The best military science fiction is built on great stories of soldiers, marines, sailors, and those that lead them.

The key element is the theme of military service. This could be for honor, for money, for glory, or just to save their own skin. But by the end of these books you’re guaranteed a great read, some awesome battles, and a fantastic way to spend the evening.

This list is not organized by popularity, rank, or even alphabetical. See something I missed? Leave a comment, I’d love to add more to my reading list.

Terms of Enlistment – Markos Kloos

Terms of Enlistment follows a young man who enlists in order to escape the poverty on Earth. Marko does a great job painting a world that isn’t cut from the same cloth as most, but could be a more realistic version of our own. Humanity isn’t united. Everything isn’t rosy. And of course, wars are to be fought.

Leviathan Wakes – James SA Corey

One part police procedural, one part alien invasion, one part fleet battle. The solar system has been colonized and then something was discovered. Nefarious forces that be release an alien supervirus into the population. Eventually the story wraps up a police detective on Ceres, an ice freighter crew, and a few nasty corporations and militaries.

Dauntless – Jack Campbell

So the wars not going so hot, and you happen to stumble upon a 100 year old escape capsule that contains the legendary John “Black Jack” Geary. Problem solved right? Let him lead the navy, sucker punch the bad guys, and storm home! Not quite… Geary has to resurrect a destroyed and demoralized navy all while coming to grips with his own life.

The Warrior’s Apprentice – Lois McMcaster Bujold

Toss an angsty teenager with too much money and time into an interstellar conflict. Then mix in a unique culture that he doesn’t fit into. You see Miles is as fragile as glass and can’t fight like your regular teenager. So instead he’s forced to use his mind, his will, and his charisma.

Empire of Man – David Weber and John Ringo

Remember when Metallica and Megadeth went on concert for like, 3 shows? John Ringo and David Drake is basically that in the military science fiction world. Both of these guys are big names. The story is about a fairly worthless young royal who makes his way across a hostile planet (with a bunch of Imperial Marines) and comes into his own. To top it all off, when he finally does escape, things get really interesting.

Swarm – BV Larson

So you had a bad day? Picked up by a starship, tested by aliens, the weak ones are murdered, and then to make matters worse… You pass all the tests. Well bummer, because the aliens see Earth as a two bit shithole and they’re taking over. If you like getting wrapped up in a massive storyline, check it out.

Poor Man’s Fight – Elliott Kay

And you thought your student loans were bad. Tanner graduates from his corporate “sponsored” education with a pile of debt and not much for prospects. So what better thing to do than enlist. What can go wrong right?

Gaunts Ghosts : The Founding – Dan Abnett

Warhammer books get a bad rap. Some of them are bad. Really bad. Dan Abnett does a fantastic job laying out a great story while also bringing the 40k universe to life. First they lose their planet, then they get Gaunt, a man most of them hate, and finally they have to fight, virtually forever. Well worth the read. (Note-There is no Kindle version, this link is to the paperback)

Forever War – Joe Haldeman

A bunch of elite recruits, the best humanity has, sets off to fight the first interstellar war. William Mandela returns to elderly parents and a world that is fundamentally different. Then he sets out again to the only thing he knows and understands. War. Watch humanity change through the eons as William remains the same.

Old Mans War – John Scalzi

One of the best on this entire list. John Perry, a geriatric with a contract, enlists in the Colonial Defense Force when he turns 65. Only then do they learn the truth about the real universe. Add in genetic manipulation, a set of cats eyes, alien genes, and a whole universe waiting to brawl.

Armor – John Steakley

Felix.

You’ll feel his pain as he fights in a war with no point and no end. He suffers. Fights. Suffers more. Loses everything. And only then do you realize the scope of the story.

A book that deserved to be a series, but sadly John passed away in 2010

Starship Troopers – Robert Heinlein

Both an amazing story and an interesting critique on politics. I know some of you are frothing at the mouth about why this isn’t #1. The story is great, the politics are dated. You can read it today and remember that when it was written WW2 was a brief memory away and the cold war was in full swing. While the politics aren’t timeless, the story is. Check it out.

Ender’s Game – Orson Scott Card

This is an example of an amazing story turned into a mediocre movie. Ignore the movie. If you’ve watched it, wipe it from your mind. You follow Ender as he struggles to understand that he is the ultimate commander that will destroy an entire race. All the while he’s still just an 8 year old boy.

Frontiers Saga – Ryk Brown

The first novel is a 14 book series. A biodigital virus wipes out 90% of humanity. Those that are left have to rebuild and eventually reach out to the stars. Then our protagonists suddenly find themselves in command of the Aurora, the first FTL ship in a very long time.

