John Scalzi reminds me of Robert Heinlein. His stories have a beginning, a middle, and an exciting end. Scalzi’s characters are believable and interesting. And, the future Scalzi invents is full of that sense of wonder that Heinlein’s best stories have. The End of All Things features a neat John Harris cover. It’s the sixth book in the Old Man’s War series. Earth and the Colonial Union are feuding. The End of All Things explores the reason for the bad relations and the efforts to repair them. I’ve read the previous five books in this series–The Old Man’s War, The Ghost Brigades, The Lost Colony, Zoe’s Tale, and The Human Division–and enjoyed them all. You don’t have to read the previous books to enjoy The End of All Things, but it would help understand the story arc. GRADE: B+
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
The Life of the Mind 9
This Hollow Union 117
Can Long Endure 205
To Stand Or Fall 269
An Alternate “The Life of the Mind” 351
Acknowledgements 379
I’ve read and very much enjoyed the 5 Old Man’s War books – I even got Jackie to read the first one (so far) – and I’m looking forward to reading this one as soon as I get my hands on it. A lot of favorite series books are coming out in August – I read the latest Maron and Crider books this week.
Jeff, I would think Jackie would enjoy THE GHOST BRIGADES which reads like a Navy SEALS story.
I’ve read the first three sections of this one and just started the 4th. It’s a bit talky, but the 3rd section did have quite a bit of action. I’m hoping for a big finish.
Bill, you’re right about THE END OF ALL THINGS being a bit chatty. Scalzi also provides an alternative version of the first novella as a “bonus.”
As my current reading post today shows, I’m also reading this one now, and enjoying it, as I have all the other books in the series. I think to understand this one it’s best to have at least read The Human Division first. Scalzi has become a drop everything, must read author for me, and I’ll bet I’d give this an “A” rather than your “B+”.
Coming in a week or so is the new one by Louise Penny, another drop everything author.
Rick, I pretty much dropped everything to read THE END OF ALL THINGS when it arrived last week. I’m a few books behind on Louise Penny. I need to catch up!