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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
fast-paced
Old Man’s War is the sixth novel I’ve read by John Scalzi, and it solidifies him as one of my favorite authors. It’s been fascinating to work backward through his bibliography, starting with his modern releases and diving into earlier works like this one. You can see the evolution of his style, with traces of the humor, sharp dialogue, and thematic exploration that define his more recent novels.
The premise of *Old Man’s War* is fantastic. The story follows John Perry, a 75-year-old man who, like many others in this future society, volunteers for the Colonial Defense Forces after living a full life on Earth. The CDF recruits senior citizens, transferring their consciousness into enhanced, younger bodies to fight in an intergalactic war for humanity’s survival. The first third of the book explores this concept with great curiosity and energy, delving into what it means to start a second life as a soldier after leaving everything familiar behind. The tension between old age and new bodies gives the book a fresh twist on traditional military science fiction.
One of the major themes of the book is colonization. Humanity isn’t just fighting alien species for resources; they’re fighting for habitable planets. Scalzi explores the complexities of colonization with nuance, hinting at broader questions about the ethics of expansion, survival, and what humanity is willing to sacrifice for progress. It’s a recurring motif that adds depth to the action-heavy plot.
I also found myself genuinely enjoying the characters, even the minor ones who aren’t around for long. Scalzi has a knack for making brief appearances feel impactful, often giving side characters memorable exits that resonate within the larger narrative. John Perry, the protagonist, is easy to root for, and his camaraderie with his fellow recruits is one of the highlights of the book.
The world-building is another strong point. Scalzi doesn’t bog the reader down with info dumps but steadily builds the rules and lore of this futuristic universe. I’m excited to see how these elements unfold in later books, though I’m curious about Perry’s role moving forward. Based on the description for *The Ghost Brigades* (the next book in the series), he might not be as central, which only heightens my interest.
If I had to point out a flaw, it would be the plot armor surrounding Perry. There’s a major event about 60% into the book where Perry miraculously survives despite seemingly impossible odds. While I understand the need for him to remain the focal point, it felt a bit too convenient, especially considering how dangerous and unpredictable the rest of the book can be. Additionally, there’s an earlier moment where Perry uses his weapon in a "clever" way, but it’s hard to believe that no one in this advanced military had thought of this before him. These moments gave the story a bit of a "Mary Sue" vibe, which took away some of the stakes for me.
Overall, though, *Old Man’s War* is a highly entertaining read that blends action, humor, and thought-provoking themes. It’s a testament to Scalzi’s talent that, even with some minor issues, I couldn’t put the book down. While it wasn’t a perfect five-star read for me, it’s certainly close and left me eager to dive into the rest of the series.
The premise of *Old Man’s War* is fantastic. The story follows John Perry, a 75-year-old man who, like many others in this future society, volunteers for the Colonial Defense Forces after living a full life on Earth. The CDF recruits senior citizens, transferring their consciousness into enhanced, younger bodies to fight in an intergalactic war for humanity’s survival. The first third of the book explores this concept with great curiosity and energy, delving into what it means to start a second life as a soldier after leaving everything familiar behind. The tension between old age and new bodies gives the book a fresh twist on traditional military science fiction.
One of the major themes of the book is colonization. Humanity isn’t just fighting alien species for resources; they’re fighting for habitable planets. Scalzi explores the complexities of colonization with nuance, hinting at broader questions about the ethics of expansion, survival, and what humanity is willing to sacrifice for progress. It’s a recurring motif that adds depth to the action-heavy plot.
I also found myself genuinely enjoying the characters, even the minor ones who aren’t around for long. Scalzi has a knack for making brief appearances feel impactful, often giving side characters memorable exits that resonate within the larger narrative. John Perry, the protagonist, is easy to root for, and his camaraderie with his fellow recruits is one of the highlights of the book.
The world-building is another strong point. Scalzi doesn’t bog the reader down with info dumps but steadily builds the rules and lore of this futuristic universe. I’m excited to see how these elements unfold in later books, though I’m curious about Perry’s role moving forward. Based on the description for *The Ghost Brigades* (the next book in the series), he might not be as central, which only heightens my interest.
