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brittwrit's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I loved the part of the book focused on the "Old Farts" when they have just gotten on the ship. I wish the book had spent more time on those characters. Overall, I enjoyed this, but it didn't blow me away.
ian_craig's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
gtrombley95's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
miamia1's review against another edition
Will maybe come back to this in the future. I’m just not in the mood for it at this time
brassaf's review against another edition
5.0
This one hit all my sweet spots. Space opera, epic action scenes, morally dubious good guys, misunderstood space alien "bad" guys, unlikely heroes, humor, moments of tenderness, poignant death scenes, and of course, ships that look like X-Wing fighters on the cover. This quick and entertaining read wasn't just a preamble to a series (which... it also is), it was an amazing future-Earth space book that stands on its own. I look forward to reading the rest of the series!
dc_elmo's review against another edition
4.0
4/5
An entertaining and well written military sci-fi novel that's full of unique and intriguing ideas.
Old Man's War by John Scalzi is a book that regularly sat in my, always ever changing, short TBR. The premise, shorter page count, and the excellent cover art really stood out to me. It felt like one of those sci-fi novels that I could easily find myself reading between some longer books. A perfect palette cleanser basically. Nearing the end of 2022, I finally made the time to read Old Man's War, and I'm really glad I did, because this story is full of great ideas and a compelling narrative.
While I wouldn't call this a sci-fi masterpiece, I still think there is a ton to enjoy. It's entertaining and well paced. The story is interesting and keeps you reading. There was never a dull moment for me from start to finish, though I did find the first half of the book a little more memorable. John Perry is a fine protagonist that I grew to really like. He's brought to life by not only Scalzi's writing, but also the audiobook narration by William Dufris. I don't feel like any of the other characters were anywhere near as memorable, but they played their roles in the story quite well, and added some weight to Perry's journey. The dialogue throughout was always a positive for me.
My favorite aspect of Old Man's War is definitely the idea of using a much older protagonist than the average story would. It just felt like a fresh idea for me as a reader, who loves science fiction, but has so much more to read within the genre. The whole book felt like it had some old-school sci-fi vibes to it in regards to the atmosphere, and I found that very much to my liking. I don't think there's much better in fiction than a memorable sci-fi story that you find yourself getting lost in for days. This is really worth a read in my opinion. While there are some bigger heavyweights in the genre that are essential reading, Old Man's War is certainly worth your time.
Part of what makes us human is what we mean to other people, and what people mean to us. I miss meaning something to someone, having that part of being human.
An entertaining and well written military sci-fi novel that's full of unique and intriguing ideas.
Old Man's War by John Scalzi is a book that regularly sat in my, always ever changing, short TBR. The premise, shorter page count, and the excellent cover art really stood out to me. It felt like one of those sci-fi novels that I could easily find myself reading between some longer books. A perfect palette cleanser basically. Nearing the end of 2022, I finally made the time to read Old Man's War, and I'm really glad I did, because this story is full of great ideas and a compelling narrative.
While I wouldn't call this a sci-fi masterpiece, I still think there is a ton to enjoy. It's entertaining and well paced. The story is interesting and keeps you reading. There was never a dull moment for me from start to finish, though I did find the first half of the book a little more memorable. John Perry is a fine protagonist that I grew to really like. He's brought to life by not only Scalzi's writing, but also the audiobook narration by William Dufris. I don't feel like any of the other characters were anywhere near as memorable, but they played their roles in the story quite well, and added some weight to Perry's journey. The dialogue throughout was always a positive for me.
My favorite aspect of Old Man's War is definitely the idea of using a much older protagonist than the average story would. It just felt like a fresh idea for me as a reader, who loves science fiction, but has so much more to read within the genre. The whole book felt like it had some old-school sci-fi vibes to it in regards to the atmosphere, and I found that very much to my liking. I don't think there's much better in fiction than a memorable sci-fi story that you find yourself getting lost in for days. This is really worth a read in my opinion. While there are some bigger heavyweights in the genre that are essential reading, Old Man's War is certainly worth your time.
Part of what makes us human is what we mean to other people, and what people mean to us. I miss meaning something to someone, having that part of being human.
reading1234123's review against another edition
1.0
Militaristic clap-trap that left me feeling somewhat stained after reading the book. I experienced similar emotions after reading "Imperial Earth" a number of years back.
Only recommended for those that enjoy military numbo-jumbo.
Only recommended for those that enjoy military numbo-jumbo.