The best stories to transport you across time and space

Why am I passionate about this?

Since early childhood, I was fascinated by aircraft, space travel, and racing cars. I watched the Apollo missions with wonder and CanAm racing on Wide World of Sports with equal enthusiasm. I built models and flew missions of imagination. The floor of my bedroom became many tracks laid out with masking tape. Making the transition to real cars was more difficult but my passion for sci-fi, space adventure, and speed marches on to this day. Star Trek was a huge enabler that drove me to see the world differently, and sixty years later, it still does. The road of our own discovery is an endless one.


I wrote...

Shadow

By T. August Green,

Book cover of Shadow

What is my book about?

The 24th century created the Six Worlds, but danger is ageless. “Tug” Glenman has been racing and car building for a decade with his true love by his side. When tragedy strikes, her worst fears become all too real. In the aftermath, Tug sees the chance of a lifetime, the culmination of his dreams, but he finds glory comes with a demanding price. Haunted by the memory of his best friend and lured by a successful woman who can give him everything, he is torn between passion and everything he loves. This is where spirits soar, hearts are broken, and scores are settled at blinding speed in the perilous sport called Moonracing.

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae

T. August Green Why did I love this book?

The story of the 300 Spartans is one of the oldest in recorded history, and it stands tall today as an account of courage and conviction. The story was sensationalized by Frank Miller with his graphic novel turned feature film, but Pressfield pens a unique perspective and a far more in-depth look at this fascinating warrior culture. Told from the eyes of a willing slave in Sparta, the book follows several characters as they rise through the ranks, but more than that, Pressfield expands our knowledge of the powerful role played by the women of Sparta. From training to sport to battlefield, this novel paints each picture in vivid detail. Prepare to both weep and cheer at this thrilling rendition of these legendary soldiers.

By Steven Pressfield,

Why should I read it?

13 authors picked Gates of Fire as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In the Sunday Times bestseller Gates of Fire, Steven Pressfield tells the breathtaking story of the legendary Spartans: the men and women who helped shaped our history and have themselves become as immortal as their gods.

'Breathtakingly brilliant . . . this is a work of rare genius. Savour it!' DAVID GEMMELL

'A tale worthy of Homer, a timeless epic of man and war, exquisitely researched and boldy written. Pressfield has created a new classic' STEPHEN COONTS

'A really impressive book - imaginatively framed, historically detailed and a really gripping narrative' ***** Reader review

'Beautifully written and a great joy…


Book cover of Halo: The Fall of Reach

T. August Green Why did I love this book?

The “Halo” games are the stuff of legend and the exploits of Master Chief have grown to staggering proportions. Despite all the various forms of media, Eric Nylund’s novelization is a story worth its salt. With introspective passion, we learn the origin of John 117, and not just that, but what makes him tick. We experience the events that shaped him into Master Chief, and we feel the pain of loss for those who failed to complete the Spartan program. Each step of progression demands more of him, both physical and emotional, but how he reacts and feels makes this book worthwhile. Games and short films have shown us Master Chief the warrior, but here we learn about the fire and hammer that forged him.

Book cover of Flight of the Intruder

T. August Green Why did I love this book?

The Vietnam War was a painful conflict filled with contradiction and a hard learning curve for American forces. Faced with a jungle battle like none before, Vietnam desperately attempted to control the ground from the air. The A-6 Intruder was designed for low-level bombing but had no defensive weapons (guns) and the crews that flew them were a rare breed. The film based on this novel butchered the story of Jake Grafton and his struggle to focus between orders and loyalty. After the loss of his bombardier, Jake sees the war with new eyes, blurred by the unexpected passion found with a woman on the Naval Base. His inner conflict runs deep as he debates risking his career for revenge but is unprepared for the vast consequences that follow.

