The most recommended books about court-martial cases

Who picked these books? Meet our 9 experts.

9 authors created a book list connected to courts-martial, and here are their favorite court-martial books.
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Book cover of Renegade

Danny Anthony Bonsangue Author Of Entanglement

From my list on unlikely heroes facing existential threats.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have loved science since I was young. I was obsessed with watching videos and reading books by scientists like Michio Kaku and Neil DeGrasse Tyson, where they explored concepts like time travel, black holes, and the quantum realm. In college, I majored in environmental studies, mostly because of my love for both natural science and policy. In addition to basic biology and ecology, I learned about what is hurting the Earth and the consequences of not acting fast. I contributed to a white paper on “Ecocide,” or deliberate destruction of the natural environment, by the Russians in Ukraine. I also contributed to the Journal of Science and Technology Law.

Danny's book list on unlikely heroes facing existential threats

Danny Anthony Bonsangue Why did Danny love this book?

I love this book because not only is it a sci-fi novel, but it loops in a crime angle. Crime is my other favorite genre to read.

As a lawyer, I’ve always found ways to weave crime and the law into my novels. It also deals with humans living in other places than Earth, a concept I’ve always been interested in reading and writing about. 

By Joel Shepherd,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

One thousand years after Earth was destroyed in an unprovoked attack, humanity has emerged victorious from a series of terrible wars to assure its place in the galaxy. But during celebrations on humanity's new homeworld, the legendary Captain Pantillo of the battle carrier Phoenix is court-martialed then killed, and his deputy, Lieutenant Commander Erik Debogande, the heir to humanity's most powerful industrial family, is framed for his murder. Assisted by Phoenix's marine commander Trace Thakur, Erik and Phoenix are forced to go on the run as they seek to unravel the conspiracy behind their captain's demise, pursued to the death…


Book cover of Word of Honor

H.R. Kemp Author Of Deadly Secrets: What Unspeakable Truths Lurk Beneath The Lies?

From H.R.'s 3 favorite reads in 2023.

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Curious Traveler Explorer Questioner Avid reader

H.R.'s 3 favorite reads in 2023

H.R. Kemp Why did H.R. love this book?

This book is a slow-burn thriller, and I found it both compelling and disturbing. 

I love books that draw on contemporary issues and raise complex and thought-provoking issues. Word of Honor uses the Vietnam War to tackle difficult topics, and with the tagline, The Moral Maze of a Man at War, it’s the kind of book I revel in, one that took me through a multitude of emotions and challenged me to question more.

I’m a sucker for complex stories, novels that tackle politics, personal relationships, and very human dilemmas. This novel had it all.  I became invested in the outcome; I both cheered for and dreaded the consequences for the main character. That uncertainty was compelling and provocative.

This slow-burn, page-turner isn’t an action story, but gripped me and made me think. I like that.

By Nelson DeMille,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Word of Honor as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Read the gripping story of a Vietnam vet whose secret past threatens his family, career, and honor, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author whose books have sold over 50 million copies worldwide, and is "a true master" (Dan Brown).

He is a good man, a brilliant corporate executive, an honest, handsome family man admired by men and desired by women. But sixteen years ago Ben Tyson was a lieutenant in Vietnam.

There, in 1968, the men under his command committed a murderous atrocity-and together swore never to tell the world what they had done. Not the press, army…


Book cover of The Buffalo Soldier Tragedy of 1877

Sarah Bird Author Of Daughter of a Daughter of a Queen

From my list on Buffalo Soldiers.

Why am I passionate about this?

Growing up, I dreamed of being Margaret Mead. When I realized that Margaret already had that job, I turned my anthropologist’s eye for the defining details of language, dress, and customs to fiction. I love to tell the untold tales--especially about women--who are thrust into difficult, sometimes impossible, circumstances and triumph with the help of humor, friends, perseverance, and their own inspiring ingenuity. In my eleven bestselling novels, I have been able to do this well enough that I was nominated for the International Dublin Literary Prize and in 2021 was honored with the Paul Re Peace Award for Cultural Advocacy for promoting empathy through my work.

Sarah's book list on Buffalo Soldiers

Sarah Bird Why did Sarah love this book?

I based one of the most riveting portions of Daughter on Carlson’s meticulously-researched account of what one newspaper called the “Staked Plains Horror.” And horror it was.  In the middle of a dangerously dry summer, forty Buffalo Soldiers led by white officers set off on a routine scouting expedition. Several days later three Black troopers returned to report that all the men of Troop A were missing and presumed dead.

Eventually, all but four of the party made it back to Fort Concho with tales of having survived by drinking the blood of their dead horses and their own urine. Carlson’s careful examination of the records of the court-martial trials that followed reveal what a large role the officers’ bigotry and ineptitude played in triggering this catastrophe.

