F@#% Old Man's War

John Scalzi has been compared to Robert Heinlein, which is obvious once you read Old Man’s War.  Sci-Fi infantry combat is the norm in both, and while Heinlein used Power Armor, Scalzi uses genetically altered replacement bodies.  So that’s where they are similar.

Here is where they differ.  Heinlein used a classroom setting to tell you what the society was like, and Scalzi only describes it, the reader has to infer a lot of what the OMW universe is like.  And it’s a scary place.  Aliens routinely find humans tasty snacks.  To the point that on a conquered planet they will turn them into livestock.  That kind of threat has shaped the Colonial Defense Forces (CDF) into a ruthless, amoral force.  The first two books (second one being The Ghost Brigades) really explore the CDF’s version of Real Politik and how the ends justify the means, and while The_Last_Colony starts with more of that, ends on an more upbeat species cooperative note.

There are quite a few memorable passages.  I love the brochure for the genetically altered body, it reads exactly like a time share sales presentation.   The training montages, for both regular and special forces are also really entertaining.  I don’t want to get too specific, since I know at least one of my readers hates spoilers.

Zoe's Tale is another author concept album.  Scalzi retells The Last Colony from the viewpoint of a 17 year old girl.  It was interesting and I found it a worthwhile read, but if there is a book to skip, this is it.

Overall, I really liked this series.  I read Agent to the Stars and didn’t really like it, but Scalzi said that was the book he wrote to see if he could write a book, so I am willing to give some other works of his try.