Popular science-fiction, with its blend of history, technological development and sociology is good grounding for understanding developments in military affaires. They remind us that any future war will be like previous ones, only different.

As first suggestion, looks up Orson Scott Cards’ Ender’s game. This is one of five other titles in the Ender saga. Written by one this generations most accomplished fiction writers. The first novel introduces us to our boy genius, Ender Wiggins, who is sent off-World to Battle school to master new tactics and learn old lessons in dynamic war games played in zero gravity. This is back dropped by an ominous threat of aliens, refereed to as Buggers, who have attack Earth twice before. Ender has some personal problems to deal with too. You keep wishing someone would give him a hug. Speaker for the Dead and the other tales follow a mature Ender in other places and times. Although, the resent novel in the series, Ender's Shadow takes us back to boisterous of battle school.

David Feintuch’s Midshipman’s Hope, Challenger’s Hope, Fisherman’s Hope, etc. has been described as Hornblower in space. The tales are set around young Nick Seaford, of the UNNS (United Nations Naval Service), who risks all to perform his duty and make us feel proud. He faces sullenness in the wardroom, mutinous sailors, a crusty engineers, obstinate Admiral, nosy passengers and petty officials. The acid spewing Space Fish seem to be a secondary consideration. The story is fast paced and told wonderfully in a first person narrative.

Stephan Baxter’s Time and Space are just two of his prolific titles. Like most of his novels, these two explores the mysteries of the universes; what it is and what it may become. The writing is rich and colorful. The science is fascinating and charmingly explained. There is drama and conflict galore with the US Air and Space Force assailing the upper limits, and eccentric astronaut scientist entrepreneur, Reid Malenfant keeping a quantum leap ahead, in various timelines. All the time, mysterious aliens are destroying Worlds and getting ever closer to Earth!

Charles Sheffield has written a host of hard science-fiction novels. Tomorrow and Tomorrow has to be one of his best. It is tale that ambitiously encompasses all of time. During this amazing journey, our anti-hero Drake Merlin must come to grips with ever more astonishing technological and galactic developments, adapt and change, endure loneliness and futility, deal with an invasion of our Galaxy by the Shiva, and more; all so he can be reunited with his beloved wife. This is a wonderful thought provoking story, superbly written. The ending is delightfully romantic.

Unpublished 2001

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