The Last Colony
by John Scalzi
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Book Reviews of The Last Colony
Book Review: The Last Colony
Summary: 5 Stars
The Last Colony
This book is the latest in John Scalzi's series of super humans, and while many have considered him the next Heinlein, that bit gets bandied around way too much. He is not the next Heinlein but he is an phenomenal writer. The Old Man's war series (This is book 3 of the series) is some of the best writing to come out of the "brat pack" of authors (Sagan, Scalzi, and Doctorow) that are setting down some of the newer riffs in modern science fiction writing.
The last colony is a book about love, hope, betrayal, and stubbornness, and how all of that will overcome the best laid machinations of government and military. When you promote someone and give them freedom of action to do something, never be surprised that they will work on their own agenda rather than yours.
The story starts off with the Hero John Perry and his wife Sagan are talked into leading a colony after the events in Old Mans War and Sagan's story in the Ghost Brigades. We also learn how Zoe (adopted daughter) has become the icon of an alien race without emotions, and how the starting to be teenage daughter deals with that, along with colonizing a new planet. Of course everything also goes wrong, the combined space races have declared a moratorium on new colonies without approval of the interstellar alliance. If you do they wipe out your colony from orbit, which is not the way that you want to end your day. The interesting part about this is the colonial defense group does not want to be part of the alliance, but along comes Perry and Sagan. And things do not end up the way that anyone expected them to be. While there is no planned follow up and Zoe's Tale is not yet available, this is one universe that is worth exploring, and hopefully Scalzi will continue the story because it is compelling, interesting, and just plain fun to read science fiction.
Rated this book 5 stars, this is a must purchase, but get the whole series, this is the 3rd in the series, and you will really want the background information.
Book Review: Final Book in a Worthwhile Trilogy
Summary: 4 Stars
The Last Colony is the final installment of Joe Scalzi's science fiction trilogy, following Old Man's War and The Ghost Brigades. Suffice it to say, if you enjoyed the first two installments, you won't be disappointed. In a nutshell, after years of colonizing planets with Earth inhabitants, the subsequent colonies have matured to the point that many wish to have their own colonies. In an effort to quell cries of favoritism, the Colonial Defense Force cobbles together a seed colony, consisting of colonists from many of the existing colonies. The colony will be led by John Perry and Jane Sagan, the main characters from the preceding two novels, who have subsequently retired from active duty with the CDF. Conflict with other intelligent life forms and intrigue within the Colonial Union ensues.
I've read quite a bit of science fiction lately, and this novel is a jarring contrast to one I recently finished, River of Gods (Ian McDonald). Whereas the latter was, at times, difficult to follow and understand (I would term it literary, intelligent science fiction), Scalzi's work is far more accessible to the average science fiction fan. After reading River of Gods and Saturn's Children (Charles Stross), I needed a break and this novel was a perfect breather. It is easy to follow, well developed and enjoyable to read. Not groundbreaking or award winning in my opinion, but if a good science fiction story is what you're looking for, and you're not in the mood for deep, philosophical Philip Dick, Frank Herbert style sci-fi, you could do far worse than Scalzi's trilogy. As with Old Man's War, I felt that some of the dialogue was contrived, but not to the extent of detracting from the story.
Bottom line, if you're looking for classic Isaac Asimov style science fiction, this is just the ticket. Conversely, other authors are pushing the boundary of science fiction into the literary realm. This is not one of those, deep philosophical, complex works.
Book Review: Twenty-five hundred pawns to king four
Summary: 5 Stars
Scalzi's third book, at least to start, moves at an easier pace than the ones before. The protagonists of the last books have retired from the military and cast off their olive drab (skin that is). They've settled down to farming, quieting petty feuds in their community, and raising a daughter. Then comes the offer: to lead colonization of a new world. Uprooting their family hurts a bit, but they agree. They and settlers from ten planets set out for their new home on Roanoke, named for a colony from American history.
When they arrive at Roanoke, it isn't - it's a different planet, not the one they prepared for. The Union has sabotaged their starship, stranding them. The settlers haven't been told the real purpose of their colony, as an expendable chip in a high-stakes political gamble. That's when Scalzi's writing hits its stride, unwrapping layer after layer of plots, secrets, and alien motivations. Despite the threat of planetary annihilation, the biggest threat comes from their own kind - who they can't trust and can't bring themselves to betray.
Old Man's War, the first in this series, had much in common with Haldeman's Forever War, but lacked Haldeman's bitter tone. Similarly, this volume echoes Forever Free. Instead of the benign neglect given to Haldeman's little colony, though, Scalzi drives deep into the territory where power corrupts, and where innocent civilians are expected to pay the price for that corruption. It's been a long time since I've read much SF, but Scalzi has me at it again.
-- wiredweird
Book Review: More Than Adequate Ending
Summary: 4 Stars
John Perry and his ex-Special Forces wife Jane Sagan are asked by the Colonial Defense Forces to lead a new Human colony on a world that has not yet been claimed by any other alien species. As usual, there is more than meets the eye to the CDF's request for Perry and Sagan to head the new colony -- Roanoke -- and what is not revealed may wind up costing not only Perry and Sagan their lives, but spell doom for Roanoke as well.
Once again Scalzi thrusts us into a universe where soldiers are adapted in creative ways to fight off any number of alien aggressors. But unlike the previous two books -- Old Man's War & The Ghost Brigades -- The Last Colony focuses much less on the martial capabilities of CDF soldiers (infantry and special forces alike...after all, the previous two books convincingly displayed their skills) and focuses more on the machinations of how the CDF is dealing with the Conclave...a conglomeration of over four hundred alien species that is threatening the Colonial Union's colonization efforts. Scalzi does a terrific job of setting the scene -- the Conclave's threat to Humanity -- but some of the details miss the mark. I would have liked more from Sagan's perspective as well as their daughter's Zoe's perspective...though I suspect the later novel(la)s Zoe's Tale and The Sagan Diary covers much from these characters' point of view. Still, I wanted more within this novel...I wanted Sagan and Zoe to really stand out in their interactions with others in these pages because their characters are so pivotal to this overall story.
Nonetheless, The Last Colony stands as a fine ending to a story and characters that won't soon be forgotten. Scalzi deserves every bit of the praise he has received for this trilogy...it is more than worth reading...it is unforgettable.
Book Review: Plots and hazards on a New Colony
Summary: 5 Stars
John Perry, the main character of the excellent _Old Man's War_, which kicks off this trilogy, has left the Colonial Defense Forces and is a colonial administrator (ombudsman) on a quiet farming colony with his wife, Jane Sagan (formerly of the Special Forces), and their adopted 13 year old daughter Zoe. General Rybicki, a man from Perry's past, arrives with a proposal that he and Jane lead a new colony that is being planned. After eight years of peaceful predictability, he's ready for a change.
Unfortunately, the new colony of Roanoke lives up to its namesake. Things go bizarrely wrong from the start, with hidden conditions and plans imposed on them by the Colonial Union. Hints about the way the Colonial Union controls information and has too much power over all of humanity point to problems that come to fruition in this book. Intrigues and plots have placed John in the position of both fall-guy and possibly the only savior in a situation that could lead down the road to the failure of mankind in space.
This book covers, briefly, life on an established colony, the planning and politics involved in a the colonization of a new world and the dangers from enemies in space (and betrayal by their own government) and natural hazards on the ground. Then there are the tricky decisions and maneuvers in order to deal with the huge threat to the entire Colonial Union.
These books can be read as stand-alones even though they have common characters, but why not start at the beginning, since they are all excellent books full of adventure and suspense? This is a universe with exciting tales that one wish would never end.