Tips on Writing Military Science Fiction

Kraut · Post by **Kraut** » Sun Nov 24, 2002 1:27 am

This is a good info-source on military matters, not just for writers of military science fiction:

http://web.qx.net/warcat/MilSF/

Les_the_Sarge_9_1 · Post by **Les_the_Sarge_9_1** » Thu Nov 28, 2002 7:33 pm

Link does have its merits in my opinion too.

troopie · Post by **troopie** » Fri Nov 29, 2002 12:20 am

Remember that good fiction is about people, not gadgets. Few things are more annoying than to have a writer interrupt a story to tell me how the thermal sight on the Antitank Machine gun works or describe the basic principle of a mass driver. Tell the story, and don't let the technology get in the way.

troopie

Les_the_Sarge_9_1 · Post by **Les_the_Sarge_9_1** » Fri Nov 29, 2002 1:21 am

Good fiction is good fiction, it is not the elements of the story in isolation actually.

So it is not the people the places times settings or things, its whether they are all combined well.

Some of us are Stephen Kings and Stephen Spielbergs, others are not.

abradley · Post by **abradley** » Fri Nov 29, 2002 3:02 am

Site looks interesting.

Since it's about Military Science Fiction I checked out his recommended reading list. Those books he listed that I've read are good to excellent, who can fault 'Ender's Game' (the original short story at http://www.hatrack.com/osc/stories/enders-game.shtml )...great read!

And more important for me, I didn't see any titles of books I've read and felt were 'pure stupid'!

Kraut, as always, you've supplied a interest link!

Kraut · Post by **Kraut** » Fri Nov 29, 2002 3:29 am

Thanks, I aim to please!

rockymtndoc · Post by **rockymtndoc** » Fri Nov 29, 2002 9:35 pm

Interessting, troopie, because that's exactly what Tom Clancy does all the time.

troopie · Post by **troopie** » Sat Nov 30, 2002 11:23 am

Originally posted by rockymtndoc
Interessting, troopie, because that's exactly what Tom Clancy does all the time.

I like the films made from Tom Clancy's books better than the books. The thing you cited is one of the reasons.

troopie

Les_the_Sarge_9_1 · Post by **Les_the_Sarge_9_1** » Sat Nov 30, 2002 6:09 pm

Actually Troopie, to revisit your remark about the gadgets, I myself don't need endless dialogue on "things" necessarily, but if there is no "science" in my science fiction, I rapidly get disinterested in the fiction.

I have always loved a good fantasy fiction (Tolkien being a master, Terry Brooks and Terry Goodkind being my favourites as well). But I refuse to read science fiction written by a person that can't demonstrate they know the science about which they write.

It all comes down to credibility.

I have never sat down to pick apart Tom Clancy personally, but he does write a fun fiction. He appears to know how to set the mood at any rate. I have not read much of his works past his beginning novels though, so I can't comment on whether his fiction is losing it's fire.

If you guys haven't got them, then the series There Will Be War (collected short stories) is a must find series of paperbacks. They will likely only be found in used stores at this time now though.
I have 9 volumes of them. Each dealt with a specific theme of military science fiction, written by the world's best authors in most cases. Each volume had inserted between the stories hard science articles dealing with the books main theme as well.

This series is a must have for anyone that considers themselves a true collector of military science fiction.

Kraut · Post by **Kraut** » Sat Nov 30, 2002 7:03 pm

Originally posted by Les the Sarge 9-1
This series is a must have for anyone that considers themselves a true collector of military science fiction.

Les, here's the web site of Jerry Pournelle (an author of the genre Les likes, for you others):

http://www.jerrypournelle.com/

You might find it interesting.

Les_the_Sarge_9_1 · Post by **Les_the_Sarge_9_1** » Sat Nov 30, 2002 7:43 pm

Thanks for the link Kraut, yes Jerry was the man in charge of the series I mentioned.

It is amazing how the material in the books (the non fiction) has little or no connection to the fairy tale world most of us are used to (I say fairy tale, because most people often demonstrate a clear lack of real understanding of the realities in a lot of areas of study).

I like Star Wars and Star Trek as much as the rest, but only a totally unschooled individual thinks any of the things we see in any shows of that sort will ever come to pass.

troopie · Post by **troopie** » Sun Dec 01, 2002 1:42 am

Jerry Pournelle does it very well. When he goes on at length describing technical matters, as in 'King David's Spaceship" it is necessary to the plot. Otherwise he mentions the hardware offhand (as the New Aberdeen rifle in the CoDo stories) and gets on with the story. He treats his readers with respect. He assumes we have done our homework.

In my book reviewing days I read a story where the author interrupted the description of a fire-fight in an alternate history Italy to give a detailed description of the working and development history of a caseless cartridge submachine gun.

troopie

Les_the_Sarge_9_1 · Post by **Les_the_Sarge_9_1** » Sun Dec 01, 2002 2:51 am

Well of course being knowledgable about science and the world of the military doesn't automatically translate to having any skill as a writer heheh.

There are very few good writers that also understand the world of the military and have a good grounding in science.