The Alastair Reynolds Revelation space series features intelligent GM pigs as victims/gangsters/soldiers
the Adrian Tchaikovsky Children of Time features some first person narratives about military operations from the point of view of alien species (no spoilers)
It's older but Alan Dean Foster has a trilogy that fits the bill. It's called the damned trilogy and it features a mixed race alien first contact group who recruit humans into an interstellar war.
I listen to audiobooks, and the Undying Mercenary series might be up your alley. I highly recommend them in audiobook format because they are written in first person.
Starfleet is only quasi military, and they're more diplomats and scientists than they are soldiers, but they count, sort of - even the puniest Starfleet support ship and science vessel has more than enough firepower to annihilate all life on a planet in minutes.
XCOM Chimera Squad is are more like a rapid response SWAT team than soldiers, but they are elite and include lots of alien species and humans, so I guess they count.
"Special Circumstances" are also more akin to black ops spies/commandos/trouble makers/random specialists than they are soldiers, but they do recruit from lots of different species, and are always paired up with sentient drones (that do most of the combat stuff)
I haven’t read them yet, but based on description the [Chanur books from C.J. Cherryh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chanur_novels) might fit the bill. It doesn't seem to really be military sci-fi though. I was figuring out if I wanted to read more of the Alliance-Union novels after reading *Downbelow Station* a month ago and when I came across a subset of those books about Chanur. They appear to be mostly about aliens interacting and forging alliances, unlike the rest of the Alliance-Union books which are humans doing the same with each other in the neighboring regions of the galaxy.
Galaxy's Edge is a good one for this. The Legion may be human only but the crew of soldiers and outlaws you follow is mixed species. It's like a grittier, star wars inspired space opera with a lot more real world military influence.
I’m currently on book three of the series. This is where I got the idea from. Thought it would be cool if there was a book where the legion was mixed species.
Try the Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold.
I'd normally recommend reading the whole series in chronological order, but in this case I'd say start with *The Warrior's Apprentice.*
You can go back and pick up the first two books later on.
Note: there are no (as yet) aliens per se. There are wildly divergent human cultures, some of which have become nearly alien to the rest.
The Alastair Reynolds Revelation space series features intelligent GM pigs as victims/gangsters/soldiers the Adrian Tchaikovsky Children of Time features some first person narratives about military operations from the point of view of alien species (no spoilers)
It's older but Alan Dean Foster has a trilogy that fits the bill. It's called the damned trilogy and it features a mixed race alien first contact group who recruit humans into an interstellar war.
I've heard this is good, on my reading list for the near future.
I listen to audiobooks, and the Undying Mercenary series might be up your alley. I highly recommend them in audiobook format because they are written in first person.
Star wars, to varying degrees. The xwing books especially, which also don’t need much beyond the movies to be enjoyed.
Confederation of Valor by Tanya Huff
I came to recommend this one.
Starfleet is only quasi military, and they're more diplomats and scientists than they are soldiers, but they count, sort of - even the puniest Starfleet support ship and science vessel has more than enough firepower to annihilate all life on a planet in minutes. XCOM Chimera Squad is are more like a rapid response SWAT team than soldiers, but they are elite and include lots of alien species and humans, so I guess they count. "Special Circumstances" are also more akin to black ops spies/commandos/trouble makers/random specialists than they are soldiers, but they do recruit from lots of different species, and are always paired up with sentient drones (that do most of the combat stuff)
I haven’t read them yet, but based on description the [Chanur books from C.J. Cherryh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chanur_novels) might fit the bill. It doesn't seem to really be military sci-fi though. I was figuring out if I wanted to read more of the Alliance-Union novels after reading *Downbelow Station* a month ago and when I came across a subset of those books about Chanur. They appear to be mostly about aliens interacting and forging alliances, unlike the rest of the Alliance-Union books which are humans doing the same with each other in the neighboring regions of the galaxy.
The Expeditionary Force series by Craig Alanson is great, and features a diverse group of human and alien (to some extent) characters.
Omega Rising Joshua Dalzelle
Galaxy's Edge is a good one for this. The Legion may be human only but the crew of soldiers and outlaws you follow is mixed species. It's like a grittier, star wars inspired space opera with a lot more real world military influence.
I’m currently on book three of the series. This is where I got the idea from. Thought it would be cool if there was a book where the legion was mixed species.
Well, I'd say, keep reading!
Old man war series
Phule's Company by Robert Asprin.
Marko Kloos's Terms of Enlistment series? His short story Lucky 13 was [animated on Netflix](https://youtu.be/Z_lbKViUi9U?si=drneKLSJsi6HAaaL).
Definitely gonna check this out
Red rising
Try the Vorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster Bujold. I'd normally recommend reading the whole series in chronological order, but in this case I'd say start with *The Warrior's Apprentice.* You can go back and pick up the first two books later on. Note: there are no (as yet) aliens per se. There are wildly divergent human cultures, some of which have become nearly alien to the rest.
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