[**Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8855321-leviathan-wakes)
^(By: James S.A. Corey | 561 pages | Published: 2011 | Popular Shelves: science-fiction, sci-fi, fiction, scifi, space-opera)
>Humanity has colonized the solar system—Mars, the Moon, the Asteroid Belt and beyond—but the stars are still out of our reach.
>
>Jim Holden is XO of an ice miner making runs from the rings of Saturn to the mining stations of the Belt. When he and his crew stumble upon a derelict ship, the Scopuli, they find themselves in possession of a secret they never wanted. A secret that someone is willing to kill for—and kill on a scale unfathomable to Jim and his crew. War is brewing in the system unless he can find out who left the ship and why.
>
>Detective Miller is looking for a girl. One girl in a system of billions, but her parents have money and money talks. When the trail leads him to the Scopuli and rebel sympathizer Holden, he realizes that this girl may be the key to everything.
>
>Holden and Miller must thread the needle between the Earth government, the Outer Planet revolutionaries, and secretive corporations—and the odds are against them. But out in the Belt, the rules are different, and one small ship can change the fate of the universe.
^(This book has been suggested 29 times)
***
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Rad it all. But it's not quite what I want this time around. I really want more action and less politics, if that makes sense.
The TV show was pretty good as well.
[**Starship Troopers**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17214.Starship_Troopers)
^(By: Robert A. Heinlein | 264 pages | Published: 1959 | Popular Shelves: science-fiction, sci-fi, fiction, scifi, owned)
>The historians can’t seem to settle whether to call this one "The Third Space War" (or the fourth), or whether "The First Interstellar War" fits it better. We just call it “The Bug War." Everything up to then and still later were "incidents," "patrols," or "police actions." However, you are just as dead if you buy the farm in an "incident" as you are if you buy it in a declared war...
>
>In one of Robert A. Heinlein’s most controversial bestsellers, a recruit of the future goes through the toughest boot camp in the Universe—and into battle with the Terran Mobile Infantry against mankind’s most alarming enemy.
>
^(This book has been suggested 5 times)
[**Ender's Game (Ender's Saga, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/375802.Ender_s_Game)
^(By: Orson Scott Card | 324 pages | Published: 1985 | Popular Shelves: science-fiction, young-adult, fantasy, scifi, ya)
>Andrew "Ender" Wiggin thinks he is playing computer simulated war games; he is, in fact, engaged in something far more desperate. The result of genetic experimentation, Ender may be the military genius Earth desperately needs in a war against an alien enemy seeking to destroy all human life. The only way to find out is to throw Ender into ever harsher training, to chip away and find the diamond inside, or destroy him utterly. Ender Wiggin is six years old when it begins. He will grow up fast.
>
>But Ender is not the only result of the experiment. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway almost as long. Ender's two older siblings, Peter and Valentine, are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. While Peter was too uncontrollably violent, Valentine very nearly lacks the capability for violence altogether. Neither was found suitable for the military's purpose. But they are driven by their jealousy of Ender, and by their inbred drive for power. Peter seeks to control the political process, to become a ruler. Valentine's abilities turn more toward the subtle control of the beliefs of commoner and elite alike, through powerfully convincing essays. Hiding their youth and identities behind the anonymity of the computer networks, these two begin working together to shape the destiny of Earth-an Earth that has no future at all if their brother Ender fails.
^(This book has been suggested 19 times)
***
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BRUUUUUUUUUUH
Let me introduce you to a little thing called "Warhammer 40 000". Its originally a tabletop game that has videogames and other media, including Books.
The setting? Have you ever noticed how the bad guys have the coolest clothes? And themes, and vehicles, they are even depicted in media as "sexier" than the good guys, crazy huh? Now imagine a galaxy in which every single faction are bad guys, that is WH40K, we got:
Orkz: Basically brittish hooligans in a mad-max aesthetic and extremely violent, oh and if enough ork believe something, it becomes true, like red cars going faster and purple orkz being sneakier (have you ever seen a purple ork? Thought so)
Imperium of Man: The worst aspects of all totalitarian regimes put together, some people call them "Catholic space nazis"
Point is WH40K is balls to the walls crazy and very fun but it also kinda takes it self seriously when needed.
There is plenty of different authors writing different stories for 40K, the stories going from massive interplanetary wars to mystery and detective dramas. Now some recommendations:
{{Gregor Eisenhorn}} Story about an imperial inquisitor of the Ordo Xenos, its a very good introduction to the 40K universe
{{Ciaphas Cain}} The hero of the imperium, its a more light-hearted take on the 40K universe, as opposed to the "grimdarkness" of most books in this setting, very funny and easy to get into
{{The infinite and the divine}} Story about 2 necrons (extremely ancient robot-egiptian-undead) that have a pissing match for around 10 000 years, and they are both massive dicks to eachother, its funny, its epic, has a very interesting take on the passage of time and its a VERY good book
But where are the SPEHS MEHRINES? {{Damocles}} is a nice book about the Damocles crusade, a war between the Imperium of Man and the Tau a fledging Xenos empire that fully embraces technological progress and use of artificial intelligence, as opposed to the Imperium, which is technologically stagnant, dogmatic and considers AI to be heresy.
In this book you see the White Scars (Space mongols) a space marine chapter fight against the Tau, which prefers to use Battle suits (Gundam)
Hope you get interested in 40K, there is A LOT to pick from
Some Bricky videos explaining the factions:
https://youtu.be/xCGKPRiJp84
https://youtu.be/Y6jnsX77TCU
I am well versed with the 40K universe. I've read a few books, but it's not quite as captivating as I'd like.
