Tom Clancy
Military Thriller
Teeth of the Tiger
http://www.amazon.com/Teeth-Tiger-Jack-Ryan/dp/0425197409
This is a good introduction to Clancy’s novels for those too young to remember the Cold War.
Appropriate for ages 16+
Michael Creighton
Technological Thrillers
Next
http://www.amazon.com/Next-Michael-Crichton/dp/2221109104
Genetic engineering goes very wrong when a modern day Dr. Frankenstein creates a chimpanzee/human hybrid.
State of Fear
http://www.amazon.com/State-Fear-Michael-Crichton/dp/0066214130
Creighton’s indictment of the Global Warming movement.
Appropriate for ages 16+
C.S. Lewis
Fantasy
Cosmic/Ransom Trilogy:
Out of Silent Planet
http://www.amazon.com/Silent-Planet-Space-Trilogy-Book/dp/0743234901
Perelandra
http://www.amazon.com/Perelandra-Space-Trilogy-Book-2/dp/074323491X
That Hideous Strength
http://www.amazon.com/That-Hideous-Strength-C-S-Lewis/dp/0684823853
The Chronicles of Narnia are better known, but these novels are just as good and written with a more grown up audience in mind. An excellent introduction to Lewis’ work. The audio book version of the series read by Geoffrey Howard is outstanding. It can be downloaded from Audible.com http://www.audible.com/adbl/site/products/ProductDetail.jsp?productID=BK_BLAK_000509&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes
Appropriate for ages 16+
William McGrath
Fantasy
The first two books in The Sword of Fire series:
Asulon
http://www.amazon.com/ASULON-William-R-McGrath/dp/0980105803
Eretzel
http://www.amazon.com/ERETZEL-WILLIAM-RAYMOND-MCGRATH/dp/0980105811
The Book of Revelation set in a fantasy world that resembles western Europe during the period of the Crusades. Unashamedly Conservative in its political views. If J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis and Tom Clancy collaborated on a story the results might look something like this. You can read six sample chapters or listen to three audio chapters on the samples page of this website.
Appropriate for ages 12+
Lt. Colonel Oliver North
Military/Political Thrillers
Mission Compromised
http://www.amazon.com/Mission-Compromised-Oliver-L-North/dp/006055584X
The Jericho Sanction
http://www.amazon.com/Jericho-Sanction-Oliver-North/dp/0060599804
The Assassins
http://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Oliver-North/dp/0061137642
Think of Colonel North’s writing style as Tom Clancy with a focus on men over machines, small unit tactics over technology. The books take an Evangelical Christian view of events in the Middle East.
Appropriate for ages 12+
George Orwell
Political Satire
1984
http://www.amazon.com/Nineteen-Eighty-Four-George-Orwell/dp/0452284236
The justly famous political satire about Stalin’s Soviet Union.
Written in 1947-48 (Orwell reversed the last two digits to get the title when discussing the book with his publisher), it has seemed eerily prescient to generations of readers because totalitarian regimes of all stripes tend to say and do similar things to get and hold onto power.
Appropriate for ages 16+
Animal Farm
http://www.amazon.com/Animal-Farm-George-Orwell/dp/1595404295
Published in 1945, Animal Farm is Orwell’s earlier indictment of Stalinism, but it can be read as a warning regarding any form of collectivism because they all degrade into this model. “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”
Appropriate for ages 12+
Joel C. Rosenburgh
Political Thrillers
The Last Jihad
http://www.amazon.com/Last-Jihad-Political-Thrillers/dp/0765346435
The Last Days
http://www.amazon.com/Last-Days-Political-Thrillers/dp/1414312733
The Ezekiel Option
http://www.amazon.com/Ezekiel-Option-Political-Thrillers/dp/1414303440
The Copper Scroll
http://www.amazon.com/Copper-Scroll-Political-Thrillers/dp/1414303475
Rosenburgh is the former communications strategist for Steve Forbes, Rush Limbaugh, former Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Natan Sharansky, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Born to an Orthodox Jewish father and a gentile mother, he is now an Evangelical Christian with an unique insider’s view of Middle Eastern politics.
Appropriate for ages 12+
