To Battle! Books of War and Espionage

Try these books if you're looking for:

• action
• thrillers
• fantasy
• adventure
• emphasis on war and espionage
• smart characters 
• realistic tactics
• some lighthearted moments

Transfer of Power 
By Vince Flynn
F FLYNN Mitch_Ra #1
When a gang of terrorists seizes control of the White House, taking hostages, leaving many dead, and driving the president to a secret bunker, it is up to the CIA's top counterterrorism specialist, Mitch Rapp, to stop the insurrection.

Rules of Deception 
By Christopher Reich
F REICH Jonathan #1
Following the death of his wife in a mountaineering accident, Dr. Jonathan Ransom receives a mysterious message that makes him the subject of an international manhunt as he struggles to unravel the truth behind his wife's secrets.

Under Heaven 
By Guy Gavriel Kay
SCI-FI KAY
Shen Tai, son of an illustrious general, has spent two years honoring the memory of his late father by burying the bones of the dead from the site of one of his father's last great battles. In recognition of his labors, an unlikely source has sent him a dangerous gift: 250 Sardian horses. Two hundred and fifty is an unthinkable gift, a gift to overwhelm an emperor. A gift men would kill for.

For more espionage and action thrillers, you may want to try:

• The General's Daughter by Nelson DeMille 
• At Risk by Stella Rimington 
• The Eagle Has Landed by Jack Higgins 
• Semper Fi by W. E. B. Griffin 
• Killing Floor by Lee Child 

For more epic fantasy novels with wars and interwoven plots, you may want to try:

• Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan (starting with The Eye of the World) 
• The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss 
• Sabriel by Garth Nix 

For lighter stories with smart characters, you may want to try:

• The Naming by Alison Croggon 
• Cinnamon and Gunpowder by Eli Brown 
• Ready Player One by Ernest Cline.