel (it is more tribesish than Pside tho).

Guardian AngeL · 2003-01-11, 10:36 AM

i don't like books all cause my teacher in fifth grade threw one and me but it missed but it was still scary

Revolution · 2003-01-11, 01:01 PM

How about the movie

"Screamers" The Sci-Fi not the horror. Its sorta on the same level, actually it pretty much is but the aliens are already there and they are robots.

I cunt reed very well but I kin wach movies DAM GUD!!!!!

**SmokeJumper** · 2003-01-11, 02:27 PM

"Armor" is fun stuff also. Very much like Starship Troopers (bug war), but updated and much grittier. Author is Christopher Stakely, I'm pretty sure. (Might have butchered the spelling, but that's close.)

The "Hammer's Slammers" books are fun pulp and a breezy read.

Was it the "Eternity Brigade" that had corpsicle soldiers that were thawed out everytime there was a war so that the government always had veteran soldiers on tap without retraining? That was a decent book also, in the same line of thinking.

Warborn · 2003-01-11, 02:40 PM

Read The Rommel Papers, and understand how the old saying "The General wins the battle, the Quartermaster wins the war" came into being.

Ravon Dark · 2003-01-11, 02:40 PM

How 'bout The Hitchhicker's guide to the Galaxy.

That's always a good book... though it's not exactly some space war book or have anything to do with PS or T2 or feel like either... but hell.. it's a good book and I LMAO every time I read it.

NapalmEnima · 2003-01-12, 03:01 AM

"Armor" rocked. Your description is pretty much dead on in the "Starship Troopers" + grit description. Throw in a dose of "ruler in self-imposed exile" and you're right there. Great book.

The only thing that ever really Bugged me about it (nyuk nyuk) was the human armor's only melee weapons were their fists and their used-up rifles. They INEVITABLY ended up in hand-to-claw combat with these waves of giant, humanoid bug things... GIVE THEM SOME FRELLING SWORDS. Being able to consistently 1-shot-maim those waves and waves of bugs would have been a huge advantage in melee combat.

Golden's royal body-guards had swords, remember? "Draw that sword, Suki, and I'll kill you faster than you can imagine", or something like that.

Ahh... The Engine. Great book. I might have to go dig it up now. GAH! Can't find it.

Too bad they turned Steakley's (I THINK that's how you spell it) "Vampire$" book into such a lousy movie. Just trash. They completely got rid of the "Felix" character, one of the most impressive peopel in the whole book, a shooter that NEVER missed. And they turned Crow, this massive native american, into a little white guy. BAH! Humbug.

Other good sci-fi war books... lets see...

"Ender's Game", by Orrison Scott Card. A story about a genetically engineered boy genius whose task was to win a war against more alien bugs. Great book. Go read it now. Really. Card is one of those authors that (to me) portrays genius well. He doesn't come out and say "Ender is a genuis", he shows you, in lots of cool, suprising, and occasionally brutal ways.

"A boy and his TANK" by Leo Frankowski. A poor world has to export mercs in order to feed and clothe it's population. No shortage of weaponry laying about though. Their entire planet was one big ball of metal. Lots of weapons (automated factories powered by fissionables found on the planet), no food. Lousy place to live. Quite a bit of "adult" content in there too. Boobies.

Keith Laumer's "Bolo" books. There's a whole series of short stories, mostly written by other authors, about these IMENSELY HUGE AI tanks. The later models are called "Continental Siege Units", and have firepower meassured in megatons/second. Yow.

Lots of good stuff out there, if you know where to look.

And now you do.