Hammer's Slammers

All of the Drake stuff is excellent! The best part is that most of the tech is very feasible stuff. For example, the Gerlich cone bore guns from The Forlorn Hope(and also a short story from the original Hammers Slammers) are real world. The German's fielded them in WWII, a 28/20mm gun would go through 65mm armour plate @ 500yds. This is as good or better than performance of 1990's weapons. The vast majority of the Drake universe is based on 20th century tech. My personal favorite is The Sharp End, and the character that some of you are talking about is Johahn Verziger, who is evidently a Joachim Steuben clone, or something along those lines. Semper Fi...Ken
 
Vierziger isn't a Steuben clone, he IS Steuben. In CROSS THE STARS Don Slade has an "encounter" with Steuben in hell. Steuben had been shot in the back by President Hammer. Doubtlessly because Steuben had become uncontrollable even by Hammer's standards.

In THE SHARP END Vierziger shares all of Steuben's skills and proclivities. He has an uncanny knowledge of the FDF TOE and operations data. The only differences are that Vierziger doesn't LOOK like Steuben and that Vierziger has a conscience. Throughout THE SHARP END Vierziger makes references to second chances, redemption, and damnation. The strong implication is that Steuben has been reincarnated as Vierziger, developed a conscience, and given an opportunity to atone for his previous redhanded life.

Some of Drake's military/supernatural stuff can be found reprinted in THE MILITARY DIMENSION MARK 2 for those of you unfortunate enough not a own a copy of FROM THE HEART OF DARKNESS. For a different look at the Arthurian legend read THE DRAGON LORD. Drake is co-authoring a series with Eric Flint detailing an alternate history of Byzantium. There are four books, AN OBLIQUE APPROACH, IN THE HEART OF DARKNESS, DESTINY'S SHIELD, and FORTUNE'S STROKE.

Drake is hands down my favorite author. A close second is Brian Lumley. It's funny that both started early in their careers writing Lovecraft pastiches but quickly found their own niches where they are far better writers.

My parents were fortunate enough to meet David Drake at an Annapolis bookstore. My hardback edition of LORD OF THE ISLES has been signed. Now for the other couple dozen books.
 
BTW, speaking of Flint, you should all check out 1632, a time travel novel by Eric Flint. Excellent book, very pro gun and pro America.
 
Dan Simmons is THE man. The Hyperion series is the best thing to come down the pipe since Frank Herbert's "Dune".


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Big Guns again
No speakee well
But plain.
--H.C
 
In my personal opinion, the best military SF ever was by Orson Scott Card: ENDER'S GAME.

The rest of that series was only so-so but Ender stands on it's own and stands TALL. It seriously affected my life: a real winner figures out what it'll take to win, and then does it regardless of cost or odds, if there's no other way to win.

Jim
 
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