Humanity has reached out to space, created colonies on other planets and now has to fight aliens in inter-galactic wars. It needs an army of dedicated soldiers. In John Dcalzi’s science fiction novel Old Man’s War those soldiers come from older inhabitants of Earth. In exchange for two years of their life they receive a new start in space, but they can never return home again.
John Perry is 75 years old and his wife has died, his children are settled and he has nothing to do, so he volunteers to go into space to defend his planet and humankind. He finds himself in a new body, a much younger one, and fighting against all types of alien peoples who are seen as a threat. He makes new friends and all of these people are seemingly young, but actually with a lifetime’s worth of experience and skills.
This is a very clever idea and this book is one of a series of books featuring the rejuvenated soldiers. The story doesn’t concentrate on the fighting or on future technology, but on the challenges faced by these people and the moral choices they often have to make. The writing is often humorous, and occasionally moving, and the book is an excellent and quick read. I suspect that you might enjoy it even if you don’t usually read science fiction.
I have read a few books by this author and I like his style and his very inventive imagination – you can read my reviews of other of his books here, here, here and here.
Anne Is Reading 