A Hymn Before Battle – John Ringo

Don’t judge this one by the cover. Nothing like a laser beam pointing right back at your underarmored torso to keep the day interesting. The story really is great as mankind is thrust in a war with the Posleen. The mysterious Galactics come and provide information and technology and, of course, guess who does the fighting?

On Basilisk Station – David Weber

Honor Harrington makes her debut in On Basilisk Station. First in the Honorverse, a massive storyline. We follow Honor as she gets her first command, the Fearless, and manages to get stuck into a galactic backwater. Then she’s promptly caught between a bunch of conniving politicians and the real enemy.

Hammers Slammers – David Drake

Mercenary tanks? Sign me up! We follow Colonel Alois Hammer as he forms up the Slammers and takes them on a few adventures. All of this wraps into the Hammerverse, where these hover craft tank driving mercs make their mark.

In Fury Born – David Weber

This is David Weber’s other female protagonist. Alicia DeVries is a genius, world class athlete and soon to be marine. Eventually she’s promoted to the cadre where service is forever and the outlook isn’t good. Then she goes insane, or so everyone thinks, and then the story gets good.

Live Free or Die – John Ringo

Ignore the politics and you’ve got a good story. The set up is a stargate suddenly appears and eventually Earth is enslaved. Then comes the maple syrup… which leads to freedom. It’s a fun read with a libertarian tilt to it.

All You Need is Kill – Hiroshi Sakurazaka

Groundhog day with guns. The original manga (Japanese comic book) was the inspiration for the Tom Cruise film Edge of Tomorrow. Keiji is forced to live, fight, die, and do it all over again until he gets it right. An interesting departure from the normal US centered combat view.

Slaughterhouse Five – Kurt Vonnegut

Now for something completely different. A classic that is almost indescribable. If you’ve never read any of Vonnegut you’re in for a real surprise. Non-linear, quirky, completely original. There’s nothing like it, nor will their be anything like it ever again.

Battle Cruiser – BV Larson

Earth is cut off from her colonies for an entire century. Then, instead of being the liberators and saviors, they discover the universe has changed. The lost colonies not only survived, but they flourished and it’s not off to a good start. Another great book from BV Larson.

The Forge of God – Greg Bear

So we got bad news. In this story Earth doesn’t make it, though the species does manage to survive. In this tale you get to watch that whole debacle unfold. A different take on the mil scifi and a refreshing read.

Mote in Gods Eye – Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven

The moties are coming! After a nasty civil war space is finally coming together and then an alien arrives. Alone. A single fleet heads out to the alien planet. Everything looks amazing, until they discover that the aliens have one rather nasty little secret that even they can’t control.

Death’s Head – David Gunn

Sven is a bad ass. Sentenced to die, he’s instead drafted and turned into an enforcer for an evil empire. Except Sven isn’t all that good of a guy, in fact he’s an ideal assassin. Eventually he’s caught up in a disaster and chooses to strike back at those who framed him.

Use of Weapons – Iain Banks

Actually the third novel in the Culture series, but widely considered the best. In a universe where you have everything, what purpose is left? Simply to enforce your ideals on lesser races and eventually give them everything, regardless of the price to do so.

The Traitor Baru Cormorant – Seth Dickinson

Seth Dickinson was one of the writers for the video game Destiny and penned some of the best fluff in the entire game. This is a dark book with a dark end. The writing and plot are both exceptional, you’ll get dragged into the story and it’s unlike any other.

Legion of the Damned – William Dietz

The first in a recently completed 11 book series. We get to follow the missions of the Legion, humans interred in cybernetic bodies, as they fight against the militaristic Hudathan empire.

Dune – Frank Hebert

Man is addicted to spice. He who controls the spice, controls the universe. A sweeping saga of nobility, betrayal, redemption, and in the end, madness. The opening scene to a jihad that makes the entire universe burn.

Startide Rising – David Brin

The second book of the Uplift Series won both the Hugo, and Nebula, awards. A starship filled with sentient dolphins, humans, and a sentient chimpanzee discover an ancient fleet of 50,000 starships. Then, of course, everyone wants to know where that treasure heap is! Throw in some racial tensions, a bit of betrayal, and a rich backstory and you’ve got one hell of a novel.

Semper Mars – Ian Douglas

In the not so distant future the UN and US go to war, and part of the battles are fought in space and on Mars. The Marines stationed on Mars perform an epic march and assault the UN base using, of all things, smuggled beer. This is the first in a long series of Ian’s space marine stories.

The Long Watch – Robert Heinlein

This is the shortest story in the entire list, but one that still gives me goosebumps. It’s a story of duty, and the real price that comes from truly performing it. Sometimes you must sacrifice it all to save everything.

