Armor

By: John Steakley

Narrated by: Tom Weiner

Length: 13 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

The planet is called Banshee. The air is unbreathable, the water poisonous. It is the home of the most implacable enemies that humanity, in all its interstellar expansion, has ever encountered.

Felix is a scout in A-team Two. Highly competent, he is the sole survivor of mission after mission. Yet he is a man consumed by fear and hatred. And he is protected not only by his custom-fitted body armor, the culmination of 10,000 years of the armorers' craft, but also by an odd being which seems to live with him, a cold killing machine he calls "the Engine."

©1984 John Steakley (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Gripping, forceful, and compelling....A tour de force." ( Kliatt)

Brutal

i absolutely loved the voice performance, deep voice, 0erfect for this brutal syory telling. i was hooked by the fatalism and violence instantly.

Pure gold!

I was a tank mechanic in the 90s around the time this book came out. I was a 63-E20 Abraham's hull and turret. I can tell you now( because it's long since declassified) it took 4 men, a 1500 hp gas turbine and 72 tons of depleted uranium deflective/reactive armor to accomplish what 1 person does in this story.
There are so many twists and turns it will give a FORMULA ONE driver a hard time, ear to ear grin, and a death grip on the steering wheel while yelling faster!!FASTER!!
Too bad John Steakley didn't write anymore. BV Larsen to Tom Clancy would be in serious jeopardy jealousy....
my top 3 Sci fy books of all time are Greg Bears EON , Anything from BV Larsen, AND THIS.
I guarantee you will like it! And if not, I'll refund you the price of this review...🙃

surprisingly good

got it just to fill time but it surprised me the puppy bit bugged me though

This should be considered a classic

Every time I read or hear this story it affects me in some way or another

Short but good

It's very along the style of old man's war or the forever war. If you liked those you should like this.

I see why it's a classic.

My big recommendation for anyone reading this book would be to stick with it. I struggled a little bit at the beginning because the author is describing some gruff characters without a lot of imagination, It made me think the book was the same, but far from it. The most important main characters are gruff tough guys with no emotions, but they are surrounded by an interesting supporting cast and the tough guys secretly have emotion after all.

One thing this book gives that many books do not is a soldiers perspective on not only his war, but of his train of command and the whole military he's engaged in.

From a veteran, thank you for accurate writing war

First and foremost, this book isn't what it seems: another testosterone-laden "kill all bugs!" military sci-fi macho-fest: this is a layered view into the heart and mind of the soldier carrying the cost of the futility of war.


The grammar is improper, to reflect the course culture of warrior societies and the shedding of the frivolity of what is deemed "proper". The tone is bitter, cynical, and hopeless because war is so; there are glimmers of light in individuals worth knowing, but the grim acceptance that most people infatuated with the "honor and glory of war" are wholly ignorant of the cruel reality.

This book is written like a drowning, where it's the continuing struggle in the face of the yawning Abyss, with gasps that don't offer peace, but give you enough to keep fighting. if you haven't experienced overwhelming loss and horror, this will offer you a peek; if you have, this book will resonate with those memories, and give you a sense of (if not comraderie) familiarity and bitter humor that you aren't alone in suffering.

Though the specifics haven't aged out of 1984, the core message and tone carry the timeless weariness of those who have lived in war.

-An OEF/Afghanistan Marine

Good but confusing foe some time

Took to long to tie the stories together. Was confusing for sometime. Like first story-line and it after it was all tied together.

Excellent

A classic tale , well narrated,, everyone needs to hear this , better than starship troopers!!! Enjoy

Enjoyed it way more than I thought I would

Not into military style stories, was almost put off in first hour. So glad I kept listening, couldn’t put in down in the end. Great story.