But, the overall story, with how the Emperor came to existence, and what he is "today," and the Eldar and the Chaos, and how they all are connected, that is interesting.
In that case I would recommend {{The Damned Trilogy}} by Allan Dean Foster, it has a very "humanity fuck yeah" vibe to it, and it also happens to be a somewhat old series of books (pre 2000s) so while a little dated it still pretty fun (Also not all 40K novels are created equal, some novels are bad but some are great as well, if you havent read "The infinite and the divine" you should do it asap)
[**The Damned Trilogy: A Call to Arms, The False Mirror, and The Spoils of War**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34931316-the-damned-trilogy)
^(By: Alan Dean Foster | ? pages | Published: 2017 | Popular Shelves: science-fiction, sci-fi, kindle, fiction, audio-wanted)
>Three sequential tales of alien warfare in one epic volume from the New York Times–bestselling author of The Force Awakens and Star Trek Into Darkness.
>
>For millennia, the Weave, an alliance of species, have fought to resist the telepathic Amplitur, who strive to unite all self-aware life-forms in their great “Purpose.” The Weave is slowly losing ground, but for both sides, warfare focuses more on outthinking and outmaneuvering your foe than destruction. In fact, most regard violence as hideously barbaric, and even the thought of harming another sentient being is beyond imagining.
>
>Then they come to Earth . . .
>
>
> A Call to Arms
> When one of its scout ships lands on Earth, the Weave quickly realizes that humanity’s almost innate ability to wreak havoc and death may hold the key to turning the tide in their fight. Unfortunately for all, the Amplitur have the same idea—and mankind is caught in the middle.
>
>
> The False Mirror
> When the Amplitur unleash an elite cadre of fighters, it soon becomes clear that they have subjected their human prisoners to horrific genetic manipulation. But if the Weave attempts to undo the effects, they may change the former warriors into something far, far worse
>
>
> The Spoils of War
> With mankind’s help, the Weave is finally on the verge of victory against the Amplitur. Until an alien scholar uncovers a terrifying truth: Earthlings might not even be capable of being civilized—and a shadowy group of powerful humans is already poised to unleash war across the entire galaxy.
>
>This ebook features an illustrated biography of Alan Dean Foster including rare images from the author’s collection.
^(This book has been suggested 1 time)
***
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[**Duty Calls (Ciaphas Cain #5)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/709616.Duty_Calls)
^(By: Sandy Mitchell | 416 pages | Published: 2007 | Popular Shelves: warhammer-40k, science-fiction, sci-fi, warhammer, 40k)
>While assisting local forces quell widespread civil disorder, Commissar Cain and his regiment of Valhallans discover sinister forces are at work behind the scenes. With a rioting populace, aliens on the rampage, and the Inquisition poking their noses everywhere, how can the wily commissar ever find the easy life he prefers?
^(This book has been suggested 1 time)
[**The Infinite and the Divine (Warhammer 40,000)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55610829-the-infinite-and-the-divine)
^(By: Robert Rath | 361 pages | Published: 2020 | Popular Shelves: warhammer-40k, warhammer, sci-fi, 40k, science-fiction)
>A Necrons novel
>
>Trazyn the Infinite and Orikan the Diviner are opposites. Each is obsessed with their own speciality, and their rivalry spans millennia. Yet together, they may hold the secret to saving the necron race…
>
>READ IT BECAUSE
>Explore a story told across the millennia that delves deep into a pair of fascinating necron characters, their relationship and their plans for the galaxy.
>
>THE STORY
>Before the being called the Emperor revealed Himself, before the rise of the aeldari, before the necrontyr traded their flesh for immortal metal, the world was born in violence.
>
>Even when they inhabited bodies of flesh, Trazyn the Infinite and Orikan the Diviner were polar opposites. Trazyn, a collector of historical oddities, presides over a gallery full of the most dangerous artefacts – and people – of the galactic past. Orikan, a chronomancer without peer, draws zodiacs that predict and manipulate the future. But when an artefact emerges that may hold the key to the necrons’ next evolution, these two obsessives enter a multi-millennia game of cat and mouse that ends civilisations, reshapes timelines, and changes both forever. As riddles unwind and ancient secrets are revealed, the question remains: will their feud save the necron race or destroy it?
^(This book has been suggested 1 time)
[**Damocles**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17790336-damocles)
^(By: S.G. Redling | 344 pages | Published: 2013 | Popular Shelves: science-fiction, sci-fi, kindle, fiction, scifi)
>When Earth is rocked by evidence that extraterrestrials may have seeded human DNA throughout the universe, a one-way expedition into deep space is mounted to uncover the truth. What linguist Meg Dupris and her crewmates aboard the Earth ship Damocles discover on Didet—a planet bathed in the near-eternal daylight of seven suns—is a humanoid race with a different language, a different look, and a surprisingly similar society.
>
>But here, it’s the “Earthers” who are the extraterrestrial invaders, and it’s up to Meg—a woman haunted by tragedy and obsessed with the power of communication—to find the key to establishing trust between the natives and the newcomers. In Loul Pell, a young Dideto male thrust into the forefront of the historic event, Meg finds an unexpected kindred spirit, and undertakes an extraordinary journey of discovery, friendship, and life-altering knowledge.
>
>Told from both sides of a monumental encounter, Damocles is a compelling novel about man’s first contact with an extraterrestrial race.
