I read a lot of books for reviewing, or blogging, or — well, formerly, grad school. But I’m done with grad school. So I read this book … just because.
Old Man’s War by John Scalzi. It’s been ages since I’ve read pure science fiction, and in some ways the old sweater — or today, tank top? — felt soft and comfortable and delicious. I think his characterization is great, and the bantery dialog charming. I liked the world he created, and the not-so-strong humans colonizing space against bigger, more powerful and often hostile aliens may not have been utopic, but it was believable (as were the occasions when humans were bigger and more powerful and STILL hostile).
But other things didn’t work for me. A lot of exposition-in-dialog, characters explaining the world to each-other. Sure, a lot of the world is new to the protagonist — but too often it felt like the author explaining the world to the reader. There were a few plot points that made my eyes bulge — 100,000 people die, and 3 close friends are among the handful of survivors?
As much as I liked the protagonist, I’m not sure if I’d read the next book in the series. The part that intrigued me — 70-something man becomes a young warrior — was less interesting when I realized most of the other characters in the book had gone through the same process.
Scalzi is a man-about the internet, and I hate to say anything negative about his book. But maybe I say it to ask you — have you read it? Am I misjudging?
