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Old Man's War by John Scalzi
#1
It's up for the Hugo and how could that be bad.

It hearkens back to Heinlein, almost Heinein light. But it was very enjoyable.
When you get old you get the chance to be young again as long as you join the colonial defense forces and fight for ten years. Yippee. All I know is when I come back as an alien, it better be a Consu.

It's predictable but name a big space opera book that isn't. I do like the characters and there is a seqeul, which I am about to order.
So much for the flickr badge idea. Dammit
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#2
Had me hooked from the very first sentence, and it's been a long time since that happened! Yeah, once it gets into the battles it was definitely akin to the Starship Troopers universe, with a momentary nod to a character from the Honor-verse (I think the "Senator" character who lasts less than a chapter before he gets himself killed trying to negotiate peace is remarkably similar to Reginald Houseman; not the coward that Houseman was, but just as stupid and self-important.)

I finished it much too fast -- another thing I haven't been able to say about anything I've read recently. I was really sorry to see the book end, and I'm definitely looking forward to diving into the sequel, Ghost Brigades.
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
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#3
I read the Ghost Brigades but it didn't stay with me. I think Old Man's war was much better plotted. Maybe, I need to read all three at a stretch.

That being said, The Lost Colony really gripped me. That could be because I just finished reading it. Plus, it had the two main characters from Old Man's war, something Ghost Brigades lacked.

It was good to see Jane and John back in action despite being civilians. John runs a colony. Jane is in charge of security. There lives have become humdrum on Planet Huckleberry, but I don't think they mind. But like they say in Godfather 3, "Just when I thought that I was out they pull me back in. "

John and Jane are picked to start the new colony of Roanoke. Yes, if you know your american history the same sort of things happen. Turns out the colony is just a pawn in the war between the Conclave and the United Colonies. Both groups lie. Both groups at one time or another try to wipe out the colony. It's John and Jane's job to keep their colonists safe.

Things are happening on many levels in this book, from the personal to galaxy wide. I liked the galaxy wide manuevering, but there was some bad things happening on the colony that I wish were delved into a little more. What is going to happen to the werewolves for instance? I'd say the first three-quarters of the book was great. I'm giving the last quarter pretty good. I'm thinking the book could have done with another hundred pages of story. It could be I'm a sucker for smart ass heroes and clever repartee with their girl Fridays.

It's a very detailed universe that John and Jane live in. Despite the fact Scalzi says he's done with them, I hope he sets more stories in this Universe.
So much for the flickr badge idea. Dammit
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#4
Good to hear. I really liked "Old Man's War" (I thought "Haldeman" and not "Heinlein" first) so I'll pick up the next two.
In the Tudor Period, Fencing Masters were classified in the Vagrancy Laws along with Actors, Gypsys, Vagabonds, Sturdy Rogues, and the owners of performing bears.
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