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

Excellent story

Intriguing portrayal of the Universe and humanity's place in it. Great, entertaining sci-fi. Exceptional humor. I enjoyed it tremendously.

Pretty Good

The narrator is top notch. Couldn't have been any better. The story was also very good. The only part that I didn't care for was the dialog between the characters as old people. It just didn't seem natural. It felt was forced.

Military Sci fi done right

It was good from start to finish, Though some of the pacing was a little abrupt it was truly worth the time (and money) to listen to this book.

Military Sci fi at its finest.

The effort put in by the narrator as well did not go unnoticed yet was still controlled enough to properly convey the intense emotional parts through the book without getting carried away.

This author narrator combo recently became one of my favourites and I'll be listening to more of them in the time to come.

I highly recommend this book to anyone remotely interested in the genre and author. Scalsi hasn't let me down yet.

So well written and performed.

I've passed over this one so many times, despite many people suggesting it. I'm so glad I finally got to it. this book is so we'll put together, the story, the writing, the naration. It's perfect in a way few books are (especially in the scifi genre). Don't hessitste.

Great start to a universe!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would recommend this to friends that don't get hung up on every little detail. It's science fiction that rightly spends more time dealing with the story than detailing every background process and making that believable. There is a great sense of humor throughout the book that doesn't overpower.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Old Man's War?

The main characters first "meeting" with an internal piece of equipment. I was on the treadmill and almost giggled myself off it.

Which scene was your favorite?

The first combat scene was well done.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I didn't plan on wanting to, but after I started this I found myself finding time to listen to more. After I finished this I have went on to other books Scalzi has written in this series and this universe.

My favorite book (and perhaps series)

Old Man's War has everything. Love, War, intrigue, a hilarious training Sergeant, wry but welcome humor, all played out by a cast of mostly ordinary people thrust into an extraordinary adventure that explores the ranges of human emotion in context far beyond what I could expect from any other book. The descriptions of loss and grief are particularly well detailed along with the shimmers of hope renewed faith in humanity and purpose.

Amazing from start to end

Excellent narrating. Fun story that isn't overly complex but has depth. The first in a series of half a dozen novels or so. It would make for an excellent film. I'm looking forward to finishing the entire series. I had no trouble finishing this one. Took just a couple of days.

W0W!!! The books over??? But I Just Started!

Than it ended!!! just like that. The days gone too. I was caught by surprise, thought I had hours yet left. was very enjoyable to listen. I buy credits at least once a month. going to go spend them on the next books.

Good story, good humor

The story wasn't the most original or unpredictable plot line, but was well written, and John Scalzi has a fantastic sense of humor. The book never slowed down in any part, and at times actually felt too brief. Old Man's War lightened up my commute, and actually caused me to laugh out loud several times on the train. Recommended for anyone that needs a short book to break up other series they may be going through.

Interesting take on bioengineering

Would you listen to Old Man's War again? Why?

I enjoyed this story as much as I have enjoyed all of John Scalzi's stories. Lots to think about in this one.