Old Man's War

by Scalzi, John
ISBN: 9780765315243
4.3 (3)
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Used - Trade Paperback - 9780765315243

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Overview

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.

Old Man's War Series
#1 Old Man's War
#2 The Ghost Brigades
#3 The Last Colony
#4 Zoe's Tale
#5 The Human Division
#6 The End of All Things
Short fiction: "After the Coup"

Other Tor Books
The Android's Dream
Agent to the Stars
Your Hate Mail Will Be Graded
Fuzzy Nation
Redshirts
Lock In
The Collapsing Empire (forthcoming)

  • Format: TradePaperback
  • Author: Scalzi, John
  • ISBN: 9780765315243
  • Condition: Used
  • Dimensions: 8.20 x 0.90
  • Number Of Pages: 320
  • Publication Year: 2005

Customer Reviews

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4.3
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  • Great book!!

    Paul G. - 15 days ago

    Excellent book with a great story. If you like sci Fi, you'll love this book.

    Tags: Funny, Page Turner

  • Septuagenarians fighting aliens

    Courtland S. - 1 year 6 months ago

    So a seventy-five-year-old man decides to join the army go into space and fight the aliens threatening human colonies and gets a whole new body in the process. A unique twist on the typical human versus alien idea, with some witty dialogue, realistic death rate, and a hero who remains a cantankerous old man at heart.

    HPB Staff Review

  • Military Sci Fi

    Angie B. - 5 years 10 months ago

    Continuing in the vein of Robert Heinlein's Starship Troopers and Dave Weber's Honor Harrington series, John Scalzi's debut novel Old Man's War (p. 2005) sets a new precedent in quality military science fiction. The story opens with 75-year old John Perry visiting the grave of his wife for the last time the last time, as he's departing Earth and joining the Colonial Defense Forces. In a universe rife with numerous species of aliens, most of which are hostile to humanity, the CDF looks to recruit as many soldiers as possible. Yet, they aren't seeking the young and fit. They want the elderly, experienced portion of the population; the ones that have lived and learned and gained wisdom. Thus, John Perry, with his new friends the "Old Farts," embarks on a space elevator to a Colonial ship to start his career in the military. The one caveat, and something that no one was aware of, was how these soldiers could physically handle the task. Speculation was rampant, yet, in the end, none of them expected their consciousness to be transferred into synthetic, superhuman bodies. Nor were they prepared for the hell that is interstellar warfare. It is rare to see a veritable home-run with your debut novel. John Scalzi does it with Old Man's War. With an intricate blending of detailed science fiction and dry humor, Old Man's War creates a universe that is not only believable, but enjoyable and entertaining. I highly recommend this book to the reader that yearns for a new perspective in military sci-fi.

    HPB Staff Review