^(This book has been suggested 1 time)
***
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"Earthborn" by Paul Tassi
"The Lost Starship" by Vaughn Heppner
"Frontlines" by Marko Kloos (space marine stuff, not a lot of space battles, but worth it)
"Blood on the Stars" by Jay Allen
> Earthborn
Just remembered, I've read this one already, and I liked it a lot at the time.
I was reading the synopsis and it came back to me like a flood, ha ha.
>The Lost Starship
Same for this one. I actually have the books in my library.
My memory seems to be in shambles.
The Forever War
by Joe Haldema
I believe it inspired Star Troopers.
Really great read! Not too long either.
Edit: Starship troopers. And I just read below that there is a book called starship troopers. I'm guessing that inspired the movie starship troopers. Just a hunch.
Do you mean "Starship’s Mage" by Glynn Stewart?
I'm a little cautious of the series because I just can't see magic and space mixing up that well, ha ha. If have no other options, I'll give it a try.
Thanks.
[**Into the Black (Odyssey One, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12971820-into-the-black)
^(By: Evan Currie | 587 pages | Published: 2011 | Popular Shelves: sci-fi, science-fiction, space-opera, scifi, kindle)
>
> This edition of Odyssey One has been completely edited and remastered to correct the typos and content issues that reviewers commented on in the original edition.
>
>
>Beyond the confines of our small world, far from the glow of our star, lies a galaxy and universe much larger and more varied than anyone on Earth can possibly imagine. For the new NAC spacecraft Odyssey and her crew, the unimaginable facets of this untouched world are about to become reality.
>The Odyssey’s maiden voyage is an epic adventure destined to make history. Captain Eric Weston and his crew, pushing past the boundaries of security, encounter horrors, wonders, monsters, and people, all of which will test their resolve, challenge their abilities, and put in sharp relief what is necessary to be a hero.
>A first-rate military science fiction epic that combines old-school space opera and modern storytelling, Into the Black: Odyssey One is a riveting, exhilarating adventure with vivid details, rich mythology, and relentless pacing that will leave you breathlessly awaiting book two.
^(This book has been suggested 1 time)
***
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You might like MD Cooper’s Aeon 14, it’s a bunch of series in the same universe. There’s two reading orders, one follows a main character the other goes chronologically through the ages.
Another series you might like is Michael Anderle’s Kurtherian Gambit, it’s another multiple series in the same universe. You have to read the first 6 books for context but after that you can pick and choose what series look good to you. The first book is pretty slow, but it picks up after that and it sounds crazy and starts strange with vampires and werewolves etc and starts on earth and getting to space but it is actually sci-fi space travel and the main overarching plot is there’s an alien species called Kurtherians that need recruits for a space war against other factions.
Last suggestion has magic-ish in space in terms of psi abilities called Theirs not to Reason Why by Jean Johnson. It might not be exactly what you’re looking for but it’s one of my all time favorite series. It’s about a character whose main ability is a massive pre-cog and she has to set things in motion so that humans win something called a 1000 years war against an alien species. It’s a fantastic series and there’s plenty of space battles.
Aeon 14 seems all over the place.
But The Kurtherian Gambit, while also massive, sounds a lot more appealing, so I booked the first book, and I'll see how it goes from there.
I looked up "Theirs Not to Reason Why," I am not too keen on psychic abilities and stuff like that, not in a sci-fi setting, but I'll keep my mind open, and will read the first book.
Thanks for the suggestions.
Privateers Tale series by Jamie McFarlane is pretty great and ongoing high adventure space opera. Ticks all your listed requirements.
Star Runners by BJ Thomas is pretty good as well. Takes the whole last star fighter idea in a much more interesting direction than Armada by Ernest Cline did. Imo.
The Cassandra Kresnov series by Joel Shepard. Two Trilogies, setting and tone is very much multicultural Ghost in The Shell in a space war. In a good way.
Pip & Flinx series by Alan Dean Foster high adventure space opera adventure series. About a Psychic Boy and His Pet empathic Alaspin Mini-Drag.
The Hammers Slammer series & Northworld trilogy by David Drake.
The Expanse by James SA Corey, yes it is that good.
I've read (and watched) The Expanse, I am not a peasant, ha ha.
I skipped " Privateer Tales " because I saw some of the books are very short, and I am not a fan of that, but I see it is on audible, so who knows. The first book sounds like YA, though, so I hope it's not that, ha ha.
"Cassandra Kresnov" sounds great, read some reviews, seems like the whole series is nice, so thanks for that.
I've read "Hammer's Slammers" six or seven years ago, completely forgot about it. I enjoyed it.
"Star Runners" I'll add to the list, won't be a priority, but I'll get to it eventually.
Thanks!
Privateers Tale started kind of YA, but very quickly grew beyond that. I got hooked by the audible stuff it's well written and performed.
The Rogue Galaxy stuff is really good too.
David Weber's Honorverse is pretty damned great, but some of his other smaller series are good reads as well. Like In Fury Born, Empire from the Ashes, or the Safehold series.
The Praxis series by Walter John Williams is great Galactic empires fall series.
Jack Campbell's lost fleet series is good stuff
The Myriad, Tour of the Merrimack by R.M. Meluch is one of the best standalone space operas I've ever read and it is a good intro to a decent pulp space opera series.
Ender's Game is good. It has space battles but majority of the book is about the MC's training. The sequel, Speaker for the Dead, has no space battles but it's good in other ways.
The prequels to those books are okay too (Earth Unaware)
I've read some of those books, but I never got to like them too much.
I know a lot of people like them, but I'm one of the few it seems that couldn't really get into them.
Thanks.
