The Book Topic.

[Gern]

I just gotta add a couple of fiction stories from my collection:

The Bone Collectors - Brian Callison. A story of the Russian convoys.
The Rhinemann Exchange - Robert Ludlum. Political skullduggery at its worst.

[Tim Marlow]

….and this series is superb….they are so well written it’s like you live through every one….

The film is great, but is based on the characters and settings, not any of the books…..

[Ian M]

The only war novel I recall ever reading was:
Adolph Hitler and my part in his downfall by Spike Milligan. Maybe not the kind of thing most are after but bloody funny.

[Dave Ward]

….and this series is superb….they are so well written it’s like you live through every one….
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The film is great, but is based on the characters and settings, not any of the books…..

A latecomer! I read the CS Forester Hornblower series when I was at grammar school in the 60's, didn't pick up on P O'B until the 2000s! ( after rejecting the Bolitho series by Alexander Kent as too contrived & derivative ) .
Dave

[BarryW]

I tend to prefer historical war fiction myself with my favourite book ‘series’ being the Sharp novels by Bernard Cornwall (also made into a very good tv series) and the Alexander Kent Bolitho books and I have read all the books in both series in order at least three times.

Dave: I did not get on that well with Hornblower and while POB were good I much preferred AK. Funnily enough I also read some of the Ramage series and dismisses them for exactly the same reason you dismissed AK.

Other war based fiction books I loved include
The Five Fingers by Gayle Rivers and James Hudson, a brilliant Vietnam war book. The Third World War by General Sir John Hackett a scaringly realistic novel by someone who knew what he was talking about. The Fighters by Colin Willock a brilliant novel of the air war in WW2 from both the German and British perspectives. It covers from pre-war period when the two central figures, one British and one German met, to the end of the war. Finally Man of War by John Masters, based on the Dunkirk campaign in 1940.

I am not sure if this counts as a war book but Tom Clancy’s Hunt for Red October is one of my all time favourites along with the rest of TC’s Ryan books.

Speaking of Tom Clancy he wrote a superb stand-alone novel that is much overlooked, Red Storm Rising, one of my Clancy favourites.

[Tim Marlow]

A latecomer! I read the CS Forester Hornblower series when I was at grammar school in the 60's, didn't pick up on P O'B until the 2000s! ( after rejecting the Bolitho series by Alexander Kent as too contrived & derivative ) .
Dave

I’ve read all three series Dave, and O’Brian is the master. I read Forester first, then Kent, and many years later O’Brian.
Forester was first, granted, but his books are not as well written or researched, and Hornblower seems to spend most of the time ashore…..
Bolitho was instantly forgettable as you say…..
Aubrey is the most believable creation of the three.

[minitnkr]

My son and I went through The Five Fingers so many times the book fell apart. We've loaned out a couple copies as well. Fields of Fire also a good VN. Have to agree Red Storm Rising was a sleeper. Read the Hornblower series in grammar school & again in college. Agree w/opinion on Sharpe. Big Boy Rules and Warrior Police are pretty good Iraq.

[Guest]

A latecomer! I read the CS Forester Hornblower series when I was at grammar school in the 60's, didn't pick up on P O'B until the 2000s! ( after rejecting the Bolitho series by Alexander Kent as too contrived & derivative ) .
Dave

About the same Dave. Found them that age very enjoyable. Prior to that it was Biggles with Algy & Snowy. Probably 13 when I read the lot..

Prior to that, near off topic, waiting Friday morning for the Eagle to pop thro. the letter box. Dan Dare.

Laurie

[Dave Ward]

Biggles with Algy & Snowy.

Now, Now, Laurie, it was Algy and Ginger! Wasn't TinTin's dog called Snowy?
Tom Clancy's books have dated very quickly, and are weird to read now.
One very tatty book on my shelf is 'Tiger Squadron' by Ira Jones - the story of 74 squadron in WWI & II. Ira Jones was high on the list of WWI British Aces, 37 kills in 3 months! He also flew briefly on operations in WWII. I picked it up at a jumble sale when I was a kid...............
Dave
edit: Snowy was Dick Bartons' sidekick

[Tim Marlow]

edit: Snowy was Dick Bartons' sidekick

He was also Tin Tin’s dog! Pre-dated Dick Barton I think?

[Guest]

Now, Now, Laurie, it was Algy and Ginger! Wasn't TinTin's dog called Snowy?
Tom Clancy's books have dated very quickly, and are weird to read now.
One very tatty book on my shelf is 'Tiger Squadron' by Ira Jones - the story of 74 squadron in WWI & II. Ira Jones was high on the list of WWI British Aces, 37 kills in 3 months! He also flew briefly on operations in WWII. I picked it up at a jumble sale when I was a kid...............
Dave
edit: Snowy was Dick Bartons' sidekick

Dick Barton special agent Dave got them mixed up. But after all it was 70 years ago. Snowy & Jock his mates.

Amazing 6:45 the streets deserted as Dick Barton 15 minutes on steam radio. Then 7:00 & all kids out discussing Dick Barton. Fantastic.

Laurie

[dave]

Going into old military fiction, I have a hardback copy of “Biggles of the Camel Squadron” Set during WWI

[Guest]

He was also Tin Tin’s dog! Pre-dated Dick Barton I think?

Ouch how did he get shot of two legs. :tears-of-joy:

[Tim Marlow]

Ouch how did he get shot of two legs. :tears-of-joy:

Early genetic experimentation….in the later episode “Tin Tin and the gene stealer cult”….

[Lee W]

I've never read any Tin Tin books or Biggles... sorry guys, I am normal... honest!

The Forgotten Soldier- Guy Sajer - great read
The Arnhem Lift- Louis Haden - good read
Chickenhawk- Robert Mason - brilliant
Sniper One- Sgt Dan Mills - great read

Lee