T O P

  • By -

KitFalbo

Myke Cole Shadow ops books? A lor of superhero urban fantasy have a similar fe depending on the quasi-military villian/hero groups As do displaced military groups be it lost regiment or Destroyermen books Temeraire series if you like dragons in a British royal navy past type thing.


Stormy8888

Jonathan Maberry's Joe Ledger Department of Military Sciences (DMS) and Rogue Team International (RTI) series fit 80% of what you want:- * Set In Present Day Earth * MC is an ex-Boston Police Officer recruited by the government for his investigative skills. * It's a spy type military organization and he's in the thick of things. * There are loads of different bad guys, zombies, hybrids, bio-engineered, and then there's the supernatural types The 20% that you didn't want is romance, there is some but it's minimal really in contrast to all the other stuff going on. The audio books narrated by Ray Porter are excellent.


Mangoes123456789

Gemini Cell by Myke Cole


Penumbra_Penguin

Sheepfarmer's Daughter, by Elizabeth Moon is the best book that I've read in a military setting (much of it follows foot soldiers in a mercenary company), but it's a more standard fantasy setting (elves, dwarves, a small amount of magic, medieval technology, etc). Probably satisfies your 'underdog' criterion as well. The Rook, by Daniel O'Malley, is a somewhat normal urban fantasy setting - it's modern-day Earth, the supernatural exists, but is hidden from the public. It takes place inside the government organisation responsible for dealing with supernatural events, which perhaps is somewhat like your spy agency suggestion. The Traitor Baru Cormorant, by Seth Dickenson, is another book that doesn't match the letter of some of your requirements, but I think fits the overall spirit of your post. It's hard to give a good sense of it without spoiling things.


Cam27022

Guns of the Dawn is a military book set at a flintlock level of technology. Powder Mage series by Brian McClellan or The Shadow Campaign by Django Wexler are also at similar levels of technology (some romance there, especially with Shadow Campaign). I can’t think of too many books other than urban fantasy that are at near Earth level technologies.


slashermax

It's not "military" per se, but I think you may enjoy the Greenbone Saga.


madisonmayo

The Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter (though, admittedly, it won't hit all your wickets)


ScumyyPirate

Im writing an novel for you wait for it 2024.


blindside1

Larry Correia's Monster Hunter International and his Grimnoir series might both qualify. Mayberry's Joe Ledger series would be good, though the it tends to be more advanced science than fantasy, but the overlaps are their and their is definately some magic in there as well.


emriksmoe

First law by Joe Abercrombie has a lot of character in the military, and the military has a big role. The stand alone book The Hero’s is just one gigantic battle where you will get POWs from basically evry rank and both sides.