Ep 017 "Military Science Fiction and the Profession of Arms"

"The noblest fate that a man can endure is to place his own mortal body between his loved home and the war's desolation."

Robert Heinlein, Starship Troopers

Effective 20 June 2025, I did a major improved revision on the sound quality for all my WarNotes episodes retroactively thanks to the technology at Podsworth.

I think the military science fiction milieu provides a great tool for forecasting and predicting possible conflict futures.

It may be yet another tool to take this magnificent US 20th century fighting machine and make it a peer combat competitor in the 21st century.

Speculative fiction provides a means to extrapolate what possible war futures are peering over the horizon.

Books:

Military Fiction

Eric Frank Russell The Wasp

Karl Marlantes Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War

James Jones From Here to Eternity

James Gould Cozzens Guard of Honor

Anton Myrer Once an Eagle

Paul Avallone Tattoo Zoo

Military Science Fiction

Michael Z. Williamson The Weapon (Freehold Series)

Joe Haldeman The Forever War (The Forever War Series)

Robert A. Heinlein Starship Troopers

Kali Altsoba Invasion!: The Orion War

Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven Legacy of Beowulf

Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven Footfall

Jerry Pournelle and SM Stirling West of Honor (CoDominium Future History Book 1)

Craig Dilouie Tooth and Nail

My Substack

Email at cgpodcast@pm.me