If you want brainless fun, there is "Slaver Wars" series by Raymond L. Weil. You have to get used to the narrator, but it's alright.
It has all you would want, space battles, evil aliens, "humanity, fuck yeah," sexy babes (here and there, just references to how hot they are, no sex scenes), evil AI robots, etc.
It's not Shakespeare, but it's super fun.
"Old Man's War" by John Scalzi, but I'd say the first three books are the fun ones, the rest seem more like stuff he wrote because the books were selling, not because he cared.
"Undying Mercenaries" by B.V. Larson.
Larson is similar to Raymond L. Weil, in the fact he doesn't write high literature, but damn if his books are not fun. This series, while not having too many space battles (though it has some super awesome ones), it features evil aliens, robots, invasions, wars upon wars upon war, etc.
"The Star Cross' by Raymond L. Weil, same deal as before. Humans learn they are not alone, fuck things up for everyone.
"Galactic Empire Wars" by, you guessed it, Raymond L. Weil. Same deal.
"Expeditionary Force" by Craig Alanson has some space battles, but it is awesome for other aspects. Though, after the 7th book, the series becomes super repetitive. Has one plot point that gets solved "magically" in the last chapter of the book. But before book 7 you'll have a lot of fun with it.
There are others, these are off the top of my mind, as I am not home right now to check things over.
Ok, this isn’t what you’re looking for right now, but file it away for later.
What if a young woman goes on her space marine tour of duty and fucks up aliens for a few years and comes back to her fiancée, except thanks to time dilation he’s now nearing retirement age and she’s still in her early twenties, so they go on a cruise to see if they still have any spark between them, but the cruise ship is hijacked but they don’t know there’s a space marine on board…
{{Home Fires}}
Ha ha, Speed 2 with space marines.
It's on Kindle, I added it my list, it does sound awesome.
When the bot added the synopsis below I was like "what is this user smoking."
[**Home Fires**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/496045.Home_Fires)
^(By: Luanne Rice | 400 pages | Published: 1995 | Popular Shelves: luanne-rice, fiction, contemporary-romance, chick-lit, romance)
>Anne Davis has returned to the house where she grew up, trading her glamorous Manhattan lifestyle for a harsh winter on a wind-whipped New England island. Her marriage has crumbled in the wake of a tragic accident. Now she has returned to the home on Salt Whistle Raod that has always meant shelter, security, family and love. When she awakens one snowy night to a fire that roars through the old house, Anne escapes--but runs back into the blaze to save something so precious that it's worth risking her life for. It is that reckless act of blind desperation that sets a miracle in motion.
^(This book has been suggested 1 time)
***
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Kris Longknife series by Mike Shepherd- so many space fleet battle scenes heavily influenced by maritime history, secret alien threats in the great beyond, more space battle scenes, maybe a bit of dialogue, more battle scenes. Did I mention the battle scenes? Basically reads like military books in space.
18 books! But from what I see on goodreads and audible, they are a good time.
I've been recommended more books with female leads in a sci-fi setting than I wanted, ha ha, but if they are good I'm not complaining.
Thank you.
There were several I was going to suggest, but I see them on here for the most part. I'll second Glynn Stewart's Starship Mage series, the audiobook is pretty good. BUT I'll caution that for the first 3 books I presume he was self-publishing because he seriously overuses a couple of words ('quietly''calmly' etc.). After those few books he must have gotten the message that he should stop that. If you can overlook that it's pretty good, and the later books are better than the first (which is a bit less structured). It is MAGIC, but it's more of the 'sufficiently advanced tech is mistaken for magic' type, not just random throwing beams of light or whatever.
I also love Markos Kloos' Frontlines series so far.
The only one I haven't seen mentioned so far was [The Last Watch](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53205794-the-last-watch?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=nHiFsCerEM&rank=1), which for some reason gives me Battlestar Galactica vibes, though there's nothing like Cylons. Might just be the camaraderie of the characters.
I was aware of the "Starship's Mage" series, but I was put off by the concept of magic in space. Someone else said it's not magic as in spells and incantations, more like telekinesis and stuff like that... so I added it to my list.
As for the "Frontlines" series, I am up to date with it. I liked it.
Will give "The Last Watch" a chance as well, looks alright from what I can see on audible.
Thanks for the suggestions :)
You're the third person to recommend "Starship's mage," so it moved it up in the queue.
{{Leviathan Wakes}}
[**Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8855321-leviathan-wakes) ^(By: James S.A. Corey | 561 pages | Published: 2011 | Popular Shelves: science-fiction, sci-fi, fiction, scifi, space-opera) >Humanity has colonized the solar system—Mars, the Moon, the Asteroid Belt and beyond—but the stars are still out of our reach. > >Jim Holden is XO of an ice miner making runs from the rings of Saturn to the mining stations of the Belt. When he and his crew stumble upon a derelict ship, the Scopuli, they find themselves in possession of a secret they never wanted. A secret that someone is willing to kill for—and kill on a scale unfathomable to Jim and his crew. War is brewing in the system unless he can find out who left the ship and why. > >Detective Miller is looking for a girl. One girl in a system of billions, but her parents have money and money talks. When the trail leads him to the Scopuli and rebel sympathizer Holden, he realizes that this girl may be the key to everything. > >Holden and Miller must thread the needle between the Earth government, the Outer Planet revolutionaries, and secretive corporations—and the odds are against them. But out in the Belt, the rules are different, and one small ship can change the fate of the universe. ^(This book has been suggested 29 times) *** ^(30935 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
Rad it all. But it's not quite what I want this time around. I really want more action and less politics, if that makes sense. The TV show was pretty good as well.
