Military fiction comes in different types, including historical, branch-specific, science fiction, and alternate history. Historical novels are the most common, recreating famous battles through fictional characters. Branch-specific novels focus on technical accuracy, while alternate history explores the consequences of different outcomes in historical conflicts. Popular authors include Bernard Cornwell, Tom Clancy, Harry Turtledove, and Robert Harris.
There are different types of military fiction for military fiction fans. Some types are historical and are based on fictional characters and their actions in a real historical conflict. Other types of fiction focus on specific branches of the military, such as a nation’s army, air force, or navy. Military science fiction is a popular genre that often tells a futuristic story using subtle commentary on current military training or actions. Another type of military fiction is known as an alternate history, in which the author creates a story based on the recreation of historical conflicts, often with the side that lost the conflict emerging victorious in the story.
The military fiction historical novel is often considered the most common type of novel within this genre. In this type of novel, the author selects a real historical conflict, such as the American Revolutionary War or Britain’s War in the Falklands. The main characters in these novels are often soldiers and the author recreates the battles of the historical conflict through the eyes of the characters. History buffs often know the conclusion of this type of novel because these books are usually based on famous battles. While the battle scenes are usually quite accurate, the author often weaves an adventure story through the plot, based on the actions of the central characters. Examples of popular authors in this genre include Bernard Cornwell and Jeff Shaara.
Military fiction is sometimes based on a specific branch of military service. For example, the author will write a book detailing fictional characters who go through the training camp of the US Marine Corps or Navy SEALs or the adventures of a fighter pilot in the US Air Force. These books are often more detailed in the technical aspects of the military, such as weapons and communications equipment. While noted for their technical accuracy, these books are often based on entirely fictional military conflicts. Tom Clancy is one of the best-known authors in this branch of military fiction.
Alternate history stories often present many different possibilities for military fiction. In this genre, a historical military conflict is often at the heart of the action. However, the side that actually lost the war is often the winner. This allows the author to consider the consequences that military conflicts would have had if their outcomes had been different. For example, many military fiction stories in this genre have explored the impact that would have had on the world if Germany and Japan had prevailed in World War II or if the Confederacy had won the American Civil War. Alternate histories will also sometimes incorporate science fiction elements, such as an alien invasion that occurred during a conflict between two rival nations. Harry Turtledove and Robert Harris are examples of authors in the alternative history genre of military fiction.
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