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)

An intense and unusual work, wonderfully performed

There are really two stories here, that eventually come together, and they are somewhat different. The Felix narrative tracks the experience of an individual soldier in an interstellar war. Steakley expends little time on the tech details and essentially none on the politics, the war is apparently completely pointless, but focuses instead on the actual experience that Felix endures. The writing is distinctive, with a chopped flow and bursts of intensity that mirror the fighting, and Weiner's narration captures this. It's very fast paced, and I found it even a bit emotionally draining. Felix has a rough ride.

The Jack Crow character provides the comic release and I found that storyline a welcome break from the intensity of the Felix chapters. Again, Weiner brings out the fun in that part of the story.

Ultimately Armor is a psychological fable, more than simple military SF, examining how people think, act and feel under extreme situations, the nature of heroism, the many ways people are motivated... some people look tough but aren't, some are brave and don't know why, some know how to lead but don't want to... lot's of unexpected little character dimensions.

Be prepared for large parts of this story to make little sense or be complete mysteries. Why the war? How do the warring technologies match up? Where does this fight fit into the larger war? How could their intel be so completely wrong? I didn't mind this; the story is not about the war, it's about these people, and this is a much more realistic way that such events are actually experienced. Only in novels do we get the "God view" that gives us knowledge of everything. Not in this novel, however. This one's all about the characters and they repeatedly say that they don't have any idea what's going on, and since they don't, neither do we.

Love this book

I could listen to this story over and over. It's like the thinking mans' starship troopers.

Well done and fun sci-fi story that was well read

No need to review the story, others have done that plenty. I will say the narrator did an excellent job, alternating accents and voices splendidly to help the listener discern the various characters throughout. Less of a reading and more of a performance. It was well done.

amazing story

I loved this story! Action-packed plot, well thought-out military strategy, great story. it was a truly enjoyable book.

Couldn't finish...

What did you love best about Armor?

Get's right into the action.

Would you recommend Armor to your friends? Why or why not?

No. I think there are probably better audio books with similar story lines.

What didn’t you like about Tom Weiner’s performance?

I haven't had this problem since i signed up for audible, but I seem to just tune out his voice. I miss complete sections and get lost with whats going on. It's not a complicated story by any means. I don't really understand it.

I think it has to do with his fast pace of reading and almost robotic sound. I also had a hard time distinguishing between who was speaking. The guys a professional don't get me wrong, maybe just not right for me.

First time I've ever been frustrated enough to stop listening. I wasn't able to picture what was going on...One minute hes fighting on the ground, then hes in a ship again? I became so lost.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Ants, Ants, Everywhere, Ants.

Any additional comments?

Really wanted to like this one.

Stick with it to the end, its worth it.

Would you listen to Armor again? Why?

I might to pick up on details i may have missed the first time

What did you like best about this story?

Any time Felix was in the story.

What does Tom Weiner bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He gave the main characters a toughness that wouldn't be as easy to pick up reading.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When the truth is revealed.

always amazing

This book is beyond great, its an excellent audio book as well. I can't recommend it enough. needs to be a movie as well.

An Interesting Twist To Heinlein's Classic Idea

What did you love best about Armor?

The sections detailing Felix's battles with the Ants were my favorites. They were fast-paced and relentless, sometimes leaving you feeling as tired as the protagonist after they were over.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Armor?

I don't want to spoil it...but one of Forest's later quotes during the first battle on Banshee.

Which character – as performed by Tom Weiner – was your favorite?

The Engine

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Felix's words about the Guardian will last with me for a long time.

Any additional comments?

Not quite what I expected, but an excellent and surprisingly thoughtful science fiction novel.

awesome book

loved the story and how everything ties in. great future world. would love to read more.

ONE OF THE BEST

WAR is never about the objective. It's about those who fight and die for causes lost. It is surviving the experts who define the missions though they've never seen combat.