Good Reading for the Traveller GM

[eclipse]

I finished the 4th book in John Ringo's War with the Posleen book. This one was called Hell's Faire. Good read. It's a wonderful setting and full of good grist for the GM's mill.

The recently released hardcover is a good deal, since it includes a CD that includes along with a lot of other stuff, all four books in the series in various formats (including an audio version of Hell's Faire in mp3 format), the last collection of Honor Harrington shorts (The Service of the Sword) and all three March To books. Oh ya, it also includes the latest draft of the D20 game based on the Ringoverse. Yes, it does have stats for Armored Combat Suits and Bun-Bun.

 

[Falkayn]

Yeah, I love John Ringo's Posleeen stuff too. His powered armour is just how I imagine it should really be for Marines in battledress (shame they must be TL-17 in Traveller).

{Shameless Plug}I've posted some of my favourite books and movies for Traveller inspiration on my Library page.{/Shameless Plug}

 

[hunter]

* whistles innocently *

Hunter

 

[kafka47]

Right now, I am reading Relevation Space by Alastair Reynolds. I deals with an assassin and archelogist trying to dig up the remains of a lost civilization. Well written and plenty of Traveller ideas, even though it is set in a slower than light milieu. However, given the distances in Traveller cold berths would be common enough.

 

[Jame]

There were three novels by Kristine Smith, about a human woman who had been altered to become a member of this other species. I enjoyed the first novel, but never got to the others.

 

[Falkayn]

I just finished reading two interesting sci-fi novels that contain Traveller inspiration. One is Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman, a sort of revisiting of his Forever War ideas - but not an actual sequel. It has some interesting ideas, the army using 'soldierboys', basically remote controlled robots, and interface plugs ('jacks') allowing people to interface with computers (if you were one of the 90% who survive the operation ).

The other novel was the prequel to the HALO XBox game, the Fall of Reach. It is basically about these super-soldiers ('Spartans') who are taken when they are 6 years old and trained to be great solderies, then implanted with cybernetics at age 16 and fitted with super-responsive battledress like armor ('Mjolnir') in order to be the best they can be. It is similar in some ways to Ringo's Posleen books, or Heinlein's Starship Troopers, in that it deals with war against aliens (in this case the 'Covenant') and the usefulness of soldiers in powered armor, versus ordinary grunts.

 

[Spyder_GS]

Just started the Return of Santiago (Mike Resnick) easy reads and very interesting--largely plays on the future history aspect.

Also, for a single world, Jennifer Government has an interesting view of a world where capitalism and free enterprise has gone extreme.

 

[jappel]

I heartily recommend Joe Clifford Faust's "Angel's Luck" trilogy ("Desperate Measures", "Precious Cargo" and "The Essence of Evil") as terrific fodder for GMs. The opening of the series - down-and-out tramp trader captain scouring the starport bar for a copilot - hit me as being right out of a Traveller game. Criminal gangs, huge corporations, funky aliens, some neat technology, mercs and a band of adventurers constantly one step ahead of disaster - it's all here.

The books are out of print right now, but easily available on the used/second-hand market.

Another of Faust's books, "Company Man", is set in the near future and is in the quasi-cyberpunk school of SF. It's also got a lot of cool ideas that can be integrated as well as being a damn fine story. FWIW, this book is the obvious source of inspiration behind parts of Shadowrun.

John

 

[korvin]

Hunter, you are a BAD BAD man to do that to the poor unsuspecting board members!!!!

Ben

 

[hunter]

Originally posted by korvin:
Hunter, you are a BAD BAD man to do that to the poor unsuspecting board members!!!!

Ben

Who me? I dunno what yer talking about

Hunter

 

[korvin]

If you say so!!!

Ben

 

[Eric]

If you're looking for some powered armor stuff I'd recomend Star Ship Troopers, and no I am not talking about the movie.
That movie buchered the book.

You'll have to read it to realy understand where I'm coming from.
Oh, and you'll also get some good insights on marine training methods, tough stuff.

 

[Eric]

Hey Falkayn just visited your library page. Boy do I feel stupid.

