Book Review: Old Man's War
A delightful tale of a man who misses his dead wife, wrapped in the guise of a military space opera.
John Scalzi's best-known series hooked me from the first chapter. A 75-year-old widower signs his life away in exchange for eternal youth out among the stars because... well, why wouldn't you?
There's a catch, of course. Isn't there always? In this case it's that no one actually knows what happens after they take you because no one has ever come back. But, at the ripe age of 75, what do most people have to lose?
That's John Perry's reasoning, anyway. So he signs up and, before he knows it, has a new friend group of similar-aged recruits who are just as clueless as he.
It's hard to say more without spoilers. The book could easily have gone the space military route. It did, in a way, painting a vast universe under contention in true space opera style, not spending too much time on any society or planet. However, it's clear from the start how much John misses his wife, who passed away before him. The book returns to this, quickly outshining the military themes—which was, IMHO, a fantastic surprise. I don't mind military novels, but I'm drawn more to the human aspects—specifically relationships—and Scalzi delivered brilliantly without diluting any of the action.
Do I recommend it? Well, I've already started the second book, so I'd have to say yes.
Fans of space opera, military novels, and light romantic themes will be delighted with this gem of a novel.