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starship troopers science fiction mobile infantry boot camp high school robert heinlein years ago much better thought provoking juan rico military service better than the movie right to vote required reading strange land stranger in a strange corporal punishment nothing like johnny rico must read
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Arguably the most profound book I've ever read...
Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2017
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I first read this book years ago as a child, and in many ways it shaped my entire world view; it quite literally changed my life.
I recently retired after 27 years of Naval service, and as silly as it may seem to some, this book was the foundation of my success; in military service, in the lives of countless young Sailors, and in my new role as a civilian.
It shaped the character of who I was as a leader of men and women at war.
Heinlein may have authored "better" books (according to the critics) but having read virtually all of them, none of the others ever quite so captured the essence of what it means to be both in military service and what those of us fortunate enough to have served all know in our hearts: the true value and moral responsibility of citizenship.
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Erik S Rurikson
5.0 out of 5 stars VASTLY BETTER than the movie you saw!!!!
Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2018
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Best WAR story ever written, past, present or future. It is NOT what you saw in the movie, it is SOOOOO much better!!! Heinlein lays out his vision for inter-galactic warfare, but it is really a book about how a boy becomes a man and a person becomes a worthy citizen. Accused by the Hippies of its era for being "Too Fascist" this libertarian fantasy portrays a future where society really is a liberal-globalist paradise run on a capitalist economy, but with the right to vote limited to those who volunteer for military service. It is a future society with total freedom and total responsibility. All wars are in outer space where human colonies run into hostile societies, especially the "Bugs." We get to follow Johnny Rico, a very typical recent high school graduate, as he goes through basic training and enters combat in a wild tech-warrior mech-suit (first imagined in this book) as a member of the Mobile Infantry. if you like HALO, this is where the game world and tech came from. But, it is really a story about a new a better society and how to find meaning for your life through service to humanity. The best scenes are short, but all take place in a classroom, where "Moral Ethics and History" are taught by a veteran with a missing arm. So, ignore the movie, ignore the controversy; just buy this space adventure and ponder why we don't live in Heinlein's perfect society . . . . yet!!

"Do you apes want to live forever!!"
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EIA!
5.0 out of 5 stars Futuristic Warefare Classic - A must read for the military professional
Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2017
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This is a classic SF futuristic warfare novel that was (may be still) on the reading list at the USAF Command and Staff College where it first got my attention. Written in or around 1959, Heinlein's views on duty, honor, selfless service, dignity, combat unit cohesiveness, future infantry tactics and weaponry, society, women in combat, politics, and even parenting are magnificently woven into a fast read novel written at the high school level (at least the 1959 high school level). A must read for any junior officer or NCO. Great for a military professional development discussion or class. Heinlein was a prolific SF writer. And, I have read a number of his books. But, Starship Troopers is by far the best. If you saw the movie.... I provide you my regrets, although it had a number of budding stars. About the only thing the novel and the movie share besides title is that the protagonist is named Johnnie and the antagonists are bugs.
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Squall Line
5.0 out of 5 stars Can't believe I waited so long to read this. Worth the read. A true classic and source of influence in today's Sci-Fi
Reviewed in the United States on December 16, 2017
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Can't believe I waited this long to read it. I have been a Sci-Fi fan for many years. My die-hard friends always recommended "Starship Troopers" and the Forever War as two classics that all Sci-Fi fans have to have read.Well.... I saw the abysmal movie years ago so was not interested. What a dolt. Robert Heinlein's book is, I now agree, a must read classic for all Sci-Fi fans. I can now see the influence he had with current writers of the genre. Between him and Asimov their influence is seen everywhere. Really glad I finally read it. Not as much action as I had hoped for but the other areas where he explores human nature, government and society and an individuals role in all of that was enjoyable and well worth the read. You have to answer those same questions for yourself as you read Rico's experiences and journey from late teen into adulthood.
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Barry J. Whittingham
5.0 out of 5 stars The most misrepresented book on political philosophy ever written
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 17, 2017
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The Amazon review perpetuates the lie of citizenship, and therefore the right to vote and hold public office, is dependent on military service.
On reading the book, unlike Paul Verhoeven before he made the film, you will find that military service is but one way to attain citizenship.
The term used - veterans - applies to all those who have completed some term of public service. The State is obliged to find you some form of service to attain that.
So the truth is: Teachers can be citizens. Emergency services can be citizens. Even road sweeping and medical drugs testing can be routes to citizenship.
There is no discrimination by way of race, religion, gender or physical ability. If you want to become a citizen, the State will find some role for you to play.
Military service is only one way, albeit usually the fastest. The requirement is a single tour on the frontlines. If you survive, and manage to retire, you can vote.
Lawyers, businessmen and entertainers cannot. They have no power to set tax laws and exemptions to benefit themselves. Capitalism exists. You can become rich and famous if you so choose. But unless you put yourself at the service of the State, you will have less power than any voter.
And those are the people screaming 'Fascist!'