By Stephen Coonts,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Flight of the Intruder as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In Flight of the Intruder Jake Grafton is an A-6 Intruder pilot during the Vietnam War who flies his bomber on sorties past enemy flak and SAM missiles, and then must maneuver his plane, often at night, onto the relatively small deck of an aircraft carrier. Former Navy flyer Stephen Coonts gives an excellent sense of the complexities of modern air raids and how nerve-wracking it is, even for the best airmen, to technically solve sudden problems over and over, knowing that even a twist of fate like a peasant wildly firing a rifle from a field could wipe out…


Book cover of Battletech 18: Highlander Gambit

T. August Green Why did I love this book?

The BattleTech universe is a complex one that spawned many novels, but out of that list by various authors, this one stands out as my favorite. Set in the distant future, a long, bloody conflict between clan warriors and inner sphere soldiers spans multiple solar systems. They take to the battlefield in enormous walking tanks called Mechs where the outcome can be swift and brutal. The interesting part of this book is how it focuses on one soldier, and his diverse heritage as he tries to find his place in a regiment steeped in ancient traditions. Striving to prove his worth both to himself and his new unit, he digs deep for the skill and courage to stand against a ruthless enemy in an inhospitable world.

By Blaine Lee Pardoe,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Battletech 18 as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Death Commando Loren Jaffray is dispatched to the planet Northwind to destroy the elite Northwind Highlanders by winning their trust and starting a war from within--but Loren is waging his own personal battle between honor and duty. Original.


Book cover of Outlander

T. August Green Why did I love this book?

“Sassenach” is a Scottish slang term meaning “outlander.” Gabaldon has crafted an incredibly original take on historical fiction and time travel. Witness to an ancient ritual at a stone circle near Inverness, Claire unexpectedly falls back through time 200 years. One moment she was a WWII nurse in 1945, enjoying a 2nd honeymoon in Scottish Highlands. Then after a rush of wind and the touch of stone, she finds herself in the middle of the English/Scottish conflict of the 1740s. She is rescued by a Highlander patrol, but they suspect her to be an English spy. Her medical skills cause others to believe she could be a witch. After meeting a dashing, young clansman, she struggles between her newfound passion and finding a way back to her own time.

By Diana Gabaldon,

Why should I read it?

30 authors picked Outlander as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The first book in Diana Gabaldon’s acclaimed Outlander saga, the basis for the Starz original series.

One of the top ten best-loved novels in America, as seen on PBS’s The Great American Read!
 
Unrivaled storytelling. Unforgettable characters. Rich historical detail. These are the hallmarks of Diana Gabaldon’s work. Her New York Times bestselling Outlander novels have earned the praise of critics and captured the hearts of millions of fans. Here is the story that started it all, introducing two remarkable characters, Claire Beauchamp Randall and Jamie Fraser, in a spellbinding novel of passion and…


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Alpha Max

By Mark A. Rayner,

Book cover of Alpha Max

Mark A. Rayner Author Of Alpha Max

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Human shaped Pirate hearted Storytelling addict Creatively inclined

Mark's 3 favorite reads in 2023

What is my book about?

Maximilian Tundra is about to have an existential crisis of cosmic proportions.

When a physical duplicate of him appears in his living room, wearing a tight-fitting silver lamé unitard and speaking with an English accent, Max knows something bad is about to happen. Bad doesn’t cover it. Max discovers he’s the only human being who can prevent the end of the world, and not just on his planet! In the multiverse, infinite Earths will be destroyed.

Alpha Max

By Mark A. Rayner,

What is this book about?

★★★★★ "Funny, yet deep, this is definitely worth venturing into the multiverse for."

Amazing Stories says: "Snarky as Pratchet, insightful as Stephenson, as full of scathing social commentary as Swift or Voltaire, and weirdly reminiscent of LeGuin, Alpha Max is the only multiverse novel you need this month, or maybe ever."

Maximilian Tundra is about to have an existential crisis of cosmic proportions.

When a physical duplicate of him appears in his living room, wearing a tight-fitting silver lamé unitard and speaking with an English accent, Max knows something bad is about to happen. Bad doesn’t cover it. Max discovers…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in space warfare, time travel, and the Vietnam War?

10,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about space warfare, time travel, and the Vietnam War.

Space Warfare Explore 43 books about space warfare
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The Vietnam War Explore 227 books about the Vietnam War