I plant things around this site that are great gifts (like the military web belts on the Home Page). This roll up tool bag is great for boaters, pilots, a guy with a truck, and anyone who might need some tools for basic repairs. The roll up bags keeps things organized and neat. All great guys need a couple of these!
AUTHORS I LIKE
I'm a writer, so I identify with writers. I tend to follow writers rather than book titles. My favorites tend to create historical fiction, military fiction, or Florida-based fiction (sometimes all three!). So, here in alphabetical order, are some writers I like:
David Baldacci: 4 Stars --Master of crime /conspiracy mystery. He seldom misses. "Saving Faith" is one of his best. Set in DC and full of double-dealing. Lots of action and suspense with good characters. A good read for any guy.
Dale Brown 3 Stars "Wings of Fire" "Plan of Attack" -- Very good military action adventure
James Cobb 3 Stars "Target Lock" "Sea Fighter" -- Military Action adventure -- Superb female military hero -- some sci fi techno aspects, but good technology. A guaranteed good read.
Bernard Cornwell 5 Stars Perhaps the best historical fiction author of our time. His books are fun and educational. Exciting and informative. The best. The "Sharp's" series is exceptionally good. The recent series set earlier in time is a little more difficult to read because of unfamiliar place names and confusing proper names. But, the author is being accurate!
PT Deutermann 5 Stars This author does NOT get the respect he deserves. He has so many different works and themes that his total work is amazing. He writes about commercial divers, Navy ships, spies, and other very different topics. "Trainman" is something a little different. Really a superb author.
Michael Dimercurio 3 Stars -- You gotta love submarine action stories. Some his story lines are a bit tortured (US Sub lifted out of the water by Chinese tugs -- totally helpless... good grief), but he puts together a good story with excellent technical accuracy. The steady master of exciting submarine stories.
Barry Eisler 4.8 Stars -- This writer does outstanding research. His stories have great settings and interesting characters. Think James Bond meets Travis McGee. Recommended!
Vince Flynn -- 4 Stars -- perhaps he gets a little more respect than he deserves. He isn't nearly the writer that PT Deutermann is, but Vince Flynn provides steady and reliable reading enjoyment. Usually set in Washington DC and concerned with treason, conspiracy, etc. A safe buy.
WEB Griffin 5 Plus Stars -- My highest rating. Military fiction. Like many authors, his more recent books have thin plots. His earlier "Brotherhood of War" or "Badge of Honor" series are superb and highly recommended. "The Hostage" is a relatively recent book that is a very good read.
Brian Haig is another of my five star favorites. His books are primarily set in tyhe modern US Army, but they involve spies, corporate intrigue, and lots of Army politics. Haig is the real thing. A retired Army JAG officer and the son of the former SecState. Highly recommended.
Alexander Kent -- 4 Stars -- Second only to Patrick O'Brian for good readable sea stories about the British Navy. If O'Brian didn't exist, then we would be hailing Kent as the supreme master. Jolly good stuff and very enjoyable.
Patrick O'Brian -- 5 Stars-- Highest Rating Now that "Master and Commander" was made into a movie, the secret is out. Mr. O'Brian died not too long ago. A shame for all of us who have read everything he wrote and were hoping for more! Oh well, we can just read his books over and over. O'Brian is THE master of great British Navy sea tales. Fun, exciting, informative, and historically accurate. You'll learn about people, places, food, and battles. Guaranteed not to disappoint.
David Poyer 4 to 5 Stars -- In his early books, Mr. Poyer was hung up on crazy US Navy ship captains. One suspects a personal trauma in his own early Navy years. Now, there is no better writer in the area of contemporary US Navy action. Poyer also does a suprisingly excellent job of writing stories about the US colonial years. Bucking the trend, this author's later books are better than his earlier books.
Randy Wayne White -- 5 Stars -- Any RWW book is highly recommended -- particularly if you know anything about Florida! The best since -- and perhaps as good as -- John D. MacDonald. (If you don't know who that is, then go get any of John D's books and read it. -- keeping in mind that they were written and set in the 50's and 60's.) If your guy likes boats, water, and mystery, he'll like RWW.
Stuart Woods -- 4.7 Stars -- The man gets the credit he deserves. His early books were real novels (e.g. "Chiefs"). His more recent books are fast and enjoyable stories. You can tell that Woods learned to fly late in life (like me.) He manages to mention or feature aviation in many of his stories. The "Orchid Beach" series is particularly good. Woods always produces a good dependably enjoyable story.
You are always responsible for your own safety and actions. Florida is a great place to fly, but there are hazards as different as 1000 foot+ plus antenna towers (a LOT of them!), birds, high winds, poor horizontal visibiity, thunderstorms that come out of nowhere, and many other airplanes. The information on this site reflects the impressions and opinions of the author and is not guaranteed to be correct when you read it or when you use it. Nothing can substitute for planning using information from official sources. All articles copyright Frank J. Derfler 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and may not be used without proper attribution.