"If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you're reading it in English, thank a soldier."
Nelson DeMille - "NightFall" - I guess it's nice of me to finally get around to one of our country's most popular authors. My favorite DeMille books are "The General's Daughter", "Up Country", and "NightFall". Although "Plum Island" fits in there too.
DeMille does not let you down. His characters are as good as those that Stuart Woods creates and DeMille gives you real full-length stories. His research is certainly some of the best around. "NighFall" has a detective looking into the conflicting stories about the explosion of TWA 800 in 1996. However, the book was written in 2004 and includes contemporary references and events. Very well done.
"The Rabbit Factory" by Marshall Karp.
Mr. Karp is a new writer for me, but I recommend this book for fans of cop murder mysteries. The author spent a lot of time on this text. There are tons of neat factoids and plenty of sardonic humor. There are enough "soft guy" insights to keep this from being strictly a "man's book". .. but it probably still more of a guy thing. Very well done and recommended without hesitation.
Barry Eisler -- "REQUIEM FOR AN ASSASSIN", "KILLING RAIN", "HARD RAIN", "RAIN FALL", "RAIN STORM" -- The author has a hero named "Rain". Get it? Despite the stretch over the name, these are good books. The author does excellent research on his settings and he keeps his main characters (paid assassins) "sensitive". Okay, it all sounds unlikely, but I'm telling you that the author will not disappoint you. These books are a great gift because your choice will look very smart! Pick any book and go out into the rain. "REQUIEM" is the latest!
John Mannock "Iron Coffin" and "Sen-Toku Raid" WWII fiction based on facts. Introducing a relatively new author who does his homework. John Mannock makes Larry Bond and many other popular authors look like the clowns they are. Mannock is very very good. His books include excellent character descriptions, realistic action, and excellent use of appropriate technology. I look forward to seeing new books from this excellent author.
W.E.B. Griffin -- Superb Books --
Read any of his books! Read all of his books! I re-read all of his books. My wife says, "You're going back to meet your old friends." Please read Griffin. You won't go wrong.
If you have served in the military, you will like the insight into the workings of the military system that this author (Griffin is a pseudonym) provides. A friend pointed out that as much as I like W.E.B. Griffin, I haven't made any specific recommendations. Okay, "By Order of the President" is very good. If you are over 45 years old or so and served in the military, then his "Brotherhood of War" series will keep you engaged. If you like cop stories, his "Badge of Honor" series is excellent.
I don't know how else to say it. Read them all, read them often. My highest recommendation to all of his books.
"They Are Soldiers" by Harold Coyle
I admit that I've given Harold Coyle less attention than he probably deserves. I stopped reading him because I thought he was frozen in the Cold War. Well, he is hot now!
"They Are Soldiers" is superb and timely. The setting is now. The premise is that the US is providing a buffer zone in Palestine. Active duty units are overloaded and the US activates a Virginia Army National Guard unit to do the job. Some regular officers augment the Guard and there are tensions. Of course, the mission turns out to be a lot more than "peacekeeping" and the Guardsmen do a great job.
Coyle does an excellent job with this story. Get the book and read it tonight and tomorrow. Very engaging and interesting. Now, I have to go back and read some of the more recent Coyle books I've been ignoring.
"State of Fear" by Michael Crichton
Michael Crichton is an eccentric and brilliant character. He is an interesting study all by himself. He has proven himself as a writer and producer, so he set out to do something different in this book. "State of Fear" is just a so-so story. I WANT you to read this book, but not because of the story line. In "State of Fear" Crichton weaves hard solid science with the fear mongering of "Global Warming." He literally takes the "Global Warming" hotheads to the woodshed and spanks them. Using a fictional story line to make it more interesting to neutral observers.
If you EVER had a thought about the balance between society and the environment, you should sit down with this book. It isn't a lecture or a tutorial. It is a fictional story based on sound facts. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED -- But be careful. IF you give it as a gift to someone who enjoys believing that the sky is falling and oceans are rising, they'll hate you for it.
Liars and Thieves by Stephen Coonts -- pure Technothriller. You gotta like Coonts. Ever since Day of the Intruder he has produced reliably enjoyable stories. He just about wore out his Jake Grafton character. Poor old Jake had a Naval career full of more unlikely adventure than James Bond. So in this book Coonts brings a background character into the primary role. It adds to the spice when the hero, Tommy Carmellini, is a quasi-criminal with interesting friends. This story has spies, action, mystery, and you get to learn something about locks. Recommended reading.
"The Prince of Beverly Hills" and "Reckless Abandon" by Stuart Woods. This prolific author is very popular and I can't think of a book of his I don't like.
More on Woods-- But in recent years Woods is maximizing profits. His latest books are printed in big font with wide line spacing. In other words, now he is giving us extended short stories instead of the real novels he used to produce like his "Chiefs".
Maybe Stuart Woods creates these short books as a result of focus group reporting and maybe it's the dumbing-down of America, but I'm jealous.
His latest books, like "Fresh Disasters" are good fast reads. Clearly, Woods recently learned to fly. I recognize the signs. So, to his credit, he gives his heroes planes and runways that make them all the more appealing.