And now the second point. Active military personnel are specifically forbidden from voting or standing for office.
Think about what that means.
It means that as long as you are a soldier, you cannot be a local councilman. You cannot be a mayor. A governor. A judge. You cannot be a senator or minister or President.
Unless you have fought for your nation on the frontlines. And retired from service, foregoing all military influence.
A military dictatorship is a practical impossibility. It cannot happen.

I hope that clears up the most popular misconceptions about this book.

The philosophy behind it is about personal discipline and responsibility. Authority goes hand-in-hand with that responsibility.

Oh, and there's some science fiction story going on in the background as well. And that part I think was done very well in the film but even better in the animated series.

Read the book. Even if you are not a science fiction fan (and how can you not be? This is the book that gave us *power armour*!) then skip the alternate chapters and just read the ones on philosophy. They are very well reasoned. I am a particular fan of Chapter 8. It tells about capital punishment, the ills of social workers and child psychologists and how not housetraining a puppy can lead to the fall of democracy.
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Doug1943
5.0 out of 5 stars The movie was garbage, the book is superb.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 25, 2019
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I've read this novel three or four times over the last fifty years. It's a wonderful adventure, but far far more than that.

This is a book about morality: what does the individual 'owe' to society (as represented by the state), if anything?
Heinlein was a libertarian, so you might think that his answer would, effectively, be .... nothing. His The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress, another classic, is closer to that view.

But in my opinion this book has a sounder view. It's also brilliantly written -- okay, it's not Updike, but it's very good juvenile fiction. Two things will interest readers with a sense of history: first, this was written BEFORE the 'Sixties Revolution' -- and Heinlein was NEVER Politically Correct. But this book, like almost all his novels written from the 1950s onward, includes very effective, if subtle, arguments against what nowadays are called 'racism' and 'sexism'. Secondly, it's interesting to see how far-seeing science fiction authors almost completely missed the revolution in micro-miniaturisation and digital electronics, which makes some of their predictions about the evolution of technology way off the mark. But no one reading the book should feel superior -- it just shows that the future is not predictable.

A great book for teenage boys -- I don't know if girls will appreciate it. Lots of bang-bang, but underlying the adventure, and the identifiable-with central character, are deep lessons in how to be a good person. (I've bought three copies to lend out to the kids I tutor.)
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FallenGrace
5.0 out of 5 stars Deeper than you'd think, an excellent read.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 8, 2015
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Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers has finally made it in ebook form to the kindle, i've been waiting for this for a while and having never read it before I can happily say it was worth the wait and I can see why to many it is a classic. Those of you who have seen the films (I love the first and detest the others) may have a vague idea of the plot but the films are a pale imitation missing so much the book has to offer.

The story follows the career of Johnnie Rico as a Trooper for the federation in a far off fascist future. Despite being a military sci-fi novel it has a surprising amount of political commentary running throughout adding an interesting layer of depth that a lot of modern military sci-fi novels really lack. In the future the only people that can vote have to have worked for the federation to earn citizenship, they have to have earned the right and put the good of the whole above the individual but it's not that simple as Johnnie finds out.

Though Rico's reason for joining started as a political choice it soon turns into the look at the life of a mobile infantry trooper, over half the book is about his training alone, about what really makes a soldier in the future. Most of the cadets don't make it through training, nevermind to serve their term to be citizens.

The way Starship Troopers is written from Johnnies point of view makes everything remarkably clear as the poor lad is as confused about events as the reader so nothing is left unexplained yet it never gets bogged down or feels slow, it's all pretty engrossing.

I think that's what was so good about it, yes the bug war is mentioned towards the end but there's no resolution. It's not a book about saving worlds, about good vs evil, there's no distinct point. Just a career view of a trooper in a politically different future. It's a fascinating read I recommend to any sci-fi fan.

+ Interesting political sub theme.
+ Rico's training is detailed.
+ Well written universe, clear and concise.
+ Interesting plot focus, a little different.
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Frank
4.0 out of 5 stars Well-written and engaging
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 21, 2018
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I saw the film first, it bears many similarities but this is presented differently, being a book. I enjoyed it as a sci-fi action story. I've read comments about the propaganda aspect which was more evident in the film I thought and done well there. I thought the film portrayed the same thing people have complained about - in the story the idea of questioning the obvious militarism is not even considered. I think that's because it's set in a world where that militarism has taken over. I don't see why it should be seen as anything other than a good story with a believable backdrop described effectively by someone who's good at it. If you want to take anything from that you might question whether your own firm beliefs are there because they're 'right' or because you have never questioned them.
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Top old school sci-fi
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 1, 2017
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Parts of this seem a bit dated, which is to be expected as it was written a fair while ago. That said it is a good read, action and excitement. It is far superior to the film of the same name and has a very different tone. Apparently the director didn't read this book, just listened to a summary. The story follows Johnnie Rico from his decision to join up, through boot camp to fighting off world. There is a fair bit of philosophy from Heinlein as well which I found interesting. Well worth a read.
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