Baen Authors

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Apache

That is why I listed The Empire of Man.
Apache

Another absolutely excellent collaborative work of his is "The Road to Damascus", which he wrote together with Linda Evans. It's a book in the "Bolo" universe. I really don't understand how an author can write such great books when he's working with another author, when his solo work does absolutely nothing for me.

[Abtacha]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Ringo's collaborations (especially the "Empire of Man" series) are good, but his standalone books are simply dreadful, IMHO. Unpleasant xenophobic ultra right-wing political propaganda.

I actually rather liked his Troy Rising series (Live Free or Die, Citadel, The Hot Gate) though your criticism partially holds true for those as well.

[Xanthe]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Another absolutely excellent collaborative work of his is "The Road to Damascus", which he wrote together with Linda Evans. It's a book in the "Bolo" universe. I really don't understand how an author can write such great books when he's working with another author, when his solo work does absolutely nothing for me.

His solo work reflects himself, I suppose, and his collaborative work reflects the story. It seems like he needs a co-author to rein in his excesses.

I agree that the "Ghost" series is basically a rape fantasy. It had some interesting plot lines but wherever he should have zigged, he zagged instead into male fantasy.

I read the first book in the "Troy Rising" series, but I tired quickly of his political preaching and never bothered with the subsequent books. I don't mind if authors hold a different political position than my own, I just dislike being hammered over the head with it.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Xanthe

I read the first book in the "Troy Rising" series, but I tired quickly of his political preaching and never bothered with the subsequent books.

That's my problem with his books - the endless political preaching. He's welcome to hold whatever views he wants personally, but leave it out of the books, please.

[cromag]

I haven't gotten "into" any of the newer works they've published, but I'm a huge fan of some older authors they carry -- especially Keith Laumer, A. Bertram Chandler, Fred Pohl, Poul Anderson, Brian W. Aldiss, Fritz Leiber, etc. In many cases they've made affordable bundles of their works.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by Xanthe

H
I read the first book in the "Troy Rising" series, but I tired quickly of his political preaching and never bothered with the subsequent books. I don't mind if authors hold a different political position than my own, I just dislike being hammered over the head with it.

Originally Posted by HarryT

That's my problem with his books - the endless political preaching. He's welcome to hold whatever views he wants personally, but leave it out of the books, please.

Yes. Leave the hammer at home, and write a good story.

[Waylander]

I had a look at the hammer's slammers series, which looks really cool. Lois Mcmaster Bujold's Vorkosigan saga also looks really good too. I like the of Zahn's cobra books, and Raj Whitehall by David Drake and S.M. Stirling looks epic. I found David Weber really boring, and hated John Ringo, along the lines of everyone else's protests, added to the fact that the actual writing itself stinks. Any other suggestion? I do like military sf, and fantasy. I do not like Elizabeth Moon's Paksenarrion books, as I just could not get into them. I do like other epic/military fantasy though.

[bill_mchale]

Originally Posted by Waylander

I had a look at the hammer's slammers series, which looks really cool. Lois Mcmaster Bujold's Vorkosigan saga also looks really good too. I like the of Zahn's cobra books, and Raj Whitehall by David Drake and S.M. Stirling looks epic. I found David Weber really boring, and hated John Ringo, along the lines of everyone else's protests, added to the fact that the actual writing itself stinks. Any other suggestion? I do like military sf, and fantasy. I do not like Elizabeth Moon's Paksenarrion books, as I just could not get into them. I do like other epic/military fantasy though.

Well earlier Jerry Pournelle was recommended; specifically you want to look at his Codominium books.

--
Bill

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by HarryT

That's my problem with his books - the endless political preaching. He's welcome to hold whatever views he wants personally, but leave it out of the books, please.

Stirling is another author who seems to be better with a co-author. There are a few of his solo books that I like, but others just don't do anything for me.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by bill_mchale

Well earlier Jerry Pournelle was recommended; specifically you want to look at his Codominium books.

--
Bill

Amen on that. Pournelle is one of my favored authors. His Codominium books have a very different feel than those he co-authored with Larry Niven. His Tran series is pretty interesting as well.

[bfisher]

If you like mil-fic/sci-fi, you might like Jerry Pournelle's "King David's Spaceship"; "March To The Sea" is like that in many ways.

http://www.baenebooks.com/p-575-king...spaceship.aspx

Baen has several Pournelle omnibuses:

CoDominium Future History Bundle (9 books for $36.00):
http://www.baenebooks.com/p-574-codo...ry-bundle.aspx

http://www.baenebooks.com/p-322-the-prince.aspx
4 books - a sweet deal for $5.00
"Publisher's Note: The Prince was previously published in four parts as Falkenberg's Legion and Prince of Mercenaries by Jerry Pournelle, and Go Tell the Spartans and Prince of Sparta by Jerry Pournelle and S.M. Stirling. This is the first complete edition."


Some of Stirling's best books are not published by Baen - the "Island In The Sea Of Time" series (published by Roc), "The Peshawar Lancers" and "Shikari In Galveston" (in "Worlds That Weren't")

Also, have you looked at the Lord Kalvan books. I haven't seen the original H.Beam Piper novel in ebook, but the Roland Green and John F. Carr successors are available at amazon.

[pwalker8]

The original Lord Kalvin book is not available in ebook.

Stirling's Island in the Sea of Time (which I like a lot) is available at Amazon.

[Apache]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

Stirling's Island in the Sea of Time (which I like a lot) is available at Amazon.

A great series. I keep hoping he will write a sequel to The Peshwar Lancers.
Apace

[bfisher]

There certainly seemed to be lots of material for a series. Perhaps he got too busy with the Emberverse. Pity, it was an excellent book. "Shikari In Galveston" (in "Worlds That Weren't") is set in the same universe.

[Waylander]

The Peshawar Lancers aren't available as ebooks in Britain, so I may have to make a quick trip to the good ol' USA to pick it up, as it looks really good. Thanks for the recommendations, and please keep them coming.