My Favorite Military Fiction Books

Reading has been a lifelong passion for me. For thirty years, every colleague has known to keep their distance beginning at 11:45am, when I crack open a book over a quick sandwich or salad. The names of those who brazenly schedule noon meetings are duly recorded in The Book of Grudges.

I have always gravitated toward novels, as I love getting lost in creative storytelling, with relatable, dynamic characters, smart dialogue, and compelling plotlines. But I also want to learn a thing or two, so I’m particularly partial to historical and military fiction that transports us to a tumultuous time and place in the past, often in settings and circumstances I know little about. I love when books add color and breathe life into actual historical events and figures, but there is a caveat. Much of their value (for me) depends mightily on the accuracy and rigor of the author, and some take bold liberties, intentionally or otherwise, with historical facts and evidence.

So, here is a short list of my favorite novels, which all tie into important if not little-known chapters or settings in American history. Obviously this is a subjective list. I welcome all comments, and feel free to share your own favorites.

The Frozen Hours by Jeff Shaara. Perhaps my favorite book in any genre. This is a masterful, suspenseful tale of the Chosin Reservoir disaster during the Korean War, a nightmare for US Marine Corps and Army forces that unfolded at the hands of Douglas MacArthur. It is a gripping, white-knuckle account, largely told from the perspective of the commander of the First Marine Division and one of his enlisted men. You will feel the bone-chilling, below-zero temperatures and aching hunger these men endured while fighting off hordes of Chinese in the mountainous wilderness of North Korea.
Sentinels of Fire by P.T. Deutermann. Another riveting and fast-paced thriller that takes readers aboard an American destroyer during the battle for Okinawa. Based on true events, the destroyer is assigned to the picket line protecting the massive naval fleet off the Okinawan coast, a short distance from Japan. It is late in the war, and the desperate Japanese are launching endless waves of kamikazes, with the picket line destroyers absorbing the first onslaughts of suicide planes. Deutermann deftly portrays the fatigue, strain, and terror among the young officers and crew as they fight for survival, as well as the searing psychological toll from the unrelenting kamikaze attacks.
Lords of Discipline by Pat Conroy. A largely autobiographical tale about the author’s experiences at the Citadel in the 1960s. For Conroy’s dramatization, the famed South Carolina military school has been reimagined as the Carolina Military Institute, where a somewhat rebellious upperclassman is asked to watch over the school’s first African American cadet, who is targeted by other cadets because of the change he represents. Conroy immerses readers in Southern culture while providing a fascinating inside look at one of the country’s most storied military institutions, and his prose is simply masterful. I know I’ve penned some fine books and I’m an exceptional writer, but I cannot hold a candle to this man.
The Batter’s Box by Andy Kutler. Wow – pretty self-serving, right? No apologies, as I will gladly put this book up against any other piece of wartime fiction. Check the awards and reviews. The Batter’s Box is a one-of-a-kind story about a major league baseball player who volunteers to fight in World War II and returns from the Battle of the Bulge with psychological trauma (long before we knew what PTSD was). Dale Dye, the Vietnam veteran and prolific actor/advisor responsible for the authenticity of the Omaha Beach scene in Saving Private Ryan, called it the best World War II fiction he has ever read. I promise, it won’t disappoint.
The Cowboy and the Cossack by Clare Huffaker. Okay, no military facet here, but I will always cherish this rousing tale of Montana cowboys sent to Russia in the late 19^th century to deliver a herd of cattle to a remote community. The cowboys are accompanied on their journey by Russian Cossacks – proud, capable horsemen with warrior lineage. It is a clash of cultures, but grudging respect soon takes hold on both sides, and we learn the Montanans and Russians have far more in common than they expected. A screenwriter for Westerns in the 1960s, Mr. Huffaker has long since passed away, but this adventure story is absolutely timeless.
The Richard Bolitho series by Alexander Kent. Set in the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries, the series features Bolitho as an officer in the British Royal Navy. We first meet him as a teenaged midshipman just before the Revolutionary War, and each book follows Bolitho as he rises through the ranks – lieutenant, captain, then admiral—and serves aboard sloops, frigates, and the massive (at the time) ships-of-the-line. Bolitho is an idealist, who longs for peace and better treatment of British sailors (most were pressed into service involuntarily), but he also never cowers from a fight with Britain’s enemies. I was mesmerized by Kent’s account of life at sea in these times, the hardships the men endured, and the brutality of combat aboard wooden ships torn apart by heavy cannon. I have now read through this entire series three times.