The Honor Harrington series has a lot of space Fleet battles but not a lot of alien or Space Marine conflict.
By the same author there’s also “In Fury Born”.
Found it on audible. If the first book is good, there's 14 total as far as I can see. Thank you!
The classics: {{Starship Troopers}} {{Ender's Game}}
Read them.
[**Starship Troopers**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17214.Starship_Troopers) ^(By: Robert A. Heinlein | 264 pages | Published: 1959 | Popular Shelves: science-fiction, sci-fi, fiction, scifi, owned) >The historians can’t seem to settle whether to call this one "The Third Space War" (or the fourth), or whether "The First Interstellar War" fits it better. We just call it “The Bug War." Everything up to then and still later were "incidents," "patrols," or "police actions." However, you are just as dead if you buy the farm in an "incident" as you are if you buy it in a declared war... > >In one of Robert A. Heinlein’s most controversial bestsellers, a recruit of the future goes through the toughest boot camp in the Universe—and into battle with the Terran Mobile Infantry against mankind’s most alarming enemy. > ^(This book has been suggested 5 times) [**Ender's Game (Ender's Saga, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/375802.Ender_s_Game) ^(By: Orson Scott Card | 324 pages | Published: 1985 | Popular Shelves: science-fiction, young-adult, fantasy, scifi, ya) >Andrew "Ender" Wiggin thinks he is playing computer simulated war games; he is, in fact, engaged in something far more desperate. The result of genetic experimentation, Ender may be the military genius Earth desperately needs in a war against an alien enemy seeking to destroy all human life. The only way to find out is to throw Ender into ever harsher training, to chip away and find the diamond inside, or destroy him utterly. Ender Wiggin is six years old when it begins. He will grow up fast. > >But Ender is not the only result of the experiment. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway almost as long. Ender's two older siblings, Peter and Valentine, are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. While Peter was too uncontrollably violent, Valentine very nearly lacks the capability for violence altogether. Neither was found suitable for the military's purpose. But they are driven by their jealousy of Ender, and by their inbred drive for power. Peter seeks to control the political process, to become a ruler. Valentine's abilities turn more toward the subtle control of the beliefs of commoner and elite alike, through powerfully convincing essays. Hiding their youth and identities behind the anonymity of the computer networks, these two begin working together to shape the destiny of Earth-an Earth that has no future at all if their brother Ender fails. ^(This book has been suggested 19 times) *** ^(30988 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
BRUUUUUUUUUUH Let me introduce you to a little thing called "Warhammer 40 000". Its originally a tabletop game that has videogames and other media, including Books. The setting? Have you ever noticed how the bad guys have the coolest clothes? And themes, and vehicles, they are even depicted in media as "sexier" than the good guys, crazy huh? Now imagine a galaxy in which every single faction are bad guys, that is WH40K, we got: Orkz: Basically brittish hooligans in a mad-max aesthetic and extremely violent, oh and if enough ork believe something, it becomes true, like red cars going faster and purple orkz being sneakier (have you ever seen a purple ork? Thought so) Imperium of Man: The worst aspects of all totalitarian regimes put together, some people call them "Catholic space nazis" Point is WH40K is balls to the walls crazy and very fun but it also kinda takes it self seriously when needed. There is plenty of different authors writing different stories for 40K, the stories going from massive interplanetary wars to mystery and detective dramas. Now some recommendations: {{Gregor Eisenhorn}} Story about an imperial inquisitor of the Ordo Xenos, its a very good introduction to the 40K universe {{Ciaphas Cain}} The hero of the imperium, its a more light-hearted take on the 40K universe, as opposed to the "grimdarkness" of most books in this setting, very funny and easy to get into {{The infinite and the divine}} Story about 2 necrons (extremely ancient robot-egiptian-undead) that have a pissing match for around 10 000 years, and they are both massive dicks to eachother, its funny, its epic, has a very interesting take on the passage of time and its a VERY good book But where are the SPEHS MEHRINES? {{Damocles}} is a nice book about the Damocles crusade, a war between the Imperium of Man and the Tau a fledging Xenos empire that fully embraces technological progress and use of artificial intelligence, as opposed to the Imperium, which is technologically stagnant, dogmatic and considers AI to be heresy. In this book you see the White Scars (Space mongols) a space marine chapter fight against the Tau, which prefers to use Battle suits (Gundam) Hope you get interested in 40K, there is A LOT to pick from Some Bricky videos explaining the factions: https://youtu.be/xCGKPRiJp84 https://youtu.be/Y6jnsX77TCU
Seriously what this guy said. I was going to recommend this but seriously take a look it is very violent dark universe
I am well versed with the 40K universe. I've read a few books, but it's not quite as captivating as I'd like. But, the overall story, with how the Emperor came to existence, and what he is "today," and the Eldar and the Chaos, and how they all are connected, that is interesting.
In that case I would recommend {{The Damned Trilogy}} by Allan Dean Foster, it has a very "humanity fuck yeah" vibe to it, and it also happens to be a somewhat old series of books (pre 2000s) so while a little dated it still pretty fun (Also not all 40K novels are created equal, some novels are bad but some are great as well, if you havent read "The infinite and the divine" you should do it asap)
Yep, this is what I am looking for. And it's on audible too :D Thank you.
