Novels FReepers Love (discussion)

April 4, 2004 | me

[Long Cut]

Over at THIS THREAD, discussing Tom Clancy's movies, one FReeper lamented the lack of threads discussing books we all might like, like Clancy's, or those of Clive Cussler, Matt Reilly, Patrick Robinson...The list is almost endless, as writers with a conservative tilt have long produced works that appeal to a wide audience of Americans, not just conservatives.

So, ever willing to help out, herewith such a thread. I'm not totally motivated by altruism here, as I am working on my first book right now, and opinions matter to me. Also, I love discussing my favorite works. I started reading at the tender age of four, and kept most of the books I read starting with Treasure Island. I married an English Lit major, and even today I attempt to consume as many books as possible.

What say you , FReepers? Let's chew on some books, shall we?

[archy]

Hehe. I've got a suggestion for YOU, Arch. About a decade and a half ago, Barry Sadler (The Ballad Of The Green Berets) wrote a series of novels before his death, called The Eternal Mercenary. They dealt with Casca Rufio Longinus, the Roman Legionary who pierced the side of Christ on the cross. For his sin, he was cursed to wander the Earth forever, unable to die, and taking part in wars and battles throughout history. ...

Check it out sometime. I'm sure a few copies are floating around. I've got the entire series, and I ain't partin'with it!

Indeed he did. In addition to the 22 Casca/Eternal Mercenary yarns, Barry also wrote 9 other non-Casca novels, one of which I was a fact-checker of for him. He once made the gripe in print regarding the album release of his music [*Now pay attention to this medley of my greatest hit....*] that he didn't even own a copy of his own album. I tracked him down and sent him a copy, we traded mail back-and-forth [I was a newspaper columnist at the time, in those pre-spam days when the internet was for non-comercial use only]as well as Christmas cards up till his death in 1989. He really, REALLY armtwisted me into writing a couple of novels, and I ran a couple of ideas past him. He thought they were great, so maybe one of these days I'll crank 'em out, and decicate one to him.

[Tribune7]

Dean Koontz is a conservative-libertarian writer who is about as pro-gun as you can get. Hippies, liberal writers and Ivy League academics/intellectuals ususally end up being the bad guys. In "One Door Away From Heaven" he rips Alec Baldwin and Gray Davis.

IIRC, in one book he implied Vince Foster was murdered.

[archy]

If Leonardo Da Vinci lived 1500 years after Jesus, how would he have any idea what everyone wore at the "Last Supper" and what the place settings looked like?

Maybe somebody at the affair took pictures? < /blonde>

[Long Cut]

Man, you're about five steps ahead on everything!

I always liked the way Sadler's face was used for Casca's on all the novels.

[Tribune7]

Michael Crichton, who wrote a viley pro-abortion book early in his career, has been leaning more to the conservative side.

[backhoe]

Anyone who followed Barry Sadler/Casca, the Eternal Mercenary, is OK in my book.

Geez, off the top of my head? ( Gears grinding, ears smoking from effort of thinking... )

The Weapons Shop of Isher ( novel & short-story versions exist ) by A.E. Van Vogt-

Most anything from Phil K. Dick, Roger Zelazny, Michael Moorcock, John D. McDonald...

Jerry Ahern's Survivalist series had its moments-

Grew up on ERB's Tarzan & Mars series, ditto Sax Rhomer's Fu Manchu--

Fred Saberhagen's Love Conquers All changed my mind about abortion, with a little help from PKD's The Pre-Persons...

The Twilight Men, by Otto Basil- how Hitler nuked NYC, won the war, and the collapse later of the Nazi regime...

Whoops- wife ( the Queen ) and dog ( the Princess ) are giving me dirty looks again- gotta run...

[Tribune7]

Thanks for the ping

[Dan from Michigan]

Teeth of the Tiger had too many loose ends. It wasn't bad, but I didn't like the ending at all.

Bear and the Dragon was good. Executive Orders was probably my favorite.

[Long Cut]

Teeth Of The Tiger seemed like a start to a new series of similarly-themed novels. I didn't much care for it, although its description of the terrorist attacks was quite plausible.

I roundly loathed Rainbow Six, which I felt was more of an advertisement for a video game than a book. I also thought it was ghosted.

Red Rabbit flat-out sucked.

[Euro-American Scum]

I'm also about to begin reading the first volumne of Jeff Head's "Dragon's Fury" series.

You'll love it. It's brilliant. And prophetic.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

While not great literature, I'm totally absorbed by the "Left Behind" series. A friend gave me the last book of the set yesterday and I'm holding out opening the first page because I won't put it down until I'm done.......

I'm currently reading two other books from the local library - one is "Exploring Church History" by Howard Vos, and the other is "Rumsfeld" by Midge Decter.

I have to say, Rumsfeld was incredibly good looking as a young man - great pictures!

[Long Cut]

I didn't know that about Mr. Koontz. I'll have to check some of his stuff out sometime...I've not had the pleasure.

[Euro-American Scum]

Red Rabbit flat-out sucked.

I went on a Tom Clancy binge last year. Read all of them in order, starting with The Hunt For Red October right on through Red Rabbit.

I don't know what there was about that last book. But I never got through it. Haven't picked up a Clancy book since. I hate to think he lost his touch, but if Red Rabbit is any indication, maybe he has.

[Tribune7]

John D. McDonald

Probably my favorite writer.

[sneakers]

"READ??! Y'all actually have time to read? If you have any extra hours in your day that I don't, may I borrow some?"

Same here! I started "John Adams" by David McCullough, and my 20 year old just bought Sean Hannity's "Deliver us From Evil". I can't wait to find some time and peace & quiet to read them both. Haven't had time to read much but the paper lately though! (Oh,I DID find time last year to read the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy (again!)

[Euro-American Scum]

I'm in the middle of Nelson DeMille's Up Country right now. Actually, I'm almost done with it. For all the fiction he writes, the only books I've read are his Vietnam books. Word of Honor was the other one.

Neither one was a life changing experience. But this last one has put the itch in me to go back to Vietnam and visit the old battlefields, much as DeMille did in 1997.

And this is the first time I've that kind of urge in 35 years.

[Radix]

I finally gave up on the Dirk Pitt books after a dozen or so. The submarine in the desert was a bit much for me. The Red Rabbit by Clancy I have not finished because I left it at a friend's home, and that is a long way from here. I anticipate getting it back very soon, and I'll finish it then

Meanwhile, I am reading the last of  W.E.B. Griffin's Corps novels right now. For a real treat if you enjoy those novels I would recommend Vince Flynn. His 5th book is still in hard cover, and I will pick it up as soon as the paperback comes out. Outstanding stuff.

[stands2reason]

Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum

Good book. I enjoyed the crap outa that.

Right now I'm reading "LAMB: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal." So far (through chapter six at least) it hasn't been what I'd consider disrespectful to Christianity. But it's definitely funny as The Bad Place.

[Xenalyte]

I've never heard of that one - a trip to BN is in order!

[Ladysmith]

Great! Thanks, ecurbh, for the ping!

Someone please add me to a ping list for this - I'm going to have time to read more soon.