StarFist series

Last updated

StarFist is a series of military science fiction novels written by David Sherman and Dan Cragg. The novels are set in the 25th century [1] and are written from the viewpoint of the men of the Confederation of Human Worlds Marine Corps 34th FIST (Fleet Initial Strike Team). An additional spin-off series, titled StarFist: Force Recon, by the same authors was started in 2005 with the publication of Backshot.

Contents

Authors

Dan Cragg was a non-commissioned officer in the United States Army, serving for twenty-two years with eleven years in overseas stations, five and half in Vietnam; at retirement Cragg was a sergeant major. He is also a writer of military non-fiction, including Inside the VC and NVA, and many others based around the Vietnam War. He lives in Virginia. Cragg published the first of the StarFist series with coauthor David Sherman. [2]

David Sherman is a former United States Marine, whose military experience influenced his work from the start of his writing career. [3]

StarFist Series

The Confederation of Human Worlds in the 21st century established its capital city at Fargo, North Dakota, which grew into a large metropolis with a multitude of skyscrapers and government buildings. The military headquarters of the Confederation in Fargo, North Dakota is called the Heptagon. A space navy, an army with air force capability transport space navy ships to whatever planet they are ordered to, and a Marine Corps make up the force. Humans have colonized numerous worlds out several hundred light years and are faced with conflicts involving surrounding extraterrestrials. [4]

A short time after the authors submitted the manuscript of Double Jeopardy the series publisher, Del Rey, decided to cancel the series. [5]

Novels

StarFist: Force Recon Series

StarFist: Force Recon describes the experiences of the men and women who carry out intelligence-gathering and small-unit raids behind enemy lines. The Confederation Marine Force Recon mission is very similar to that of United States Marine Corps Force Recon, with which co-author Sherman, a former US Marine, is familiar. The new series did not sell as well as the parent series, and the publisher allowed the series to end after three novels.

Novels

Critical reception

The novels were criticized for their all-male cast of soldiers, using contrived inter-service rivalries as a plot device, and a "tendency to telegraph their denouements". But as the Publishers Weekly review of STARFIST: Lazarus Rising stated, at the end "The politically correct may have trouble with the lack of female soldiers à la Honor Harrington, but the traditional male audience at which this is targeted will have no complaints.". [6]

The books have been praised, however, for their verisimilitude with actual military experiences - being called "exciting", [7] , "hyperrealistic", [8] and in a specific installment, "state-of-the-art military SF". [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glen Cook</span> American fantasy and science fiction writer (born 1944)

Glen Charles Cook is an American writer of fantasy and science fiction, known for The Black Company and Garrett P.I. fantasy series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Del Rey Books</span> Publisher

Del Rey Books is an imprint of the Random House Group, a division of Penguin Random House. The imprint was established in 1977 under the editorship of author Lester del Rey and his wife Judy-Lynn del Rey. Today, the imprint specializes in science fiction, fantasy, horror, and fantasy romance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William C. Dietz</span> American science fiction writer

William C. Dietz is an American science fiction writer, principally of military science fiction novels and video game novelizations.

David Sherman was an American novelist who dealt overwhelmingly with military themes at the small-unit tactical level. His experiences as a United States Marine informed his writings.

<i>Firestorm</i> (novel) 2007 novel by David Sherman

Firestorm is a science fiction novel by American writers David Sherman and Dan Cragg. It is set in the 25th Century in Sherman and Cragg's StarFist saga. Firestorm concludes the Ravenette campaign for the 34th FIST and Marine Force Recon.

<i>A World of Hurt</i> 2004 novel by David Sherman

A World of Hurt is a science fiction novel by American writers David Sherman and Dan Cragg, the tenth novel in their StarFist series.

Dan Cragg is an American science fiction author.

<i>Flashfire</i> (novel) 2006 novel by David Sherman

Flashfire is a science fiction novel by American writers David Sherman and Dan Cragg published in 2006. It is set in the 25th Century in Sherman and Cragg's StarFist series.

<i>School of Fire</i> 1998 novel by David Sherman

School of Fire is the second novel of the military science fiction StarFist Saga by American writers David Sherman and Dan Cragg.

<i>Steel Gauntlet</i> 1999 novel by David Sherman

Steel Gauntlet is the third novel of the military science fiction StarFist Saga by American writers David Sherman and Dan Cragg.

<i>TechnoKill</i> 2000 novel by Dan Cragg

TechnoKill is the fifth novel of the military science fiction StarFist Saga by American writers David Sherman and Dan Cragg.

<i>Hangfire</i> 2000 novel by Dan Cragg

Hangfire is the sixth novel of the military science fiction StarFist Saga by American writers David Sherman and Dan Cragg. This installment of Starfist contains three significant and independent plots, one involving members of third platoon, Company L, and the second involves Brigadier Sturgeon, the FIST commander. In the third plotline, the alien race called by the Marines "Skinks" are shown conducting operations of their own.

<i>Kingdoms Swords</i> 2002 novel by Dan Cragg

Kingdom's Swords is the seventh novel of the military science fiction StarFist Saga by American writers David Sherman and Dan Cragg.

<i>Kingdoms Fury</i> 2003 novel by David Sherman

Kingdom's Fury is the eighth novel of the military science fiction StarFist Saga by American writers David Sherman and Dan Cragg.

<i>Lazarus Rising</i> (novel) 2003 novel by David Sherman and Dan Cragg

Lazarus Rising is the ninth novel of the military science fiction StarFist Saga by American writers David Sherman and Dan Cragg.

<i>Wings of Hell</i> 2008 novel by David Sherman

Wings of Hell is a science fiction novel by American writers David Sherman and Dan Cragg; it was released on December 30, 2008. It is set in the 25th Century in Sherman and Cragg's StarFist Saga. It is the 13th novel of the series, followed by Double Jeopardy.

Lazarus Rising may refer to:

<i>First to Fight</i> (novel) 1997 novel by David Sherman

First to Fight is a science fiction novel by American writers David Sherman and Dan Cragg; it was released on October, 1997. It is set in the 25th Century in Sherman and Cragg's StarFist Saga. It is the first novel of the series, followed by School of Fire.

<i>Double Jeopardy</i> (StarFist novel) 2008 novel by David Sherman

Double Jeopardy is a science fiction novel by American writers David Sherman and Dan Cragg; it was released on December 29, 2009. It is set in the 25th Century in Sherman and Cragg's StarFist Saga. It is the 14th and last novel of the series; shortly after the manuscript was submitted to its publisher, Del Rey, the authors were notified of its cancellation.

References

  1. ↑ "STARFIST: Lazarus Rising". www.publishersweekly.com. Retrieved 2019-12-16.
  2. ↑ "Authors : Sherman, David : SFE : Science Fiction Encyclopedia". www.sf-encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2020-01-05.
  3. ↑ "Sherman, David". The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  4. ↑ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/662671.First_to_Fight First to Fight is the first book in a Military Science Fiction series focusing on the 34th FIST (Fleet Initial Strike Team) of the Confederation Marine Corps.
  5. ↑ "The Future of Starfist".
  6. ↑ "STARFIST: Lazarus Rising (Review)". Publishers Weekly. 2 December 2003. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  7. ↑ "STARFIST: Firestorm (Review)". Publishers Weekly. 1 June 2007. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  8. ↑ "STARFIST: Flashfire (Review)". Publishers Weekly. 1 January 2005. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  9. ↑ Cannon, Peter (October 6, 2003). "STARFIST: Lazarus Rising (Book)". Publishers Weekly. 250 (40): 65–66. ISSN   0000-0019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.