If I had to point out a flaw, it would be the plot armor surrounding Perry. There’s a major event about 60% into the book where Perry miraculously survives despite seemingly impossible odds. While I understand the need for him to remain the focal point, it felt a bit too convenient, especially considering how dangerous and unpredictable the rest of the book can be. Additionally, there’s an earlier moment where Perry uses his weapon in a "clever" way, but it’s hard to believe that no one in this advanced military had thought of this before him. These moments gave the story a bit of a "Mary Sue" vibe, which took away some of the stakes for me.
Overall, though, *Old Man’s War* is a highly entertaining read that blends action, humor, and thought-provoking themes. It’s a testament to Scalzi’s talent that, even with some minor issues, I couldn’t put the book down. While it wasn’t a perfect five-star read for me, it’s certainly close and left me eager to dive into the rest of the series.
This was really fun, such a cool and unique concept. The whole set up was better than the action but it was still a good time overall.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
At the age of seventy-five, one can join the Colonial Defense Force. This interstellar military gets the benefits of your experience (and perhaps naivete) and you get a new youthful body and a colonial settlement when your service is done, or so it is rumored. A widower, John Perry signs up, thinking he has nothing left to keep him on Earth. He shows up for training and quickly becomes attached to a group of his fellow enlisted humans. But training doesn't quite prepare him for what happens when the battles begin--or the new information he gains about his fellow soldiers and the world he has signed up for. Old Man's War is a fun conceit and Scalzi adds his signature humor to the mix. Given what we know of Perry's Earth existence, including anti-war protesting, we don't get enough of his motivation to sign up for the Force and how he is changed by his experience, though that may come in future installments (which I am planning on reading). I enjoyed the interplay between the characters and how Perry's continued love for his deceased wife in integrated into the story. Looking forward to the rest of the series!
adventurous
inspiring
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Fantastic, brain twisting take on space war and the possibilities out there. Super fast read, didn't even notice the hours sliding by.
This was one of the more creatively unique worlds I’ve read in a while! Had a lot of fun with this book, in which old people become soldiers of humanity!
The first half of this book worked far better than the second half for me, but it was still good enough overall to make me want more of the series. I hope going forward more of that first half feel is captured because I truly enjoyed everything about how I felt starting this story. I will definitely continue and I recommend this one as pretty accessible sci-fi for people relatively new to the genre. Just a super fun idea explored here!
The first half of this book worked far better than the second half for me, but it was still good enough overall to make me want more of the series. I hope going forward more of that first half feel is captured because I truly enjoyed everything about how I felt starting this story. I will definitely continue and I recommend this one as pretty accessible sci-fi for people relatively new to the genre. Just a super fun idea explored here!
A great read! The plot is similar to that of [b:The Forever War|21611|The Forever War (The Forever War, #1)|Joe Haldeman|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1386852511s/21611.jpg|423] (which is still fairly fresh in my memory), however, there's enough difference in writing style to differentiate the two.
I love Scalzi's tone. For every book of his that I've read, his humor always lands. I enjoyed the characters and the plot. I don't generally like to read science fiction (fantasy is my favorite), but this novel was so interesting, I wasn't bothered by the setting being outer space and mostly on spaceships. No overly long descriptions of battles (which is one of the things I hate in any genre, but especially sci-fi), fast-moving pace and interesting characters sold the book for me.
I'm looking forward to my next Scalzi novel.
I love Scalzi's tone. For every book of his that I've read, his humor always lands. I enjoyed the characters and the plot. I don't generally like to read science fiction (fantasy is my favorite), but this novel was so interesting, I wasn't bothered by the setting being outer space and mostly on spaceships. No overly long descriptions of battles (which is one of the things I hate in any genre, but especially sci-fi), fast-moving pace and interesting characters sold the book for me.
I'm looking forward to my next Scalzi novel.