 

[mad13142000]

I've seen Falkayn's library list too...I would add several to the list:
Convergence Series by Charles Shefield
Honor Harrington series by David Weber
Lt. Leary series by David Drake
Starfire series by David Weber (and someone else)
Heris Serrano series by Elizabeth Moon
Liaden Universe series by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
How about something obscure?
The Crystal Empire by L. Neil Smith
My Favorite? Anything by Jack Chalker (especially if you like aliens)
The usual suspects - Dune Foundation Ringworld...
I read at least a book a week...this week it just happens to be 'Hell's Faire' by Ringo
later
-MADDog

 

[Zinzan]

I'd add anything by Heinlein; his early books are good but most of his later ones are great for building slightly different human societies and are great fodder for NPC's and social ideas alike.

 

[Liam Devlin]

I firmly second the motion on Robert Heinlein's works! (hiyas Pete!)

 

[Jame]

Has anyone mentioned Jerry Pournelle's work?

 

[Zinzan]

Hi all, esp Liam

Just to crank out the old chestnut - read anything!

I regularly come across societies, ideas, adventure hooks, NPC's etc in fantasy or historical writing that is excellent for Traveller. For ex: I've just finished 2 biographies (Nelson & Churchill) that were chock full of interesting situations, NPC's and personalities to ruin (cough that should be make) the players day.

Also this has the benefit of being less likely to be familiar to the players and prevents (or at least help prevent) theem figuring out the plot.

My general rule is to mainly use fantasy books for Traveller ideas and vice versa. Helps keep the players confused (err interested).

That said having had chance to peruse my bookshelves here is a partial listing of books/series I've used for inspiration.

1. Everything by Heinlein - excellent societies - Read 'The Moon is a Harsh Mistress" if nothing else.
2. Peter hamiltons Night's Dawn series - excellent NPC's an interesting campaign idea though it seriously screws with canon - though it could be _a_ version of the Empress Wave.
3. Mary Gentle's Golden Witchbreed - outstanding look a a truly alien society - excellent if you want to run a first contact adventure.
4. Terry Pratchetts Discworld books - not so much for the humour but just to get you used to looking at the world from a slightly different viewpoint. Many of his books could be converted into interesting sci-fi plots (with some work, I admit).
5. Anything by James Clavell - Shogun could be updated quite easily

6. Jenny Wurtz's Empire series - raise the TL to 12+ and you have a fascinating society to drop the players in and it would make a very interesting alternate Imperial culture. I use many of the ideas from here and the Clavell's Shogun as my basis of Aslan behaviour and society.

Enough for now, enjoy all.

 

[Liam Devlin]

Originally posted by Jame:
Has anyone mentioned Jerry Pournelle's work?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This being the latest ina series of posts on authors/ books/ etc for traveller use, aye, Pournelle's works have definitely been mentioned.Suggest ya use the search engine at top of this page/forum, type in Jerry Pournelle, and see how many hits ya get..might surprise ye!
(stops at 200-300 matches lad!)

Hiyas Pete!

 

[Antares Administration]

Now I have to race off to the library....

Actually, there is one three-novel series that I thought did the whole "Marine" thing very well. But I don't remember the name or author. Maybe someone can help.

The series was set in the near future solar system. It has the U.S. and it's allies set against the Chinese, French, Germans, etc. Each of these countries has just started to form aerospace and space marine units (although not always called that, and the scientist of the various side have discovered alien artifacts on the Moon, Mars and (I think) Europa.

One of the novels is a campaign to liberate a captured research camp on Mars. The others are set on the other planets respectively. The weapons used are laser carbines, ACRs and gauss weapons, as well as a whole slough of support weapons.

Now I have to go back and find those....

Found 'em! (I love the internet)

The Heritage Trilogy by Ian Douglas:

Semper Mars (1998)
Luna Marine (1999), and
Europa Strike (2000).

The long march in Semper Mars is well written, and the final battle in Europa Strike gives me a whole new appreciation for combat on a frozen water moon!!!

Paul Nemeth
AA