14 Mar 07 Book Review: Old Man’s War
Old Man’s War by John Scalzi has been described as a book worthy of the “late, great Heinlen,” and while I’m certainly not as well read in that particular author as some, I would say that OMW definitely has a very Heinlenesque feel to it.1
Old Man’s War was wildly entertaining, riddled with wit and humor that kept me laughing all the way through while opening a window into a possible future where humanity has to fight in order to live and expand. The chronicles the experiences of John Perry as he leaves Earth at the ripe age of 75 to enlist in the Colonial Defense Forces and travels the universe fighting battles on numerous planets, battles which will help ensure that humanity will continue to survive in the universe.
OMW is a quick read – it’s done almost before you realize it. It’s a simple read – light on deep philosophical ponderings2 with a smattering of hard sci-fi throughout (see, skip drives). The sarcasm and humor will keep you chuckling with almost every page turn, and the descriptions of technology and events will keep you entranced.
This was a very fun read and much more light-natured than I expected.3 I’m already eager to get my hands on a copy of The Ghost Brigades and The Last Colony, as well as a copy of The Sagan Diary. I think I’ve just become a Scalzi fan.
Upcoming Reviews: Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz
- The book actually felt like a cross between Starship Troopers and I Will Fear No Evil.[back]
- Unlike a number of other science fiction novels I’ve read recently.[back]
- In hindsight, shouldn’t have been such a huge surprise; I have, after all, been reading Scalzi’s blog for quite some time now and have become fairly well-acquainted with his particular brand of humor.[back]
Tags: book-reviews, books, ghost-brigades-the, john-scalzi, last-colony-the, old-mans-war, Reviews, robert-a-heinlen, sagan-diary-the, science-fiction, Speculative Fiction