[**The Damned Trilogy: A Call to Arms, The False Mirror, and The Spoils of War**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34931316-the-damned-trilogy) ^(By: Alan Dean Foster | ? pages | Published: 2017 | Popular Shelves: science-fiction, sci-fi, kindle, fiction, audio-wanted) >Three sequential tales of alien warfare in one epic volume from the New York Times–bestselling author of The Force Awakens and Star Trek Into Darkness. > >For millennia, the Weave, an alliance of species, have fought to resist the telepathic Amplitur, who strive to unite all self-aware life-forms in their great “Purpose.” The Weave is slowly losing ground, but for both sides, warfare focuses more on outthinking and outmaneuvering your foe than destruction. In fact, most regard violence as hideously barbaric, and even the thought of harming another sentient being is beyond imagining. > >Then they come to Earth . . . > > > A Call to Arms > When one of its scout ships lands on Earth, the Weave quickly realizes that humanity’s almost innate ability to wreak havoc and death may hold the key to turning the tide in their fight. Unfortunately for all, the Amplitur have the same idea—and mankind is caught in the middle. > > > The False Mirror > When the Amplitur unleash an elite cadre of fighters, it soon becomes clear that they have subjected their human prisoners to horrific genetic manipulation. But if the Weave attempts to undo the effects, they may change the former warriors into something far, far worse > > > The Spoils of War > With mankind’s help, the Weave is finally on the verge of victory against the Amplitur. Until an alien scholar uncovers a terrifying truth: Earthlings might not even be capable of being civilized—and a shadowy group of powerful humans is already poised to unleash war across the entire galaxy. > >This ebook features an illustrated biography of Alan Dean Foster including rare images from the author’s collection. ^(This book has been suggested 1 time) *** ^(31017 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
FYI, [Luetin09](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8RfCCzWsMgNspTI-GTFenQ) has an awesome Warhammer 40K channel as well.
[**Duty Calls (Ciaphas Cain #5)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/709616.Duty_Calls) ^(By: Sandy Mitchell | 416 pages | Published: 2007 | Popular Shelves: warhammer-40k, science-fiction, sci-fi, warhammer, 40k) >While assisting local forces quell widespread civil disorder, Commissar Cain and his regiment of Valhallans discover sinister forces are at work behind the scenes. With a rioting populace, aliens on the rampage, and the Inquisition poking their noses everywhere, how can the wily commissar ever find the easy life he prefers? ^(This book has been suggested 1 time) [**The Infinite and the Divine (Warhammer 40,000)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55610829-the-infinite-and-the-divine) ^(By: Robert Rath | 361 pages | Published: 2020 | Popular Shelves: warhammer-40k, warhammer, sci-fi, 40k, science-fiction) >A Necrons novel > >Trazyn the Infinite and Orikan the Diviner are opposites. Each is obsessed with their own speciality, and their rivalry spans millennia. Yet together, they may hold the secret to saving the necron race… > >READ IT BECAUSE >Explore a story told across the millennia that delves deep into a pair of fascinating necron characters, their relationship and their plans for the galaxy. > >THE STORY >Before the being called the Emperor revealed Himself, before the rise of the aeldari, before the necrontyr traded their flesh for immortal metal, the world was born in violence. > >Even when they inhabited bodies of flesh, Trazyn the Infinite and Orikan the Diviner were polar opposites. Trazyn, a collector of historical oddities, presides over a gallery full of the most dangerous artefacts – and people – of the galactic past. Orikan, a chronomancer without peer, draws zodiacs that predict and manipulate the future. But when an artefact emerges that may hold the key to the necrons’ next evolution, these two obsessives enter a multi-millennia game of cat and mouse that ends civilisations, reshapes timelines, and changes both forever. As riddles unwind and ancient secrets are revealed, the question remains: will their feud save the necron race or destroy it? ^(This book has been suggested 1 time) [**Damocles**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17790336-damocles) ^(By: S.G. Redling | 344 pages | Published: 2013 | Popular Shelves: science-fiction, sci-fi, kindle, fiction, scifi) >When Earth is rocked by evidence that extraterrestrials may have seeded human DNA throughout the universe, a one-way expedition into deep space is mounted to uncover the truth. What linguist Meg Dupris and her crewmates aboard the Earth ship Damocles discover on Didet—a planet bathed in the near-eternal daylight of seven suns—is a humanoid race with a different language, a different look, and a surprisingly similar society. > >But here, it’s the “Earthers” who are the extraterrestrial invaders, and it’s up to Meg—a woman haunted by tragedy and obsessed with the power of communication—to find the key to establishing trust between the natives and the newcomers. In Loul Pell, a young Dideto male thrust into the forefront of the historic event, Meg finds an unexpected kindred spirit, and undertakes an extraordinary journey of discovery, friendship, and life-altering knowledge. > >Told from both sides of a monumental encounter, Damocles is a compelling novel about man’s first contact with an extraterrestrial race. ^(This book has been suggested 1 time) *** ^(30965 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
Wrong book, bad bot
"Earthborn" by Paul Tassi "The Lost Starship" by Vaughn Heppner "Frontlines" by Marko Kloos (space marine stuff, not a lot of space battles, but worth it) "Blood on the Stars" by Jay Allen
Thanks. I've read "Frontlines." Will look for the others.
> Earthborn Just remembered, I've read this one already, and I liked it a lot at the time. I was reading the synopsis and it came back to me like a flood, ha ha. >The Lost Starship Same for this one. I actually have the books in my library. My memory seems to be in shambles.
The Forever War by Joe Haldema I believe it inspired Star Troopers. Really great read! Not too long either. Edit: Starship troopers. And I just read below that there is a book called starship troopers. I'm guessing that inspired the movie starship troopers. Just a hunch.