By Paul H. Carlson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Buffalo Soldier Tragedy of 1877 as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In the middle of the arid summer of 1877, a drought year in West Texas, a troop of some forty buffalo soldiers (African American cavalry led by white officers) struck out into the Llano Estacado from Double Lakes, south of modern Lubbock, pursuing a band of Kwahada Comanches who had been raiding homesteads and hunting parties. A group of twenty-two buffalo hunters accompanied the soldiers as guides and allies.

Several days later three black soldiers rode into Fort Concho at modern San Angelo and reported that the men and officers of Troop A were missing and presumed dead from thirst.…


Book cover of In Harm's Way: The Sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the Extraordinary Story of Its Survivors

Grace Ly Author Of Tent for Seven: A Camping Adventure Gone South Out West

From my list on appreciating common comforts.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have hiked mountains in North Korea, slept outside in the Sahara Desert, ridden elephants in Thailand, dogsledded across the Arctic Circle, ridden camels through the Gobi Desert, floated in the Dead Sea, run with the bulls in Spain, hang glided over New Zealand, explored the Cu Chi tunnels in Vietnam, visited Buddhist temples in South Korea, and caught a glimpse of Nessie while on a boat ride around Loch Ness. I’ve spent most of my career working with the military. I also accepted a presidential appointment at the White House and served as an undercover officer for the Central Intelligence Agency.

Grace's book list on appreciating common comforts

Grace Ly Why did Grace love this book?

I was completely and totally captivated by this book. I read it in two sittings, and that’s only because I finally forced myself to go to sleep at 3 a.m. The only WWII book I’ve read that did not glamorize war. What these men went through was absolutely shocking. How Captain McVay was treated was abhorrent.

Anyone who is considering joining the US military should read this book; it will make you think twice, and not because of the sharks. 

By Doug Stanton,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked In Harm's Way as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

On 30 July 1945 the USS Indianapolis was steaming through the South Pacific, on her way home having delivered the bomb that was to decimate Hiroshima seven days later, when she was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. Of a crew of 1196 men an estimated 300 were killed upon impact; the remaining 900 sailors went into the sea. Undetected for five days, they struggled to stay alive, fighting off sharks, hypothermia and madness. By the time rescue arrived, only 317 men were left alive.

Interweaving the stories of some of these survivors (including the ship's Captain Butler McVay, who would…


Book cover of The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial

James G. Stavridis Author Of To Risk It All: Nine Conflicts and the Crucible of Decision

From my list on to help you make decisions under extreme pressure.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a retired 4-star Admiral who spent over forty years at sea, rising from Midshipman at the Naval Academy to Supreme Allied Commander at NATO. Along the way, I served in and commanded destroyers, cruisers, and aircraft carriers in combat, and I have faced many very difficult decisions under extreme pressure. In addition, I’ve been in the Pentagon for many assignments, including as Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense – which also created countless high-pressure decisions. What I learned in the Navy has helped me again and again in calculating risk and making the right decisions. 

James' book list on to help you make decisions under extreme pressure

James G. Stavridis Why did James love this book?

A novel about a rusty old destroyer minesweeper, a supremely difficult captain, a mixed bag officers in a dysfunctional wardroom, a horrific typhoon, and a nail-biting court-martial. The seagoing and combat portions of the novel are very realistic, reflecting Wouk’s time in uniform on a similar class of ship in the Pacific during WWII. In my hand as I write this is a battered 1951 first edition of the novel, with a slightly tattered cover, which I treasure above almost any book in the five thousand volumes in my personal library. Over the years of my career, I’ve returned again and again to The Caine Mutiny, and the fundamental lesson of this sea novel is what both leaders and followers owe each other, especially in the demanding crucible of the sea.

By Herman Wouk,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The novel that inspired the now-classic film The Caine Mutiny and the hit Broadway play The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial.

Herman Wouk's boldly dramatic, brilliantly entertaining novel of life—and mutiny—on a Navy warship in the Pacific theater was immediately embraced, upon its original publication in 1951, as one of the first serious works of American fiction to grapple with the moral complexities and the human consequences of World War II. In the intervening half century, The Caine Mutiny has become a perennial favorite of readers young and old, has sold millions of copies throughout the world, and has achieved the status…


Book cover of Last Watch

Steven Decker Author Of Time Chain

From my list on sci-fi that generates emotion.

Why am I passionate about this?

My love of reading was born on the day my 5th-grade teacher handed me a book of poetry; my “punishment” for throwing a spitball. I was to memorize “Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening” and recite it publicly the next day. I was mesmerized by the poem, because it drew a picture in my mind, and filled me with great emotion. As an 8th grader, I read the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy, for fun, then moved on to the great classics by Asimov and Heinlein. I wrote my first novel in 1988, but Time Chain is my first Sci-Fi novel, with more on the way. 

Steven's book list on sci-fi that generates emotion

Steven Decker Why did Steven love this book?

