Conference noted::sf

    Maybe your author was Keith Laumer?
    
    I never really realized until this note, but I cant think of any
    books I have read that really get into space warfare on a grand
    (multi-ship) scale.  Occasionally, you have your ship vs. ship,
    ship vs 3 killer satellites, etc. skirmish, but nothing on an
    epic proportion.  Considering all the fiction thats been written
    about conventional war, naval or otherwise, I find this peculiar.
    It seems most science fiction that deals with space travel at all,
    just uses it as a method for getting from one place to another.
    The only space battles that come to mind right now are from
    'Longshot for Rosinantte' - I dont remember much else about it,
    'Footfall' - certainly not the main theme of this book
    
    Are there any good SF war stories out there?  pirate stories?

  Re: .0

  Definitely by Keith Laumer.  I've seen it re-released in paperback
  recently, too, so it shouldn't be long before it arrives at a bookstore
  near you...  Also re-released was "Earthblood" by Laumer and Rosel George
  Brown -- an excellent read if you like Laumer.

  Re: .1

  It may be that it is too difficult or expensive to fight space battles.
  It's hard for a writer to make them as exciting as sea or air warfare because
  space is not a convenient medium in which to make quick turns or maneuvers.
  Such maneuvers use up reaction mass very quickly...

  E. E. Smith invented an inertialess drive for the "Lensman" series, so
  these six books contain many, many space battles of epic proportions.

  JP

    RE: Space wars.
    
    	If you'll except intra-solar battles, two of my favorite stories
    are Earthlight by Arthur C. Clark and Raiders from the rings.
    
    I think Earthlight is the correct title from Clark. The story concerns
    a future conflict between Earth and her colonies over minerals mined
    on the moon. A very plausible story with one of the more cunning
    weapons found in SF used by the Earth.
    
    Raiders from the Rings is old, out of print, and I don't remember
    the author. The story is another Earth verses her colonies but the
    setting ranges from the surface of Earth, out ot Mars, and finally
    to the Asteroid called home by the Raiders. The conflict in this
    case is between a post-WWIII Earth society and those traitorous
    dregs of society who used to inhabit the floating battle stations
    orbiting Earth before the war. Seems the "raiders" on both sides
    said no to turning the Earth into a cinder when the war came. Anyway,
    the former station personnel have formed their on society out in
    the asteroid rings. Once again, conflict occurs over resources.
    The resource in this case is a lot more important than any mineral!
    
    I recommend both books as good reading. You should be able to find
    Earthlight at B. Dalton. Raiders might be found at the library or
    a used book story. Let me know if you're interested and I'll get
    the author's name and who originally published it.
    
    Dan Eaton
     

    re:.0
    
    A PLAGUE OF DEMONS was never a Hugo winner.
    
    re:.1
    
    Try THE FOREVER WAR by Joe Haldeman. Not epic in the sense
    of hundreds of Stars Destroyers beaming the crap out of each
    other, but a terrific sf war novel.
    
    re:.3
    
    RAIDERS FROM THE RINGS is by Alan Nourse. It's an old favorite
    that I haven't read in a dog's age.
    
    --- jerry

    re:0   
    
    I totally agree with you on Ender's War.
    
    One author you might like is Fred Saberhagen.  His Berserker series
    often contains space battles.  The problem I have with this series
    is that many of the books that make up this series are anthologies
    and contain some of the same stories.  I'll read a story in one
    book, and realize I've already read it in another.
    
    If you simply like futuristic battles, regardless of location, try
    David Drake's Hammer's Slammers stories or Keith Laumer's BOLO.
    
    -Steve

re. 1.

	
	You might want to try G. Dickson's Dorsai trilogy.  It 's mainly
	about the tactics and strategy involved in interplanetary war.

	The titles are : "Tactics of mistake"
			 "Soldier Ask not"
			 "Dorsai !"