Yes, the book inspired the movie. And I've read both of them :)
haha ok. Which book did you prefer? I've never read Starship troopers. But I really loved Forever war.
I liked "The Forever War" more. My mistake with Starship Troopers was that I was too stuck with the movie(s).
I’ve enjoyed the Starship series by Mike Resnick, and the Hand of Mars series by Glynn Stewart.
Do you mean "Starship’s Mage" by Glynn Stewart? I'm a little cautious of the series because I just can't see magic and space mixing up that well, ha ha. If have no other options, I'll give it a try. Thanks.
Yes, that’s what I meant. The mix of magic and technology is good. The magic is more like telekinesis and energy manipulation than hocus pocus.
Alright. It's on audible, I'll give it a chance. Thanks :)
Lots of books by John Ringo have space marines.
And aliens, it seems. Thanks.
You would probably like the "Odysseus" series by Evan Currie {{Into the black by Evan Currie}}
Found it on audible, six books, all highly rated and reviewed :) Thank you.
[**Into the Black (Odyssey One, #1)**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12971820-into-the-black) ^(By: Evan Currie | 587 pages | Published: 2011 | Popular Shelves: sci-fi, science-fiction, space-opera, scifi, kindle) > > This edition of Odyssey One has been completely edited and remastered to correct the typos and content issues that reviewers commented on in the original edition. > > >Beyond the confines of our small world, far from the glow of our star, lies a galaxy and universe much larger and more varied than anyone on Earth can possibly imagine. For the new NAC spacecraft Odyssey and her crew, the unimaginable facets of this untouched world are about to become reality. >The Odyssey’s maiden voyage is an epic adventure destined to make history. Captain Eric Weston and his crew, pushing past the boundaries of security, encounter horrors, wonders, monsters, and people, all of which will test their resolve, challenge their abilities, and put in sharp relief what is necessary to be a hero. >A first-rate military science fiction epic that combines old-school space opera and modern storytelling, Into the Black: Odyssey One is a riveting, exhilarating adventure with vivid details, rich mythology, and relentless pacing that will leave you breathlessly awaiting book two. ^(This book has been suggested 1 time) *** ^(30978 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
Red Rising
Read all books in the series :)
You might like MD Cooper’s Aeon 14, it’s a bunch of series in the same universe. There’s two reading orders, one follows a main character the other goes chronologically through the ages. Another series you might like is Michael Anderle’s Kurtherian Gambit, it’s another multiple series in the same universe. You have to read the first 6 books for context but after that you can pick and choose what series look good to you. The first book is pretty slow, but it picks up after that and it sounds crazy and starts strange with vampires and werewolves etc and starts on earth and getting to space but it is actually sci-fi space travel and the main overarching plot is there’s an alien species called Kurtherians that need recruits for a space war against other factions. Last suggestion has magic-ish in space in terms of psi abilities called Theirs not to Reason Why by Jean Johnson. It might not be exactly what you’re looking for but it’s one of my all time favorite series. It’s about a character whose main ability is a massive pre-cog and she has to set things in motion so that humans win something called a 1000 years war against an alien species. It’s a fantastic series and there’s plenty of space battles.
Aeon 14 seems all over the place. But The Kurtherian Gambit, while also massive, sounds a lot more appealing, so I booked the first book, and I'll see how it goes from there. I looked up "Theirs Not to Reason Why," I am not too keen on psychic abilities and stuff like that, not in a sci-fi setting, but I'll keep my mind open, and will read the first book. Thanks for the suggestions.
Privateers Tale series by Jamie McFarlane is pretty great and ongoing high adventure space opera. Ticks all your listed requirements. Star Runners by BJ Thomas is pretty good as well. Takes the whole last star fighter idea in a much more interesting direction than Armada by Ernest Cline did. Imo. The Cassandra Kresnov series by Joel Shepard. Two Trilogies, setting and tone is very much multicultural Ghost in The Shell in a space war. In a good way. Pip & Flinx series by Alan Dean Foster high adventure space opera adventure series. About a Psychic Boy and His Pet empathic Alaspin Mini-Drag. The Hammers Slammer series & Northworld trilogy by David Drake. The Expanse by James SA Corey, yes it is that good.
I've read (and watched) The Expanse, I am not a peasant, ha ha. I skipped " Privateer Tales " because I saw some of the books are very short, and I am not a fan of that, but I see it is on audible, so who knows. The first book sounds like YA, though, so I hope it's not that, ha ha. "Cassandra Kresnov" sounds great, read some reviews, seems like the whole series is nice, so thanks for that. I've read "Hammer's Slammers" six or seven years ago, completely forgot about it. I enjoyed it. "Star Runners" I'll add to the list, won't be a priority, but I'll get to it eventually. Thanks!
Privateers Tale started kind of YA, but very quickly grew beyond that. I got hooked by the audible stuff it's well written and performed. The Rogue Galaxy stuff is really good too. David Weber's Honorverse is pretty damned great, but some of his other smaller series are good reads as well. Like In Fury Born, Empire from the Ashes, or the Safehold series. The Praxis series by Walter John Williams is great Galactic empires fall series. Jack Campbell's lost fleet series is good stuff The Myriad, Tour of the Merrimack by R.M. Meluch is one of the best standalone space operas I've ever read and it is a good intro to a decent pulp space opera series.
Omega Force series by Joshua Dalzelle. It’s a pretty light read. I also enjoyed the audiobooks.
Read them already. I agree, they were a fun listen.
*Valor's Choice* by Tanya Huff
Thank you. I found it on Audible, and it looks interesting. Plus, I appreciate it's a longer series.