Full of fascinating sci-fi technology and characters, The Last Watch caused me to feel awe. The central concept surrounds the discovery of the edge of the universe. It’s called The Divide, and humans have used alien technology to reach it. And you definitely do not want to cross over The Divide. But what happens when the universe begins to collapse? The Sentinels—a rag-tag group of humans who’ve been banished for committing various crimes against humanity—are the guardians at The Divide. Led by an equally powerful and flawed protagonist, Adequin Rake, they square off against aliens and humans to try and save the universe. Action, love and death, and the emotions inherent in these things, are thoroughly enjoyed when you read this book.

By J. S. Dewes,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

The Expanse meets Game of Thrones in J. S. Dewes's fast-paced, sci-fi adventure The Last Watch, the first book in the Divide series, where a handful of soldiers stand between humanity and annihilation.

Goodreads Most Popular Sci-Fi Novels of the Past 3 Years

Space.com—Best Sci-fi Books 2022

New York Public Library—Best Science Fiction 2021
Business Insider—Best Science Fiction 2021
Polygon—Best Science Fiction and Fantasy 2021
Amazon—Best Science Fiction 2021
FanFiAddict—Lord TBR's Best of 2021
Best SciFi Books—Best of 2021
P. S. Hoffman—Best of 2021
10 Best Books Like Foundation—ScreenRant
20 Must Read Space Fantasy Books for 2021—Bookriot

Most Anticipated Book…


Book cover of Sea of Glory: America's Voyage of Discovery: The U.S. Exploring Expedition, 1838-1842

Kevin Sites Author Of The Ocean Above Me

From my list on true-life sea adventures that blow you overboard.

Why am I passionate about this?

You have to appreciate the intrepid nature of those who ventured out to sea in the days before satellite-enabled navigation, modern weather forecasting, and Coast Guard rescue swimmers. The books I’ve listed span a time of great global exploration occurring simultaneously with the engines of novel economic development. Most of that development was based on the exploitation of human and natural resources. A thread of curiosity through all of these picks is how those individuals most directly involved in its physical pursuit and transport were rarely the same who benefitted from it. But instead lived lives of constant hardship and danger – profiting, if at all, only in the adventure itself.

Kevin's book list on true-life sea adventures that blow you overboard

Kevin Sites Why did Kevin love this book?

The near-savant brilliance of Charles Wilkes, captain of the U.S. Exploring Expedition (1838-1842), is prominently tee’d up here by Philbrick (one of our greatest writers of lesser-known nautical history), as is his jealous, petty, venal and stubborn mindset which ultimately was his undoing.

Also the primary reason you’ve never really heard of this remarkable scientific voyage that set out to map the entire Pacific Ocean and even named the newly discovered Antarctic continent. I was surprised to learn the Exploring Expedition was much more ambitious than the overland Lewis and Clark trek, scooped up infinitely more specimens of natural history and scientific data – but was nearly completely forgotten in our history books.

Philbrick untangles the perils and personalities to help us understand why. 

By Nathaniel Philbrick,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Traces the 1838 discovery voyage that resulted in the western world's survey of 87,000 ocean miles, 280 Pacific islands, numerous zoological discoveries, and the finding of Antarctica; a journey that was marked by tragic deaths, the losses of two ships, and controversial court martials. 250,000 first printing.


Book cover of A Whispered Name

Emily Mayhew Author Of Wounded: A New History of the Western Front in World War I

From my list on human casualties of World War One.

Why am I passionate about this?

Dr. Emily Mayhew is the historian in residence in the Department of Bioengineering at Imperial College London. Her primary research interest is the infliction, treatment, and long-term outcomes of complex casualty in contemporary warfare. She is the author of the Wounded trilogy. A Heavy Reckoning, The Guinea Pig Club, and Wounded: From Battlefield to Blighty which was shortlisted for the Wellcome Prize in 2014. She is Imperial College Internal Lead on the Paediatric Blast Injury Partnership and co-edited The Paediatric Blast Injury Field Manual.

Emily's book list on human casualties of World War One

Emily Mayhew Why did Emily love this book?

A mystery novel, that tells a haunting, captivating story of the cost paid by one individual soldier at the battle of Messines Ridge. Impeccably researched, the reader is given a firm historical grounding of the physical, psychological, and geophysical costs of being at the explosive, bloody cutting edge of warfare on the Western Front.

By William Brodrick,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked A Whispered Name as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

To keep quiet about something so important . . . well, it's almost a lie, wouldn't you say?'

When Father Anselm meets Kate Seymour in the cemetery at Larkwood, he is dismayed to hear her allegation. Herbert Moore had been one of the founding fathers of the Priory, revered by all who met him, a man who'd shaped Anselm's own vocation. The idea that someone could look on his grave and speak of a lie is inconceivable. But Anselm soon learns that Herbert did indeed have secrets in his past that he kept hidden all his life. In 1917, during…


Book cover of Renegade
Book cover of Word of Honor
Book cover of The Buffalo Soldier Tragedy of 1877

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