								Leo Doms

How about H. Beam Piper's Space Vikings?  Is there a sequel to that one Jerry?

Other memorable space battles...  Foundation and Empire... one of Nivin's
Protector stories...

Jim. 

re .7	The foundation trilogy is a must....not so much for "star wars"
    (although these exist), but for the pure enjoyment of epic S.F.
    	The only other high flying lazer space battles that I remember
    is from the German space opera - Perry Rhodan.
    
    	Yes, foundation is actually four books.
    
    Charly

    I'll just underline something mentioned in .2:  E. E. Smith has lots
    and lots of vintage space-opera battles.  Don't miss the antimatter
    missiles (or rather be sure to have them miss you).
                                                    
    Earl Wajenberg

RE: .2 and .9

I completely agree about E. E. Smith in the Lensman series.  There are
many quite memorable battles, involving single ships, fleets, masses of 
fleets, and (in the later books) the most powerful weapons possible in space.

And I quote (from Second Stage Lensmen, pp 37-39 of the Pyramid edition):

    "...the Boskonian fleet materialized.  Just that - one instant space
     was empty; the next it was full of warships.  A vast globe of battle-
     wagons, in perfect fighting formation.

		[2 pages of description concerning fleet battles]

     Thus ended the second phase of the battle, the engagement of the two
     Grand Fleets, with the few remaining thousands [!!!] of Boskone's
     battleships taking refuge upon or near the phalanx of planets which 
     made up their center.

     Planets.  Seven of them.  Armed and powered as only a planet can be
     armed and powered; with fixed-mount weapons impossible of mounting
     upon a lesser mobile base, with fixed-mount intakes and generators
     which only planetary resources could excite or feed.  Galactic
     Civilization's war-vessels fell back.  Attacking a fully-armed planet
     was no part of their job..."

And wait till you see the weapon they use to take out the planets.


No one ever had bigger space battles than Doc Smith.

-- Ken Moreau

    re:.7
    
    Yes, there is a sequel to SPACE VIKINGS, but it's a pastiche
    written by someone other than Piper. The title escapes me at
    the moment. I *think* the author was John F. Carr, but I'm
    not positive. Jerry Pournelle has threatened to write one for
    years. He was in communication with Piper before the latter's
    death and has express permission from Piper to write one. He
    hasn't managed to write it yet, though.
    
    --- jerry

    re .5:  I like your taste in reading!  I liked 'Plague'.
    
    re .11  Write-on as ever!  It was called THE GREAT KING'S WAR; Carr
    co-authored it with F. Green.
    
    				Don ICEMAN::Rudman
    
    P.S.  Trivia:  'Plague' (& Bolo and Kapp's 'Gottlos') formed the
          basis of a strategy & tactics game called OGRE.  There's a
          nice passage (I copied it out of the book) which reflects this.

    Thanks for all the suggestions. .It should only take me a year or
    two to read them all. The first thing to do to find them so its
    off to the bookstore I go. I was also thinking about building a
    bookshelf and now it looks as though I will definitely need one.
    I think I saw a reference to the Amber Chronicles somewhere so its
    time to take a peek at that as well.
    P.S. I have read BOLO so that takes care of one. 

    I read Plague of Demons in college, when it was forst released.
    It was one of those rare, rare books that you buy on impulse and
    then can't put down. I remember buying it Friday afternoon and going
    back to my dorm room, intending to read the first chapter before
    I hit town. Instead, I was so caught-up in the story I read it straight
    through, finishing early the next morning. I still remember how
    great it was.
    
    Experiences like that are treasures.
    
    KBS
    

    OK so I'm five years late, but check out a first novel called "On my
    way to Paradise" by Dave Wolverton. Some plagiarism of "Ender's Game"
    but the book carries an endorsement by Card so he obviously doesn't
    mind. I haven't read such a good first book since David Brin. I want
    more. HUGO material I reckon.
    
    Dave Early.