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

Warhammer 40k meets starship troopers

This was the best syfy novel I haven’t read in years. I can’t wait to for the next novel.

A great story

I really liked the overall progression of the story. I don’t usually read fiction but a friend recommended and I really enjoyed it.

first non fiction in 25 years

Incredible, thought provoking, immersion sci-fi and community story hinging on a love beyond the stars

fantastic

a 'good time' science fiction story. unique and yet a story as old as humanity. well done! Highly recommend for those looking for a good book to curl up with.

Interesting unusual plot and great storytelling

Always entertaining to listen to John’s books. Love his characters and the storyline. No matter when the book was released a good book stays just that

Amazeballs

What an awesome story! very unique unlike most sci-fi I have read. I highly recommend it

Some interesting stories but gets bogged down

The mystery of discovering the new world in this book is great. After that it gets bogged down with chunky coincidences that don’t really make sense. Also the science isn’t really thought out or good.

Best book in a while

I usually don't write reviews. I don't want to take the time, so I just post my rating (diligently) and move on to the next book.
However, I felt compelled to write to say this is the best book I have come across in some time. It made me laugh out loud in sections, while still maintaining that sense of what's next. Very much worth the time, and the money.

Cheers.

Enjoyable Sci-fi Adventure

This book reminded me of the most interesting parts of Heinlein's star ship troopers with alot less political rambling and alot more excitement. The characters are very easy to like and you feel for their struggles. I wouldn't say that this is great literature but I really enjoyed the story. Its an exciting listen and the author created a very interesting universe.

Check it out if your interested in a sci-fi adventure that is easy to follow and enjoy. The narrator William Dufris has always impressed me too. You'll probably want to download the sequel as well, it's just as good if not better.

I READ THE WHOLE SERIES!!!! (-:

"SCALZI AND QUALITY CONTROL"

I won't spoil anything for you; just keep your eyes peeled for at least one really cool idea every three or four minutes. (And if Scalzi hasn't blown your mind within the first couple hundred pages, it'll happen when Alan Rosenthal explains how the skip drive works.) I can't really tell you anything specific without giving away something better left for you to discover as you read.

I can say in general, though, that Scalzi has a pretty healthy sense of what it will take for human beings to colonize other planets in a universe that contains other sentient species. He's also got a knack for thinking up clever and gruesome ways for people to die. Oh, and there's a lot of nicely handled bittersweet stuff that may bring tears to your eyes if you're inclined to that sort of thing.

There are 4.5 books in the series and in my opinion:

Book 2: Ghost Brigades deserves 4 stars
Book 3: Last Colony deserves 3 stars
Book 4: Zoe's Tale deserves 3 stars
Book 4.5: Sagan Diary deserves 2 stars


NEXT BOOK IS "THE HUMAN DIVISION"
Expected publication: April 2nd 2013