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Hardcover (Trade)

Published November 2008

Hardcover (Trade) price: $30.00
Weight: 2.5

ISBN-13: 978-0-97591-566-0
ISBN-10: 0-97591-566-5
Page count: 274
Book Size: 5-1/2" x 8-1/2"

When Diplomacy Fails

This text relates to the 1st edition • Hardcover (Trade)

edited by Eric Flint & Mike Resnick

Grunts, Tommies, Gropos, Dogfaces.

Whatever you call them, these are the men, women, and aliens who fight the wars the politicians come up with.

Join nine outstanding authors as they explore the ever and never changing role of the soldier in this collection of short stories.

In these stories, selected by Eric Flint and Mike Resnick, brave veterans and the rankest recruits face, not only expected threats such as gunfire and bombs, but dragons, man-tanks and cyborg soldiers and, not the least threat, the incompetents and would-be heroes that every cause attracts (and kills). Beginning with the 19th-century poem by Rudyard Kipling, honoring those who really fight their country's wars to the United States Navy of 1632 to the star navies of the future, these stories highlight the soldier's view of war and command.

Each story included develops the human side of the soldiers. From a not-quite-human superweapon to balloon-traveling mercenaries, each character shows the human side of war and its cost — the obvious, physical wounds and the not-so-obvious mental ones. From experienced veterans who expect to win every battle to those who can’t win anything, they are all here.

"A Ship Named Francis," by John Ringo and Victor Mitchell
"The Day of Glory," by David Drake
"Not That Kind of a War," by Tanya Huff
"In the Navy," by David Weber
"The Burning Spear at Twilight," by Mike Resnick
"Straw," by Gene Wolfe
"Encounter," by Stephen Leigh
"Black Tulip," by Harry Turtledove
"Fanatic," by Eric Flint

Eric Flint

Eric Flint is an author, editor, and e-publisher. The majority of his main works are alternate history science fiction, but he also writes humorous fantasy adventures. His works have been listed on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Locus Magazine best seller lists. He is a co-founder and editor of the Baen Free Library.

Mike Resnick

Mike Resnick is a prolific multiple Hugo-winning science fiction author and editor of short fiction and novels. Among his most popular stories are "Kirinyaga", "The Manmouki", "Seven Views of Olduvai Gorge", and "Travel With My Cats".

Publishing information

ISFiC Press; First Edition (2008).

Jacket by David Mattingly