Old Man's War

By: John Scalzi

Narrated by: William Dufris

Length: 9 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

Perfect for an entry-level sci-fi listener and the ideal addition to a veteran fan’s collection, John Scalzi's Old Man’s War will take audiences on a heart-stopping adventure into the far corners of the universe.

John Perry did two things on his 75th birthday. First he visited his wife's grave. Then he joined the army.

The good news is that humanity finally made it into interstellar space. The bad news is that planets fit to live on are scarce—and alien races willing to fight us for them are common. So: we fight. To defend Earth, and to stake our own claim to planetary real estate. Far from Earth, the war has been going on for decades: brutal, bloody, unyielding.

Earth itself is a backwater. The bulk of humanity's resources are in the hands of the Colonial Defense Force. Everybody knows that when you reach retirement age, you can join the CDF. They don't want young people; they want people who carry the knowledge and skills of decades of living. You'll be taken off Earth and never allowed to return. You'll serve two years at the front. And if you survive, you'll be given a generous homestead stake of your own, on one of our hard-won colony planets.

John Perry is taking that deal. He has only the vaguest idea what to expect. Because the actual fight, light-years from home, is far, far harder than he can imagine—and what he will become is far stranger.

John Scalzi's Old Man's War is a stunning novel of the long war for human survival—in a universe replete with hostility

©2005 John Scalzi (P)2007 Audio Renaissance, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishers LLC

Critic reviews

• Hugo Award nominee, Best Novel, 2006

"Scalzi's imagined interstellar arena is coherently and compellingly delineated." (The Washington Post)

“Though a lot of SF writers are more or less efficiently continuing the tradition of Robert A. Heinlein, Scalzi's astonishingly proficient first novel reads like an original work by the late grand master...This virtuoso debut pays tribute to SF's past while showing that well-worn tropes still can have real zip when they're approached with ingenuity.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Solid…[Scalzi] sidesteps most of the cliches of military science fiction, delivers fast-paced scenes of combat and pays attention to the science underpinning his premise.” —San Francisco Chronicle

“Gripping and surpassingly original. It's Starship Troopers without the lectures. It's The Forever War with better sex. It's funny, it's sad, and it's true.” —Cory Doctorow

Woke up my girlfriend laughing

The drill sergeant was quite possibly the best scene I have ever read in any book ever. I laughed so loud I now have to sleep on the couch for a week. I don't even regret it too curse you Scalzi.

Narration was top notch, aliens were hilarious. Would read again 10/10.

Best book I ever read / heard

If you could sum up Old Man's War in three words, what would they be?

Star Wars Rival

Who was your favorite character and why?

The Old Man Of Course

Any additional comments?

This is easily the best book I ever heard. I didn't know what to expect when I first downloaded it but I already heard all other books by Scalzi and somehow skipped over these books so I went back and downloaded them. I am usually not much for book series so I didn't have any intention of downloading them but after hearing Scalzi's other books I was itching for more. After the first few chapters I was already in love with this book and by the end I desperately needed more. The second book was easily as great as the first if only because you can't directly compare the two. They are completely different stories and less of a continuation of the first story as in most series. Scalzi went into great details on all of the things that intrigued me so much in the first book and I didn't feel like anything was missing or skipped over by the time I reached the end. I still wanted more and went onto the third book and it held my attention but I didn't fall completely in love with it like I did book 1 & 2. I didn't care much for Zoe's tale at all, mainly because it was a retelling of book 3 but from a different point of view.

The 75 year old question

Old Man's War, a futuristic interstellar tale, was quite engaging for me. In this imagined future, Earth people (at least some of them) are given the opportunity to join the "Colonial Defense Force", or "CDF", when they turn the ripe old age of 75. They join the CDF sight unseen. And, after joining, they leave their Earthly life behind, being officially declared dead. The amazing thing is none of them have ever seen the CDF or a single soldier in the CDF. These elderly individuals all imagine what is on the other side of joining but none actually know anything about what really is there. Of course joining is voluntary, but those that join must figure 'what the heck, it is either join or grow older and die.' Everyone knows old men and women can't possibly actually fight any battles so all believe they'll either not be fighting anything or they might get some sort of rejuvenation, of dare they think they'll get "new bodies"? You've got to read (or listen) to find out.

I found the story line kept me listening, kept me engaged in the story, and I really enjoyed how the author presented very interesting lines of thought as it applies to getting older, or younger - the moral dilemmas, the rationalizing on all sides. John Scalzi obviously spent time working this thru and I like what he has come up with.

I recommend the book to sci-fi fans.

Loved this book

Are usually only listen to books driving back-and-forth to work. This one I went out to my car to listen to you at lunch. I loved it

He said she said…..

Enjoyed the story and performance. My only complaint is the he said she said back an forth.

Pretty solid book. Thoroughly enjoyed. Good orator

John Scalzi does an awesome job setting up the audience with the universe the series takes place in.

Fine

Fine story, captivating. As with most endings a trifle flat, but superb overall, anyway. Several nice twists of the plot to keep one interested.

Old mans war review

One of the BEST books I have ever read. It reaches out and touches your soul. It brings out the best and worst of our species with thought provoking reality!

Wow

This is one of the greatest Sifi books I have been through. It sky rocketed to ranking in my top five, right up there with Dune. I highly recommend. Note, though I compare it with Dune it is nothing like it and gives me value a very different way. Finished in one day. Enjoy

Amazing!!

I loved this book. it keeps your attention through out then entire book!! absolutely finominal!!