More on Woods - "Reckless Abandon" combines two of the solid characters Woods has created for his books: Stone Barrington and Holly Baker. They work well together in a mature way. "Reckless Abandon" is a good detective story with high society, changes of scenery, a touch of sex, and some flying thrown in for good measure.
(Aside: I don't know how flying fits into the classic elements of a great story --God, sex, royalty/money, mystery-- but Woods knows and practices the basics with good skill)
"The Prince of Beverly Hills" has the same elements, but Woods changes the setting to just before WWII in Hollywood. The airplanes are there along with the glamour and mystery.
While I recommend any book by Stuart Woods you find no matter how old, military adventure readers will like "Deep Lie". It's a submarine story that never won much attention, but it's a guaranteed winning gift!
Stuart Woods -- enjoy!
Secret Sanction and Mortal Allies -- both by Brian Haig -- Military Mystery Fiction
Highly Recommended! Top of the stack! This author is the son of Al "I'm in charge here" Haig. Brian is a retired military officer and a darn good writer. He has an excellent hero.. an Army JAG officer.. great plots.. good mystery.. and lots of inside information. Fun to read. Immediate identification with the hero. Well done!
The Balance of Power and The Price of Power -- both by James W. Huston -- Military/Politico Fiction --
These aren't new books and they are both set in pre-911 times, but they are good and enjoyable reads. The author is both an ex-Navy fighter pilot and an attorney. He has fun digging into the law and the Constitution to setup some arcane, but interesting circumstances in Washington and then somehow working them out in legitimate military terms. His cleverness makes you chuckle. Not dumb shoot and toot, but rather good tight novel-length fiction with a decent military twist. Very enjoyable. Because they have been around for a while Amazon has them for pennies. Read them in order.
Trainman by P.T. Deuterman --Techno-fiction -- You don't hear this author's name much. His publisher can't seem to get him into the front ranks, but he belongs there. Darn, he's good! Trainman is an engrossing mystery about someone blowing up military trains and strategic bridges in the present-day US. The story is as detailed and as beautifully researched as Tom Clancy's books used to be. The author keeps the reader in the dark, runs two stories down two parallel tracks, and educates at the same time. You'll learn fascinating things about trains and the railroad system of the US. I note that Amazon has sources selling this book used for one dollar. You can't go wrong!
Sharpe's Escape by Bernard Cornwell -- Historical Fiction -- This is Cornwell's latest, it's set in Portugal in 1810, but you can start anywhere in the series of twenty+ books featuring Richard Sharpe. I'd recommend "Sharp's Tiger" as one of the earliest and best. When you read a Cornwell book you get a detailed lesson in the Napoleonic Wars complete with topography, movements, and details of problems in weather and logistics. Plus, you get a darn good action novel with some romance thrown in as a bonus. Yes, it's a stretch that Sharpe would have been at (and survived!) each of the battles, but it's a nice convention that works. Highly recommend for any military history buff. Always well done!
"The Command" by David Poyer. --Fiction-- An excellent book from an excellent author. Since he got over the "Crazy Ship Captain" fixation of his first few books, Poyer has done a great job. This book gives our hero, the long-suffering Daniel Lenson, command of a US Navy destroyer in the Persian Gulf. You'll learn about Arab society, about command, weapons, and lots of neat stuff. Top of the reading list for techno-thriller buffs. I highly recommend it!
"The Threat" by David Poyer -- New update! Poyer couldn't resist bringing in the the "crazy Captain theme in his latest book. I thought he was over it! Instead, poor Dan Lenson is now a tortured nut case. "The Threat" has an interesting setting and great detail, but then Poyer makes his best hero into a bumbling wacko. SHAME ON YOU Mr. Poyer! -- FJD
"Dark Zone" by Stephen Coonts Stephen is working hard. This book is part of a series called "Deep Black" that deals with a fantasy-land version of the NSA. It's almost Sci-Fi. Tom Clancy, who hasn't has a good book and a very long time, tried a series like this and it's awful. But Coonts caries it off. This book is not deep. It's useful as reading for long airplane rides and beaches. But, the politics and settings are current and realistic and the story hangs together even if the technology is Buck Rogers.
"The Last Days" by Joel C. Rosenberg -- Fiction It's difficult to find good political / action novels that have been written to include the events of 9/11/01. I don't really want to read things based on some alternate reality or on the realities before that date. Joel Rosenberg cut off time about a year after 9/11 and then moved forward with his own characters. He has a great deal of insight into the the situation between Israel and the Palestinians and he probably spends too much time explaining it all, but the book is both educational and entertaining. By the way, the only way he can solve the ancient conflict, even in fiction, is to have oil discovered under the sea fronting both territories. But, even then it isn't easy!
"Shadow Men" by Jonathan King -- Fiction- Police drama - action adventure - Mr. King is a writer for a S. Florida newspaper and sets many of his stories in the Florida Everglades. You get a dose of Florida history and natural history with every story. Well done. Highly recommended.
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.