The Last Colony
by John Scalzi
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Book Reviews of The Last Colony
Book Review: Robert Heinlein would be proud...
Summary: 5 Stars
I almost put the first book in the series down, thinking it would be endless old person "got to pee" references. The characters were a little slow to build up an empathy with, but after the first few chapters things worked out. I'm really glad I didn't put it down.
Scalzi has done a superb job with the technology, both the space flight and the bioengineering. Both were plausible and the author knew when and how much to explain; it fit the narative seamlessly. Once the characters were developed, empathy kicked in like gangbusters. And in the tradition of Heinlein, just when things seem smooth, the crewman in the red jumper goes out to dump the trash and...
One thing I really appreciated in the Last Colony was the point of view of the other alien races in the Conclave. Scalzi has done some very sophisticated thinking about the interactions of humans and "alien" races.
These three books are well-crafted and well-paced. The author has constructed a very realistic universe socially, politically, and technologically. The aliens (species and individuals) are well thought out: the reader becomes invested in the plot and characters. The military
parts are realistic and not romanticized. The only complaint in this area is that the character of the Drill Sergeant (MSGT Ruiz) is a little over the top; if this is based on Sergeant Zim in Starship Troopers then it's not quite there.
Looking back on the experience, I see how the various story arcs and plot fit into the uber-plot and it's just amazing. I'm SO glad I didn't put it down in volume one.
Highly recommended.
Book Review: End of the Trilogy is the best
Summary: 4 Stars
"The Last Colony" is the third book of the "Old Man's War" trilogy by John Scalzi. It's as much a political thriller as the military sci-fi of the previous books; it follows Jane Sagan and John Perry as they are picked to lead the planetary colony of Roanoke, the first colony to be picked from existing colonies rather than Earth itself. But Roanoke is important in a different way - it's being used as a pawn by the Colonial Union (leader of all the human colonies) in their opposition to the Conclave, a group of alien races that are attempting to regulate the unchecked expansion and war in the universe.
I liked "The Last Colony" both more and less than the earlier books. The philosophical questions around the CDF and the Special Forces aren't really a large part of the whole thing, which is slightly disappointing. Working better, however, is that Scalzi doesn't spend so much time in the area of competent but dull mil-sf like he did in the last two. Much of this book is the raising of the colony, which Scalzi handles well (although it is somewhat understandably shunted aside by developments later in the book) - it's nice to watch as Perry and Sagan try to keep the colony under control and safe under the constraints they're stuck with.
The book picks up steam as things turn more political, and the balancing act Perry has to strike is engaging. Scalzi keeps the situation tense and interesting, although some events are disappointingly offscreen. It's a satisfying finish to the Old Man's War series, and the best of the three books.
Book Review: He's Got To Be Kidding!
Summary: 5 Stars
Even after I had closed this book on the satisfying last page, I had to think hard. There are a lot of adjectives one can use about this novel: audacious, funny, moving, wise and crazy. I had to give it 5 stars because I loved the characters and the mad twists of the plot kept me riveted.
John Perry, hero of Old Man's War, is back in a human body, happily retired on an agricultural world as a village ombudsman with Jane Sagan, the second reincarnation of his first wife and Zoe, the orphaned daughter of a traitor to humanity (The Ghost Brigades). His old commanding officer shows up with an offer he can't refuse: to lead a new colony composed of settlers from ten other frontier worlds. Only after the ship arrives at its new destination does John learn the "catch". There's more twists in this plot than a second hand corkscrew caught in a trash compacter.
About three-quarters of the way through the book, I finally questioned some of the political angles of this thriller plot. There is an inherent defect in founding a colony in order to exploit it for propaganda purposes and then keeping the existence of the colony secret. Illogical? Yes, but then I looked at the universe I currently live in. Scalzi's whole logical tangle reaches such a pitch of perfection that I could not take away a single star. Scalzi is NOT Heinlein. He's too cheeky, too tongue-in-cheek and rips out too many jokes about expelling gas. I love his stuff. More. More!
Book Review: Scifi Watch: 'The Last Colony' Review by John Scalzi
Summary: 4 Stars
I've just finished reading `The Last Colony` by John Scalzi and although it's very early in the year I can honestly say this is going to be one of the best reads of 2009. John Perry, the hero of John Scalzi's Hugo-nominated debut novel, Old Man's War, has found peace in a violent universe. When him and his wife, Jane, are asked to lead a new colony world, he jumps at the chance to explore the universe. Him and his new colony are pawns in an interstellar game of diplomacy and war between humanity's Colonial Union and a new, seemingly unstoppable alien alliance that has ordered an end to all human colonization.
This is a great read. Scalzi characters are believable, his plots are adventurous and engaging without running the risk of being primarily action-driven. What Scalzi also achieves to make the world of Roanoke, the last colony in the novel, truly shine is the level of detail. He presents the planet as a microcosm in a larger geo-political empire. Scalzi's novel reads simple on the surface but what you take away from the novel is something more complex. What he also achieves is showing the reader the grand scale of galactic empires without reading like some of the daunting space opera epics (i.e. Alaistar Reynolds, Ian M. Banks). If you're a seasoned science fiction aficionado or just want an enjoyable read. This is the book for you!
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Book Review: Another underwhelming sequel
Summary: 3 Stars
"The Last Colony" was a little disappointing to me, which is pretty much how I felt about "The Ghost Brigades". Nice enough ideas, but sloppy execution, spotty writing, and terse dialogue bring it down. There's also a very large plot point that suddenly gets dropped off with no further mention or elaboration, quite odd. In spite of its shortcomings, it's still a fairly enjoyable read, just don't come in with high expectations (though the ending was pretty nice, and I don't mean that in a sarcastic way).
Anyway, I highly recommend "Old Man's War" (the first book in the series), it's quite excellent and is far superior to the sequels, I'll probably read it again someday. "The Ghost Brigades" and "The Last Colony" are pretty flat and feel like rush-jobs and simply aren't up to par with the original novel, but they aren't necessarily bad either and are a decent enough way to kill some time. I won't be reading "Zoe's Tale" so I can't comment on that, I'm just not interested in re-reading this same story from another point of view. For more discerning readers: Stick to "Old Man's War" and ignore the sequels. For everyone else: The sequels are worth a look if you just can't get enough of the series, just don't get your hopes up too much.