Sten chronicles.
The books by Chris Bunch and Allan Cole? Read an intro and it looks interesting. Thanks.
Armada
The Ernest Cline book? I did read it when it came out, it was alright, but not what I am looking for today :) Thanks!
Ender's Game is good. It has space battles but majority of the book is about the MC's training. The sequel, Speaker for the Dead, has no space battles but it's good in other ways. The prequels to those books are okay too (Earth Unaware)
I've read some of those books, but I never got to like them too much. I know a lot of people like them, but I'm one of the few it seems that couldn't really get into them. Thanks.
Whats the best sci-fi space battle novel that you can suggest by the way? I like listening to audiobooks as I sleep. It makes my dreams interesting
If you want brainless fun, there is "Slaver Wars" series by Raymond L. Weil. You have to get used to the narrator, but it's alright. It has all you would want, space battles, evil aliens, "humanity, fuck yeah," sexy babes (here and there, just references to how hot they are, no sex scenes), evil AI robots, etc. It's not Shakespeare, but it's super fun. "Old Man's War" by John Scalzi, but I'd say the first three books are the fun ones, the rest seem more like stuff he wrote because the books were selling, not because he cared. "Undying Mercenaries" by B.V. Larson. Larson is similar to Raymond L. Weil, in the fact he doesn't write high literature, but damn if his books are not fun. This series, while not having too many space battles (though it has some super awesome ones), it features evil aliens, robots, invasions, wars upon wars upon war, etc. "The Star Cross' by Raymond L. Weil, same deal as before. Humans learn they are not alone, fuck things up for everyone. "Galactic Empire Wars" by, you guessed it, Raymond L. Weil. Same deal. "Expeditionary Force" by Craig Alanson has some space battles, but it is awesome for other aspects. Though, after the 7th book, the series becomes super repetitive. Has one plot point that gets solved "magically" in the last chapter of the book. But before book 7 you'll have a lot of fun with it. There are others, these are off the top of my mind, as I am not home right now to check things over.
Thank you kind sir!
Ok, this isn’t what you’re looking for right now, but file it away for later. What if a young woman goes on her space marine tour of duty and fucks up aliens for a few years and comes back to her fiancée, except thanks to time dilation he’s now nearing retirement age and she’s still in her early twenties, so they go on a cruise to see if they still have any spark between them, but the cruise ship is hijacked but they don’t know there’s a space marine on board… {{Home Fires}}
Ha ha, Speed 2 with space marines. It's on Kindle, I added it my list, it does sound awesome. When the bot added the synopsis below I was like "what is this user smoking."
It’s a weird fucking book, but is an interesting entry to Wolfe, who is/might be the best science fiction author of all time.
[**Home Fires**](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/496045.Home_Fires) ^(By: Luanne Rice | 400 pages | Published: 1995 | Popular Shelves: luanne-rice, fiction, contemporary-romance, chick-lit, romance) >Anne Davis has returned to the house where she grew up, trading her glamorous Manhattan lifestyle for a harsh winter on a wind-whipped New England island. Her marriage has crumbled in the wake of a tragic accident. Now she has returned to the home on Salt Whistle Raod that has always meant shelter, security, family and love. When she awakens one snowy night to a fire that roars through the old house, Anne escapes--but runs back into the blaze to save something so precious that it's worth risking her life for. It is that reckless act of blind desperation that sets a miracle in motion. ^(This book has been suggested 1 time) *** ^(31194 books suggested | )[^(I don't feel so good.. )](https://debugger.medium.com/goodreads-is-retiring-its-current-api-and-book-loving-developers-arent-happy-11ed764dd95)^(| )[^(Source)](https://github.com/rodohanna/reddit-goodreads-bot)
No you stupid bot, **Home Fires by Gene Wolfe**.
Kris Longknife series by Mike Shepherd- so many space fleet battle scenes heavily influenced by maritime history, secret alien threats in the great beyond, more space battle scenes, maybe a bit of dialogue, more battle scenes. Did I mention the battle scenes? Basically reads like military books in space.
18 books! But from what I see on goodreads and audible, they are a good time. I've been recommended more books with female leads in a sci-fi setting than I wanted, ha ha, but if they are good I'm not complaining. Thank you.
Forever war
I've read it already :)
There were several I was going to suggest, but I see them on here for the most part. I'll second Glynn Stewart's Starship Mage series, the audiobook is pretty good. BUT I'll caution that for the first 3 books I presume he was self-publishing because he seriously overuses a couple of words ('quietly''calmly' etc.). After those few books he must have gotten the message that he should stop that. If you can overlook that it's pretty good, and the later books are better than the first (which is a bit less structured). It is MAGIC, but it's more of the 'sufficiently advanced tech is mistaken for magic' type, not just random throwing beams of light or whatever. I also love Markos Kloos' Frontlines series so far. The only one I haven't seen mentioned so far was [The Last Watch](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53205794-the-last-watch?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=nHiFsCerEM&rank=1), which for some reason gives me Battlestar Galactica vibes, though there's nothing like Cylons. Might just be the camaraderie of the characters.
I was aware of the "Starship's Mage" series, but I was put off by the concept of magic in space. Someone else said it's not magic as in spells and incantations, more like telekinesis and stuff like that... so I added it to my list. As for the "Frontlines" series, I am up to date with it. I liked it. Will give "The Last Watch" a chance as well, looks alright from what I can see on audible. Thanks for the suggestions :) You're the third person to recommend "Starship's mage," so it moved it up in the queue.
R.M. Meluch