[BadAxe]

If you like age of sail and Hornblower, then I can not recommend highly enough the Aubrey/Maturin books by Patrick O'Brien, he of Master and Commander fame. I am reading them for the second time and they are even better. The first time I read them I sped through them to find out what happens next, and now I am appreciating his fine observations and excellent, subtle style.

I also recommend the Vinge books and the Pournelle books mentioned above.