Empire Corps – Chris Nuttall

The Empire is falling. Not a particular good time to be honest about the outlook, especially to your boss. Well, that’s exactly what happens and Captain Stalker and his Marines get sent to a cozy post in the middle of nowhere. And that’s where the excitement begins. Because hey, what can go wrong? It’s just the end of the Empire right? This is the first in an 11 book series.

Ark Royal – Chris Nuttall

The aliens finally arrive, and they mean business. One problem, all you have left to defend Earth is an old starship and a drunk to command it. It doesn’t break any ground into philosophy or politics, this book is about action and a fast paced story.

Lost Starship – Vaughn Heppner

Humanity is about to fall and be replaced by the New Men. Captain Maddox of the Star Watch sets out with a ragtag crew in hopes of chasing a legend. Somewhere, there might be an ancient alien ship that could save mankind. But first he has to find it.

To Honor You Call Us – H Paul Honsinger

A Hornblower in space sort of tale with believable tactics and characters. If you’re a fan of O’Brians Master and Commander series or the tales of CS Forester you’ll like this. Max Robichaux is handed command of a stealth cruiser and sent out to raid, only then does he discover that his ship is the only thing saving humanity from total defeat.

Warship – Joshua Dalzelle

Jackson Wolfe has command of an amazing starship, except it’s out of date and part of a navy that’s falling apart. No one sees the need and it’s the last thing that could hold humanity together. Except no one sees the point. That is until the aliens show up.

Starship Eternal – M.R. Forbes

Captain Williams is a hero of the space marines, the kind of guy everyone wants for a commander. Dashing, brave, smart. Then he’s shot by an assassin and critically wounded. To top it off the hallucinations start, except they might be real and warning him of a terrible threat.

The Atlantis Ship – A.C. Hadfield

Yes, we have another lost ship novel. But hey, what can I say, they are fun stories. Carson Mach is on the path of the Atlantis ship, a legendary ghost ship. Then it shows up and obliterates an entire space station. Now his mission is even more critical, because if he can’t stop it that ship might just be the end of all humanity.

Constitution – Nick Webb

Constitution won’t break any ground or explore intimate alien cultures. But it will give you a great story with a truly kick ass crew. Mankind got his ass kicked, recovered, thought he was ready, and like that boxer who comes back… he gets his ass kicked again. But in this case the USS Constitution is the last boxer standing, and it’s not going down without a fight.

Heir to the Empire – Timothy Zahn

Long before Jar-Jar Binks and far before Episode VII. This series was what Star Wars Nerds had to work with. Timothy Zahn spun a tale of what would have happened when a massive empire falls. It wrapped up all the characters we cared about and added a blue skinned alien who aimed to be the next Emperor. This is the story that should have been Episode VII. I’m still holding out to see Thrawn in a preview…

The Moon is a Harsh Mistress – Heinlein

Heinlein’s tale of freedom, war, and an artificial intelligence like no other. Of all the characters Mike sticks with me the most as he’s almost like a child that knows his strength. Luna wants freedom, and must fight for it. But the only thing they have to fight with is rocks. But luckily they sit on top of a gravity well and they have lots of rocks.

Calibans War – S.A. Corey

The sequel to Leviathan awakes. Venus is now a bubbling brew of proto-alien goo that’s about to spread into space. On Earth interstellar war looks imminent while Mars runs into an alien super soldier. James Holden, the guy who did the right thing in Leviathan Wakes, must now take his ship and hope to prevent an alien invasion.

Fortune’s Pawn – Rachel Bach

Rachel Bach cut her teeth writing the Legend of Eli Monpress before moving over to Science Fiction. This tale follows Devi Morris, a bad ass mercenary as she signs on to the crew of the Glorious Fool.

Bolo Novels

Super heavy tanks powered by artificial intelligences. Super heavy doesn’t quite describe it, they are the size of a few city blocks and pack more firepower than a third world country.

Scrapyard Ship – Mark Wayne McGinnis

Why yes, that is a junked out school bus with a spaceship blasting off behind it. First Lt. Commander Reynolds gets himself in a bit of trouble that leads to him wearing a tether… then he stumbles on an ancient starship in an aquifer under his grandfathers junkyard. Once he discovers a terrible threat to earth he links up with his SEAL buddies and sets out solve the problem.

Omega Force – Joshua Dalzelle

Before Josh wrote Warship we penned Omega Force. Here we follow Jason Burke when he’s suddenly thrown into a world of interstellar crime and conspiracies. Luckily along the way he makes a few friends and eventually they make up the Omega Force.

Synchronicity War – Dietmar Wehr

Everything is going fine exploring space until we run into those horribly xenophobic aliens that are quite keen in killing everything in sight. Then one man starts having premonitions about how to win the war, except he can’t control when he has them. But even knowing the future, it might not be enough to win the war.