The best Espionage Thrillers books: Reddit reviews

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

I need to read it again.

Favorite military book for me, read once and then again on station, was Red Army by Ralph Peters, available on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Red-Army-Ralph-Peters/dp/1451636695

I recommend:

• Black Magick
• Curse Words
• Kill or Be Killed
• Kill the Minotaur
• The Old Guard
• Paper Girls
• Royal City
• Saga
• The Wicked + The Divine

>I've been trying to find Deadly Class volume 1 but I can't seem to find it anywhere.

It's available on [In Stock Trades](http://www.instocktrades.com/TP/Image/DEADLY-CLASS-TP-VOL-01-REAGAN-YOUTH-(MR\)/MAY140626) and Amazon

> I am kind of excited about this one since I apparently bought the full trilogy on Kindle during a sale years ago. Reading from my owned TBR is something I need to do more.

It actually wasn't a sale (apparently), the full trilogy combined edition is still $3 and has been for at least a year now even though the individual books are still like $10. So if anyone else wants to read it for book club, definitely grab that one!

I also avoid combined editions when I can cause of the annoying percentage thing, but this one is too good to pass up.

BTW, this is unrelated to Ukraine, but this whole vibe tonight reminded me of this book.

https://www.amazon.com/Red-Army-Ralph-Peters/dp/1451636695

I think it's one of the best depictions of (relatively) modern war in fiction. 10/10

Red Army by Ralph Peters, who was an intelligence analyst for the Army during the Cold War.

It may not fit the bill of being quite like Man in the High Castle, as it's mostly about the theoretical military victory of the USSR against NATO and is told exclusively from the Soviet perspective during the theoretical conflict and not an "aftermath" scenario like High Castle, but it's worth a read and in a similar enough vein.

I would recommend the following novel as it does a great job describing action in the Northern German Plain from a Soviet perspective and helps to understand why the North would have been the main effort versus Fulda. Probably one of the best WWIII books written, but not very well known.

https://www.amazon.com/Red-Army-Ralph-Peters/dp/1451636695

Reading your post makes me angry at Congress, because you're right. It's likely an argument (/s) for term limits-but not those term limits that everyone talks about.

(Good fictional (not a guide) book that captures the disfunction of Congress and D.C. thanks to partisan politics.)

Plus, at least on Amazon UK, there's an omnibus edition on Kindle for £1.93

The Rook by Daniel O'Malley (Amazon). I think the MC has some powers, but I can't remember what it is, so its clearly not a big deal. The MC is part of the UK's secret supernatural agency, e.g. SCP (but not quite as outlandish).

The Rook, by Daniel O’Malley https://www.amazon.com/Rook-Daniel-OMalley/dp/0316098809

This is some of the most creative writing I’ve ever seen. From memory, the first line reads “Dear you, the body you’re wearing used to be mine.” I’d check, but my copy’s being read by my neighbour right now. There was a TV series made of it but it really doesn’t compare. It features a host of unique characters, including Gestalt - who is 4 siblings that have a single mind. It’s fast paced, action and intrigue-packed, and accessible (I hate all those sci-fi novels with unpronounceable names filled with apostrophes). Don’t be put off by its size, there’s so much going on you’ll enjoy the ride. It feels like the author had a great time writing it. And just a tip - not just for this book but in general - if you want to start reading and aren’t used to it, just tell yourself you’re only going to do it for 10 minutes. You’re brain will just want more. I hope you check it out; it’s so clever.

> χρειαζονται εχθρους ακομα κι αν αυτοι δεν υπαρχουν.

Johnly Walker: keep on walking

Έχεις διαβάσει το "Pattern Recongition" του William Gibson;

I'm wrapping up reading Rogue Warrior by Richard Marcinko. Very much worth the read. I'm over 3/4 of the way in, and it made me realize that if I could do it over again, I think I'd have at least given BUD/S a shot rather than go Army like I did.

The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross. The premise is that all magic can be accomplished by solving mathematical theorems in your head and that governments around the world have found it easier and safer to do with computers. Lots of Lovecraft, a little IT crowd, a little James Bond, and a lot of satire about the nature of bureaucracy.

Damn, those tricky vampire hosting companies. If you enjoy the idea of a mix of supernatural with computers I wonder if you might enjoy reading The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross. It's the first book in a series.

Any relationship to Richard Markinko and his Red Cell experience that he talks about in his book.

Article behind paywall, so unable to read.

I would actually say that Charlie Stross's "The Laundry Files" series is similar in tone to The Martian, although the subject matter and setting are completely different.

The basic premise is that the main protagonist of the story is an IT computer technician who works for a super top secret government division that deals with the supernatural and extradimensional godlike beings who are trying to take over the world. The similarities to The Martian lie in the personality of the main protagonist and his intelligence and sense of humour and his approach to problem solving when everything turns into a giant clusterfuck around him.

Start with The Atrocity Archives: http://www.amazon.com/Atrocity-Archives-Laundry-Files-Novel/dp/0441016685

<em>Last Light</em> by Alex Scarrow is the story of a coordinated terrorist attack on key Islamic holy sites, as well as most of the world's oil supplies, which effectively brings western civilization to a halt.

It deals with the immediate fallout from the catastrophe—riots, food shortage, breakdown in law & order. There's a sequel Afterlight which goes into more detail about what a post-collapse society would look like.

There's something of an emphasis on sexual violence in both books and quite a pessimistic, reactionary, view of 'feral youth' going wild in a newly lawless environment. However, they're very gripping and for page turning thrillers I found them highly believable.

Lucky OP, you got good commenters. This thing has a good potential for trolling.

I'd recommend The Rook, from the top of my head.

Off topic, but if you haven't read The Laundry Files, I'm like 99% sure you would love them.

A bunch of years ago I read Rogue Warrior by Richard Marchinko where he talked about the hayday of the Seals and all the badassery therein. Within the Seal culture is there a hero that as a group you guys look up to?

Also, I have to disagree on the HK 416 recommendation, because it totally sucks in Battlefield 3, FAMAS all the way.

Thanks!

For flights I usually go with something lighter, I find I have a hard time getting into complex books on flights.

So, in that spirit I recomend The Atrocity Archives

Or anything by Malcolm Gladwell if you feel like something pop.sci.