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Subject: Favorite Military Science Fiction Character
pragmatist    9/6/2002 10:47:40 PM
It is great to see the choices for Favorite MSF book. There are so many great titles from which to choose. How about Favorite Military Science Fiction Character? I'd say my personal favorite has become Miles Vorkosigan from Lois McMaster Bujold's Vor Lord series. But my other favorites have to include: (in stream of consciousness order) Andrew Wiggens, Juan Rico, Jack Ryan, Conrad Schwartz, Jonnie Goodboy Tyler, Paul Atriedes, Willard Phule, Sam Damon, Lazarus Long, Johnny Tremain, "The Mule", Honor Harrington, Jack Holloway, Rick Galloway, James Tiberius Kirk, Manual O'Kelly Davis, Nicholas Seafort, "Wiz" Zumwalt, Nathan MacKinnie, Harry Redington, Matthew Brooks Dodson, Horatio Hornblower .... .... others?
 
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OldGunner    Janissaries   3/8/2007 9:29:46 PM
Heorot: Per Pournelle's blog Chaos Manor (and I'd advise anyone interested in an eclectic, catholic site to subscribe to it), Mamelukes should be out this summer. If you subscribe, you get to read the first chapter of Mamelukes. Be advised, it may not appear that way in the final book form.
 
As for my favorite MSF character: Christian Johnny Falkenberg, with a few of his subordinates behind him.
 
Best MSF book: Starship Troopers, which helped focus my reasons for becoming a Soldier.
 
Did 'Nam as a REMF, stayed in the NG/Reserves, retired out in '93, still annoy people in magazines with comments. Middle child back in Iraq on his second tour with the Cav. His mother was called up and sent over for Desert Storm.
 
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BasinBictory       6/24/2007 6:26:09 AM

No one has mentioned Felix from "Armor" by John Steakley. I realize it's a little unrealistic, but the whole concept of him wanting to die but his subconscious keeping him alive is interesting

I just finished reading that book, and to me, Felix just seems too much like a Deus ex machina for me to really identify with him. I did sympathize with the other soldiers who were killed earlier in the book, like Forest and Bolov, because they were good soldiers trying to do the right thing while the leadership bumbled and stumbled and basically cowered behind the more capable (if lower ranking) warriors.
Some other favorite sci-fi characters: Colonel Richard Baslim from "Citizen of the Galaxy." Lazarus Long from "Time Enough for Love."
 
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Treadgar       6/24/2007 12:31:25 PM
Who ever it was, thanks for bringing up H. Beam Piper. I was thinking of him and couldn't remember his name. What a great writer! I remember him from long ago and was thinking about seeing if some of his books are still out there to be easily bought. Too bad about how his life went down. I liked Jack Aubrey in O'Brian's books, it would be nice to translate him into scifi. Also there was Sharp, from Sharp's rifles, another potential source to be lifted into the fantastic realms of scifi. I always liked the Bolos, only they're not human...


Treadgar
 
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kalaloch       6/25/2007 7:02:09 AM
After reviewing the posts, I think I've read nearly all of the books mentioned here at least once, and most I have in my home in either hard or paperback (my wife is a big fan of Ringo, Weber, and the "gang" from Baen...revels in being referred to as a "Baenite").
Every "Bolo" ever written about was a pure hero, wether by Laumer's hand as intended, or those who did a pretty fine job of picking up the mantle in following years in their series of cooperative short stories. But, I suppose, as the Bolos weren't human, they don't count.
 
Slick Desgruieux, from Drake's Hammer's Slammers "The Warrior", remains my personal favorite. He isn't romantic, is more than willing to kill the opposition just because they exist, is always waiting for "the next one", and holds personal grudges until they die of old age and then mounts them on the wall. While mentally unstable, this is a killer.
 
Past that, there's an unmentioned Ltc. T.C. McQueen from "Space: Above and Beyond". This is a professional Marine officer, a combat veteran, a student of history and someone who knows what the price of war means. Watching the one episode "The Angriest Angel" tells it all.
 
But, there have been a lot of great choices, and all deserve merit for differing reasons, and I heft my glass to you all in your selections. Here's hoping the printed word never fades.
 
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gadfly56       1/21/2010 12:00:30 AM

That's "TANSTAAFL," kiddo (which Heinlein lifted from Milton Friedman - "There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch" - whose writings were broadly read and quite influential back in the '50s and early '60s).

And while we're rolling the Stones, please don't forget Hazel, Roger and Dr. Stone, Meade, Castor and Pollux, Lowell and the flatcats (each of whom proved to be no Tribble at all).

...
You might want to reconsider who lifted what from whom, since "The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" predates Friedman's work by 9 years.
 
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ArtyEngineer       1/22/2010 4:40:58 PM
Kal Skirata the Manalorian "Training" Sergeant from the Republic Commandoes series.  One seriously tough guy!!! 
 
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Kane47    A Talent for war   5/15/2011 1:35:39 PM
Christopher Sims
 
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RedParadize       5/25/2011 8:20:07 AM
Helen Ripley From aliens series.
Commander Adama from the new Battlestar Galactica
 
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ens. jack    Roger MacClintock   6/20/2011 3:50:43 PM
Prince Roger, from the Empire of Man series by Weber. First real sci fi I ever read (in fourth grade, I stole the book off the principles desk). He wasnt perfect, but he was determined, ruthless, and had a bit of a temper, thus easy to relate to.
my next choice would be Michael O'Neal, from the Legacy of the Aldenata series by Ringo. Btw, Hornblower, is the most boring character I've ever encountered in a book.
 
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