I started telling Sea Stories around February 1992, when I reported to the Recruit Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois. Since then, I’ve been entertaining anyone who would listen with my hyperbolic storytelling, a loose relationship with the facts, and a total disregard for modesty. Writing these stories really showcases my experiences not only in the Navy but as a student of history and international relations. I couldn’t possibly write the whole story without having received my BA in International Relations from the University of California at Riverside and my Law Degree from Southern Methodist University.
I was skeptical of this novel, as I felt it was based on a flawed premise. The idea of a NATO vs. Soviet Engagement in the 90s was an open-and-shut case of NATO ass-whipping. By the 90s, the Soviet Machine was starting the downward spiral that we see fighting in Ukraine today. TK erased my doubts in the first few pages. I thought, “Brilliant!” and I was hooked.
There are twists in this book that you just don’t see coming. And when they hit you, it’s like a bucket of cold water. Just shocking. I can’t recommend this book enough. If you like Military Fiction, Cold War Goes Hot, or just Alternate History in general, this is a must-read!
"Succeeds in showcasing all the strengths of 1980s war thrillers, with a grand, sweeping scope and with action that makes you grit your teeth at how visceral it is"
-Alexander Wallace, Sea Lion Press
"… A lot more plausible than some other World War III novels"
-Fuldapocalypsefiction.com
The year is 1992. Over twenty years have passed since Soviet General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev was assassinated by a crazed gunman. Since that time, the Soviet Union has been put on a course toward economic success—and war.
In the Balkans, Yugoslavia's collapse into ethnic violence draws NATO and the Warsaw Pact to the…
I really enjoyed how Bart Gauvin and Joel Radunzel were able to collaborate in this “Video Game to Novel” adventure. Bart is an amazing scenario designer for “Command: Modern Operations,” a fantastic computer war game, so when he teamed up with Joel, it was a dream come true.
I love how many of the battles in the book can be played as scenarios in the game (Including a major air battle over Northern Norway!). It’s a unique experience that I haven’t run into before, and it’s a lot of fun. Even outside of the video game, the story is well put together. I love the depth of the characters and their relationships. I was especially appreciative of the slow burn of the buildup to the action.
August 1991. Soviet hardliner Pavel Medvedev knows that only bloodshed can save the USSR from complete collapse. With violence breaking out in the streets of Moscow. few realize that he is piloting the Soviet Union on a collision course with its deadliest enemy yet: NATO. US Marine Colonel Robert Buckner. passed over for a coveted command. takes a post working for Vice Admiral Falkner on his way to retirement. As the world lurching towards World War Ill. he finds his way towards a panoramic view of the unfolding crisis with a pivotal role to play. War breaks out across the…
It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.
The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run…
This is the brass ring of Cold War turns Hot military fiction. I loved what Tom Clancy put down on paper back in 1986 and truly believe that without this book, none of the others on this list would have been written. I loved the depth and detail that Clancy digs into with regard to operational planning as well as tactical combat operations.
I can’t compliment him enough on his easy explanation of complex systems and operations. If you like “rivet counting” this book is going to blow your mind. As a former Russian linguist for the Navy, I’m impressed with Clancy’s understanding of Soviet politics and strategy. As a self taught civilian, he knocks it out of the park.
Tom Clancy's second classic No 1 bestselling thriller - a chillingly authentic vision of modern war - now reissued in a new cover.
Three Muslim terrorists who destroyed the Soviet Union's largest petrochemical plant thought they were striking a blow for freedom. What they had done, unknowingly, was fire the first shots in World War III.
Desperately short of oil, the Kremlin hawks see only one way of solving their problem: seize supplies in the Persian Gulf. To do that, they must first neutralise NATO's forces and eliminate their response - and so they develop Red Storm, a dazzling master…
When writing Alternate History, authors are often challenged between world-building and character-building. It is difficult to do both well. Colin Salt’s novel approach (and I don’t know if that pun was intended or not, TBH) pays off well, where he clearly divides his book into a deep character dive, with a sprinkling of world-building, followed by a riveting war thriller.
I found the sub-title a bit dubious, but this book really is about love, mystery, and war, and each aspect is well told. In my experience, that combination is very rare. Most authors who can write a badass battle scene tend to embarrass themselves when they try to incorporate a true love story. But Colin easily slides between the two. The Mystery was fun, and I 100% didn’t see it coming.
The 21st Century has rolled around in a world that took a different path from our own. The USSR survived and either reformed or rebranded (depending on who you ask, of course) as the Union of Soviet Sovereign Republics. It survived, but so did the regime of Nicolae Ceausescu in Romania.
In 1998, the Sovereign Union went to war against the persistent nuisance, crushing the second-largest army in Europe in nine days. The regime fell, but its leader simply disappeared without a trace. Time went on, but Ceausescu became a figure like Harold Holt and Jimmy Hoffa, with not one…
It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.
The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run…
I love how Micheal A. Palmer extends his vision of World War III to multiple theaters of war. Whereas other Cold War Turns Hot Military Fiction tends to focus on the Soviets Invading West Germany, Palmer spends considerable time in NATO's Northern Flank, the Mediterranean, and the Pacific theater.
I really enjoyed this book because if focused specifically on the battles and not as much on individual characters. Don’t get me wrong, I love good character-driven stories, but it really feels like Palmer recognizes his strengths and plays to them. If you love war-gaming as much as I do, you’re going to fall in love with this book.
In the Spring of 1980, the United States military embarked on a bold plan to rescue the 52 American hostages that were taken by Iranian students in support of the Ayatollah Khomeini. The Mission, dubbed Operation Eagle Claw, was an absolute disaster. It ended with the death of eight servicemen and the destruction of two aircraft.
But what if it hadn’t? What if Eagle Claw had been successful? What implications might that have on the timeline? Find out in Advance to Contact: 1980, where the history you remember takes a turn you’ll never forget.
