A review by jwells
Old Man's War by John Scalzi

adventurous dark medium-paced
  • Strong character development? No
I'm not usually a military SF reader but I got curious about the premise of the "second life" that elderly retirees can get by enlisting. It's a good hook.

I'm surprised how many reader reviews tagged this as funny. Just because of some dialogue wise cracks? When
Spoiler quite a few likeable characters die in various unpleasant ways.


I found the thread about John's love for his dead wife rather moving... right up until it became clear that she was going to be replaced on a particularly appalling way. I wouldn't have minded a new romance when John's been a widower for nine years. But this:
Spoilera clone of the dead wife, who is emotionally six years old, whom John is teaching/grooming with memories of his wife. What.
. I'm not up for it. The romance doesn't progress in this book, but we get enough to know that's where we are headed.

It's too bad I have to bail; I see that the sequel has alien POV which is intriguing.
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