Review of Old Man's War by John Scalzi

Old Man's War by John Scalzi

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Old Man’s War by John Scalzi is an excellent book. I read it in two days, and could barely put it down. Scalzi did a masterful job keeping up the tension and my interest. The novel is written in first person and chronicles the distant future when old men and women are given the opportunity to join the Colonial army and go into space—when they reach the age of the seventy-five. There is a promise of being young again and starting over. No spoilers here. However, I will reveal that there are a lot of aliens out there, and defending the colonies is a huge priority as well as a necessity. Did I mention that it’s incredibly dangerous and horrible?



The main character, John Perry, gets a lot more than he bargained for after he joins up. I loved seeing his character evolve. It all felt so real and true. The book is written in the tradition of Robert Heinlein’s Starship Troopers, but is a little more modern. I loved the book, Starship Troopers, and if you liked that, you’ll probably enjoy Old Man’s War. The spin that Scalzi puts on things is quite fascinating. If you’re into military science fiction with strong characters, this is a book for you. Also, if you like Ender’s Game, this is also a book you’d probably enjoy.



Please note the book is for older teens and adults, related to some off-screen sexual content, and would probably garner a PG-13 rating if it were a movie. I cannot emphasize enough that style of the writing is top-notch, and Scalzi seems quite deserving of all the praise he’s gotten for this series, which continues with Ghost Brigades.



Happy Reading,



Paul Genesse

Author of The Dragon Hunters

www.paulgenesse.com




View all my reviews.