Not as good as Heinlein - better! While the steady stream of interesting and entertaining ideas in this book is reminiscent of Heinlein, the quality of the writing surpasses all but the very best of Heinlein's novels. On the strength of this book alone, I'm adding Scalzi to my list of must-buy authors. The setting, the plot and the character development are all first-class. Highly recommended.
This guy can't write! I was suckered into buying this book based upon the glowing comments of how it won awards and the author is following in the footsteps of the great Robert Heinlein and the like. I read about 45 pages and threw it against the wall. The problem is the characters are absolutely flat and lifeless. You couldn't distinguish the voice or characteristics of one character from another. A story has got to be about people, not stuff that happens. Scalzi can't write people, at least as judged by what I see here.
I'm giving it two stars because it was readable enough; it simply failed to engage me. Maybe it would be okay reading for a kid, or someone who picked it up in a lazy frame of mind and didn't expect much.
P.S. I feel a bit awkward posting this, in that I see John Scalzi himself has visited this site. Here I am, having written nothing myself, posting a scathing comment about another human being who has gone public with his creativity. It's hardly fair, to snipe from the shadows like this. There's something to be said for the aphorism that the very worst author is worth more than all the critics who have ever lived. Well, I respect those who make the effort to write. Good luck to all of you, and I'm not claiming to possess the entire truth. But this is how I reacted, and it's one data point of many. Tastes Light, Less Filling Upon finishing it, I did wonder how this book became a Hugo Award finalist.
While the book makes for a fun read over the course of a couple of sittings, it is indescribably unsatisfying. The story is sweet tasting but without any complex flavors. Character and story development are pretty run-of-the-mill here.
Old Man's War was good enough that I'll want to read the next story, Ghost Brigade. But it's not good enough to warrant a purchase on Amazon. Public library here I come.
